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Funding Opportunities

In this page you will find a list of research and clinical training funding opportunities (grants, fellowships, awards) in movement disorders and related disciplines

The list is regularly updated so please check periodically.

The list is sorted by date of grant application submission deadline. A list of funding opportunities available on a rolling basis is provided at the bottom of this page.

UCL staff and students: additional listings of internal and external funding opportunities is available on the UCL SLMS funding opportunities webpages.

See our list of research funding and support organizations for other types of research support opportunities.

Have we missed anything? Please let us know of any funding opportunities that should be added to this list by emailing: movementdisorders@ucl.ac.uk

September 2021

  • MRC Clinical research training fellowship (CRTF): The CRTF programme supports clinicians (including doctors, clinical psychologists, allied health professionals, nurses and others) to undertake a PhD or other higher research degree. This scheme also provides a route for postdoctoral applicants who achieved their PhD some time ago but who have not been research active since due to clinical training commitments to reacquire research skills. Applications are welcome across all areas of the MRC’s remit to improve human health and may range from basic science to translational and developmental clinical research. This programme covers costs for salary (commensurate with stage of clinical training), up to £20,000 per year for research consumables, equipment, conference travel, PhD/course fees plus certain additional costs (upon request). Fellowship awards are usually given for a 3 years period based on full time equivalents (awards may be held on a part-time basis in some cases). Please note seperate application routes for pre-doctoral and postdoctoral applicants (same deadlines).
    For more information visit the MRC clinical research training fellowship webpage.
    Three application cycles per year, upcoming deadline: 1 September 2021.

  • MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship (CSF): This programme aims to develop talented medically and other clinically qualified professionals who have gained a higher research degree to lead their own research plans and establish their own research team to make the transition to independent investigator. The fellowship provides funding for a challenging research programme, as well as an ambitious programme of research training which offers accelerated personal and career development. Applications may range from basic studies with relevance to mechanisms of disease to translational and developmental clinical research; however, it is expected that applicants’ clinical work helps to inform and strengthen their research work.
    For more information visit the MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship webpage.
    Three application cycles per year, upcoming deadline: 1 September 2021.

  • MRC Molecular & Cellular Medicine research board grants: The molecular and cellular medicine portfolio focuses on basic biological mechanisms or technologies relevant to human health and disease, including understanding the aetiology of disease and developing treatments. This includes specific responsibility for the MRC’s cancer research portfolio, including basic biology, epidemiology and early translational research. Researchers can apply to the Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board through four grant schemes: MRC research grants, MRC programme grant scheme, MRC new investigator research grants, MRC partnership grants.
    For more information visit the MRC Molecular & Cellular Medicine Board website.
    Three application cycles per year, upcoming deadline: 1 September 2021.

  • MRC Career Development Award (CDA): This programme supports talented postdoctoral researchers to lead their own research plans and establish their own research team to make the transition from postdoctoral researcher to independent investigator. The award provides funding for a challenging research programme, as well as an ambitious programme of research training which offers accelerated personal and career development. Applications may range from basic studies with relevance to mechanisms of disease to translational and developmental clinical research.
    For more information visit the MRC Career Development Award webpage.
    Two application cycles per year, upcoming deadline: 15 September 2021.

  • MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship (SNCF): Transition to leadership: This programme supports researchers with a track record of effectively leading their own independent research to make the transition to research leadership. The fellowship provides 50% of the fellow's salary costs, together with support for research staff, consumables expenses, travel costs and capital equipment appropriate for the research project (fellowship provides up to 5 years of support). Applications are welcome across all areas of the MRC’s scientific remit and may range from basic studies (with relevance to mechanisms of disease) to translational and developmental clinical research.
    For more information visit the NIHR Non-Clinical Fellowship webpage.
    Deadline: 15 September 2021.

  • MRC Neurosciences & Mental Health research board grants: The Neurosciences and Mental Health Board is responsible for the MRC’s investments in disorders of the human nervous system. This includes, and is underpinned, by fundamental research into the human nervous system, its normal development and function, which informs our understanding of the mechanism of disease. The Board’s strategy includes addressing the challenges of mental illness and neurodegenerative diseases as well as exploring what we can learn from the direct study of human brain tissue to gain insight into the human brain. Researchers can apply to the Neurosciences and Mental Health Board through four grant schemes: MRC research grants, MRC programme grant scheme, MRC new investigator research grants, MRC partnership grants.
    For more information visit the MRC Neurosciences & Mental Health Board website.
    Three application cycles per year, upcoming deadline: 29 September 2021.

October 2021

  • Cure Parkinson's- Research Funding : Funding is available for laboratory or clinical research projects with the potential to cure Parkinson's. The definition of cure in this instance is disease-modifying therapy or therapies: to slow, stop or reverse underlying disease progression. Priority will be given to research that has potential to translate into the clinic within five years.

    One priority of the fund is to support promising clinical trials. This includes funding for trials themselves and pre-clinical research to support potential trials. However, funding is also available for any other research supporting or accelerating clinical trials and their outcomes. For more information:https://cureparkinsons.org.uk/information-for-grant-applicants/  Application Deadline: 01/10/2021

  • PF/American Brain Foundation- Clinical Research Training Scholarship in PD: a joint programme of the Parkinson’s Foundation and the American Brain Foundation, aimed at recognising the importance of good clinical research and to encourage young investigators in clinical studies in Parkinson’s disease. Eligible projects include patient-oriented research conducted with human subjects, or translational research specifically designed to develop treatments or enhance diagnosis of neurologic disease. These areas of research include epidemiologic or behavioural studies, clinical trials, studies of disease mechanisms, the development of new technologies, and health services and outcomes research. Disease-related studies not directly involving humans or human tissue are also encouraged if the primary goal is the development of therapies, diagnostic tests, or other tools to prevent or mitigate neurological diseases. For more information: America Academy of Neurology. Deadline: 01/10/2021.

November 2021

  • MRC Biomedical Catalyst: Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme (DPFS): The DPFS scheme is a key part of MRC's Translational Research Strategy and supports the translation of fundamental discoveries toward benefits to human health. It funds the pre-clinical development and early clinical testing of novel therapeutics, devices and diagnostics, including “repurposing” of existing therapies. All disease areas and modalities of intervention are eligible for support from the scheme. There is no formal limit to the total amount that can be requested in a DPFS grant – all costs should be fully justified within a proposal and the Panel will assess value for money in the context of the proposed work.
    For more information visit the MRC Biomedical Catalyst Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme webpage.
    Three application cycles per year, upcoming deadline: 24 November 2021.

December 2021

  • Edmond J Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders : Funding (£129,607) for established movement disorder centres worldwide to train new movement disorder clinician-researchers, thereby developing a network of highly trained specialists to be the next generation of leaders in Parkinson's research and clinical care. For more information: https://www.michaeljfox.org/grant/edmond-j-safra-fellowship-movement-disorders Deadline: 09/12/2021

Funding opportunities without specific deadline (rolling-basis application)

  • Empiris Foundation: The EMPIRIS Foundation promotes charitable projects across various branches of the sciences through contributions to research projects or programs in education and training. The Foundation is also involved in the practical application of research findings, particularly in the field of medicine.
    For more information visit the Empiris Foundation Project Partners webpage.

  • Guarantors of Brain Travel Grants: These grants are intended mainly to support attendance at scientific meetings where applicants will be presenting their original work. Grants may also be awarded to support research visits to laboratories or clinical departments, where exceptional training opportunities are not available in the home institution. The grant contributes to costs incurred by clinical and non-clinical neurologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists and others. Travel Grants are restricted to those in doctoral training (ie. PhD students, or UK based 3-year research MD) and post doctoral training (whether clinically qualified or not) and for work undertaken while based in the United Kingdom. Application must be initiated on-line at least 9 weeks before the planned meeting and fully submitted at least 8 weeks before the meeting date. For more information visit the Guarantors of Brain Travel Grants webpage.

  • Guarantors of Brain public understanding of neurology awards: This funding scheme is to support high quality and innovative projects that promote the public understanding of neurology. Funders are looking for high quality, imaginative and creative works (or events) that critically engage artists and audiences with neurology or neurological science. The programme will support professional approaches to the subject matter, producing exciting and engaging artistic work (or events). Awards of up to £5000 are available.  If you are considering an application, please submit a brief outline, to sketch the idea, people involved and approximate budget (co-funding from other sources will be an advantage). A full application to the Board of management may then be invited (two invited full application deadlines per year: 20 February & 20 September).
    For more information visit the Guarantors of Brain public understanding of neurology webpage.

  • LifeArc: LifeArc is a UK-based charity focused on improving the lives of patients by driving medical innovation. Alongside conducting their own research, LifeArc funds collaborations and science projects to support the early translation of biomedical innovations.
    For more information visit the LifeArc funding webpage.

  • Micheal J fox Foundation Alpha-synuclein Imaging Prize: The Michael J. Fox Foundation is sponsoring a $2 million prize to the first team to develop a viable selective alpha–synuclein PET tracer and agree to make that tracer available broadly.
    For more information visit the MJFF Imaging Prize webpage.

  • Parkinson's UK Clinical Trials funding: Dedicated funding stream to support clinical trials of potential new and repurposed drug treatments for Parkinson's. For more information visit the Parkinson's UK Clinical Trials Funding webpage.

  • Parkinson’s UK Cohort study grants: Long-term, observational cohort studies. https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/research/cohort-study-grants

  • Parkinson’s UK Research involvement awards (PPI): https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/research/research-involvement-awards

  • Parkinson’s UK Research meeting or workshop support: up to £3000 https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/research/support-your-research-meetings

  • Parkinson's UK Next Step Grants: funding for existing Parkinson's UK Grant funded studies to build further (up to £20,000) https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/research/information-grantholders