Funding opportunity:Pre-clinical translational models hub (Grant)
Apply for funding to establish a UK Hub for the development of pre-clinical translational human in vitro models. The Hub must build on existing equipment, capability and expertise in developing human in vitro models. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for MRC funding.
- Opening date:
- Closing date:
Contents
Summary
Apply for funding to establish a UK Hub for the development of pre-clinical translational human in vitro models.
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for Medical Research Council (MRC) funding.
The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £25 million. The maximum MRC will fund (including any exceptions funded at 100%), is £20 million.
Only one application (as project lead), can be submitted by each organisation.
The Hub will be funded for up to 42 months. Awards will have to start by 14 November 2026.
Eligibility
This funding opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible.
Who is eligible to apply
To be eligible to apply for funding you must:
show that you will direct the project and be a member of the proposed hub leadership team
have the relevant expertise and experience to lead the hub
have strong institutional support to establish the Hub as a national resource
The hub should be based in one location, which will be the site for model development and host any guest staff and external visitors.
Who is not eligible to apply
If you are employed by these organisations you cannot apply as project lead or project co-lead, but can participate as project partners on an application led by an eligible UK organisation:
businesses
charity and third sector organisations
International researchers
While international organisations cannot lead an application, it is possible for international researchers to apply as part of the leadership team, as an international co-project lead. We expect international co-leads to make a major intellectual contribution to the design or conduct of the project and to provide clear indicators of commitment to the Hub.
You should include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners.
The contribution and added value to the research collaboration should be clearly explained and justified in the application, see Applicant and team capability to deliver
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.
We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:
career breaks
support for people with caring responsibilities
flexible working
alternative working patterns
UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.
Diversity is one of the core MRC values and we are committed to creating inclusive environments that encourage excellence in research through good equalities practice. We strongly encourage applications from currently underrepresented groups including female and ethnic minority researchers, and researchers with disabilities or long-term conditions.
We expect the Hub’s leadership to be diverse. We encourage the leadership model to be inclusive, diverse, and creative.
Objectives
What we're looking for
Aim
The Hub will aim to:
create more accurate predictive pre-clinical models of human disease to lower the attrition rate of new therapeutics and accelerate medicines discovery for patient benefit
be a national resource for in vitro model development and increase access to state-of-the-art technology, human tissue and patient samples and data across the UK
develop cutting-edge AI science agents to transform target discovery
enable additional methodological innovation through the co-location and collaboration of expertise across bioengineering, biological, clinical and computational science from academia and industry
position UK at the forefront of human in vitro model development for medical research, making it an attractive destination for global talent and pharmaceutical investment
increase the range of robust alternative methods available to support the reduction in the use of animals in science
The Hub will be a contact point for researchers from industry and academia in need of in vitro models for pre-clinical medicines development, such as drug screening, efficacy testing, target identification or validation. The Hub will provide capability, facilities and expertise to work with partners to refine existing models applicable for commercial and academic research use, or, exceptionally, to create novel models addressing agreed needs, ensuring that they are:
robust and reproducible
validated against clinical data for high disease phenotypic fidelity and human biological relevance
scalable as needed
available to a range of users
developed to comply with accepted industry standards (ISO)
The Hub will not seek to develop models of healthy tissue or systems purely intended for toxicology/safety to underpin phase 1 clinical trials, which will instead be validated via the parallel UK centre for validation of alternative methods (UKCVAM). The Hub will however work closely with regulatory agencies to integrate potential regulatory needs at the earliest stages of model development.
Scope
One Hub will be awarded from this funding opportunity, situated in a location that already has demonstrable capacity and capability in developing complex human in vitro models. The Hub will initially focus on one or more defined health research areas that will be determined in collaboration with the host site and the funding consortium.
The funding we award to the successful research organisation, will:
expand the host site’s capacity to develop in vitro models
increase the range of technologies available
add resources to allow for method and technology development including AI agents for data interrogation
increase opportunities for academic and commercial collaboration
The Hub must demonstrate:
strong existing scientific expertise in developing, working with and quality control of in vitro human models, including, but not limited to organoids, organ-on-a-chip and complex iPSC co-cultures
a range of existing equipment and capabilities to maintain complex human cell culture
existing equipment, capabilities and expertise to assess biological validity and disease relevance of human in vitro models including, but not limited to high-end imaging, automation, transcriptomic, genomics and proteomic analysis
access to clinical samples and linked patient data in one or more research areas
IT infrastructure and capability to enable external access to high quality data, including consideration of storage, security, transfer and the FAIR principles
computational skills and resource to allow for analysis and integration of data from models with relevant clinical data
clear strategies for use and/or development of state-of-the art AI tools for data interrogation
capacity to expand lab space and use of equipment to accommodate and host external users, including researchers from industry and academia
clear plans for how to make the Hub a national resource for academic, industry and clinical partners, including stakeholder engagement and outreach strategies
plans for governance of the Hub including risk management
approaches to Intellectual property (IP) and contracts management that will be mutually beneficial for model owners, developers and end users
clear overview and justification of required additional capacity and resources
plans for experimental pipelines for model validation
The pre-clinical translational models Hub will deliver part of Action 2a of the Life Sciences Sector Plan in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy. It will also support the Replacing animals in science strategy and the AI for science strategy (see related content). The Hub will report on progress to funders and final governance structures will be developed in collaboration with the funded host site.
The Hub will not conduct animal experiments, however, models developed through the Hub, may be compared with existing data from animal models for validation purposes. The Hub is expected to monitor and report how their work contributes to reducing use of animals in science.
The Hub host site will work in close collaboration with MRC and the Office for Life Sciences to develop a full business case for the Hub delivery, which will involve detailed monitoring and evaluation plans. Funding is conditional on approval of the business case.
Support from your research organisation
There is no requirement for matched funding from the institution hosting the Hub, beyond any 20% FEC contribution. However considerable, sustained and clearly defined support from the research organisation is essential to a successful application and will be an equal part of the assessment of applications for the Hub. We expect the research organisation to provide:
laboratory space
access to facilities and equipment
access to necessary digital support infrastructure
support to manage estates
human resources services
finance services
underpinning of key staff positions
Number of applications
An organisation may lead one application.
Duration
The duration of this award is 42 months.
Projects must start by 14 November 2026.
Funding available
The FEC of your project can be up to £25 million.
MRC will fund 80% of the FEC. Any identified exceptions will be funded at 100%. The maximum MRC contribution, including any identified exceptions funded at 100%, is £20 million.
What we will fund
You can request funding for costs such as:
directly allocated contributions to salaries of the leadership team in line with their research contribution
directly incurred salaries of research staff, technicians, and professional enabling staff, where there is a clear justification for their critical role within the Hub
mid-range or large equipment critical to the Hub. Mid-range or large equipment is a single item costing over £138,000 (£115,000 excluding VAT).
travel costs
data preservation, data sharing and dissemination costs
technology and data platforms to provide accessible facilities and capability essential to the mission and to promote open science, when not available elsewhere
public partnerships and related activities, including public engagement and involvement, and payments to public contributors
initiatives to improve environmental sustainability
estates and indirect costs
creation and maintenance of a website
What we will not fund
We will not fund:
studentships
open access costs: these must be covered by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) open access grant
training and capacity building that can be accessed through existing funding routes, such as existing doctoral training programmes, MRC or UKRI fellowships
buildings and other types of infrastructures
clinical trials or longitudinal population studies, which have specific governance requirements and for which alternative funding routes are available
Project partner
A project partner is a collaborating organisation in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU, who will have an integral role in the proposed research. You may include project partners that will support your hub through cash or in-kind contributions, such as:
staff time
access to equipment
sites or facilities
the provision of data
software or materials
recruitment of people as research participants
providing samples, such as human tissue, for the project
Who cannot be included as a project partner
Any individual included in your application core team cannot also be a project partner.
Any organisation that employs a member of the application core team cannot be a project partner organisation, this includes other departments within the same organisation.
If you are collaborating with someone in your organisation or an organisation of a core team member, consider including them in the core team as project co-lead, or specialist. They cannot be a project partner.
Supporting skills and talent
We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.
As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.
See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.
Dates
Assessment process
We will assess your application using the following process.
Examination of applications
All applications will be examined to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria and scope of the funding opportunity. If your application is deemed to be outside the scope of the funding opportunity you will be advised by email, and your application will be rejected.
Shortlisting
Your application will be assessed in a two-stage process:
your application will first be considered by a shortlisting panel of experts. We aim to shortlist two to three applications
If shortlisted, you will be invited to respond to panel comments and participate in an interview
For more information on how we prioritise applications for funding please visit How we make decisions.
Timescale
We aim to complete the assessment process within seven weeks of receiving your application.
Feedback
Feedback will be provided for all applications.
If your application is unsuccessful, we will indicate which assessment criteria were not met.
If you are invited to an interview, feedback may include aspects to address in the written response or as a part of the interview.
Expert panel review
There will be no external written expert review for this funding opportunity. All applications will be assessed by an independent expert panel.
The expert panel will make a funding recommendation at the conclusion of the interview session.
MRC will make the final funding decision.
We reserve the right to review and make changes to this process as it deems necessary to support the proper assessment of applications.
For more information about our assessment process, see:
Principles of assessment
We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.
Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision making.
Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in expert review
Panellists are not permitted to use generative AI tools to develop their assessment, including to correct language, spelling, grammar and formatting. Using these tools can potentially compromise the confidentiality of the ideas that applicants have entrusted to UKRI to safeguard.
For more detail see our policy on the use of generative AI.
Assessment areas
Applications must demonstrate existing capability and capacity to host the Hub and fully meet all assessment area criteria to be invited to proceed. Applications which do not meet one or more criteria will not be successful.
The assessment areas we will use are:
approach to delivering the hub, including risk management, data management, accessibility for a wide range of users, access to clinical samples as well as translation and knowledge transfer
the hub environment, including governance, operations and decision-making, approach to IP and contracts management, capacity building, hub sustainability and placement within the wider UK research landscape
applicant and team capability to deliver the hub, including leadership team capability to deliver, research organisation support, including for business development, and partnerships and collaborations
ethical and responsible research and innovation considerations of the project
resources requested to do the project
Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.
How to apply
Click https://funding-service.ukri.org/OPP1205/apply/1233 in the UKRI Funding Service to apply.
We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
Intent to apply
If you are intending to apply to this funding opportunity, you should note there is a restriction of one institution level application, per eligible research organisation. We therefore advise you firstly contact your research office to discuss your application, before starting your application. This will ensure only one funding application will be submitted by your research organisation.
After discussing your intention to apply, there is a mandatory requirement that you provide us the following information:
your details (name and research organisation) and confirm your intent to apply as the project lead
confirming your application will be the only application submitted by your research organisation
the details of your core leadership team
a summary of your application (max 550 words)
Based on this information we may advise you whether your application is suited to this funding opportunity.
Email: humandiseasemodels@mrc.ukri.org with the information required.
The closing date to email us with your intent to apply is 15 April 2026.
Full application
The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.
Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.
There is a restriction allowing a maximum of one application per eligible research organisation.
To apply
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.
Confirm you are the project lead.
Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email support@funding-service.ukri.orgPlease allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service. We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you.
Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.
When including images, you must:
provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)
insert each new image on a new line
use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application will be rejected if you include:
sentences or paragraphs of text
tables
excessive quantities of images
A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
References
References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.
Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:
references are easily identifiable by the assessors
references are formatted as appropriate to your research
persistent identifiers are used where possible
General use of hyperlinks
Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)
Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.
For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment.
Deadline
MRC must receive your application by 21 May 2026 at 4:00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
Personal data
Processing personal data
MRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.
Sensitive information
If you or a core team member needs to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email humandiseasemodels@mrc.ukri.org
Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].
Typical examples of confidential information include:
individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
declaration of interest
additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.
Institutional matched funding
There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.
This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.
Publication of outcomes
MRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at Board and panel outcomes – MRC.
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.
Summary
Word limit: 550
In plain English, provide a summary of your application.
We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
opinion-formers
policymakers
the public
the wider research community
Guidance for writing a summary
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
context
the challenge the project addresses
aims and objectives
potential applications and benefits
Core team
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
project lead (PL)
project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
project co-lead (international) (PcL (I))
specialists
grant manager
professional enabling staff
research and innovation associate
technician
visiting researcher
researcher co-lead (RcL)
Only list one individual as project lead. This should be the individual who will act as the grant holder with responsibilities to MRC at the start of the Hub award. If you include more than one project lead your application will fail at the checking stage.
List other leadership team members as project co-lead or international project co-lead.
All host organisations must be represented by an eligible co-lead.
The leadership team members’ application roles should not imply relative status or influence the leadership model which is for the applicants to propose.
We encourage inclusion of senior professional enabling staff such as a chief operating officer.
UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.
Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.
Application questions
Approach
Word limit: 5,500
How are you going to deliver your proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how you have designed your approach so that it:
is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
uses a clearly written and transparent methodology (if applicable)
summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed (if applicable)
will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work
will build EDI considerations into the formation, operation and governance of the hub, including how these will be operationalised
outlines future plans for sustaining the Hub beyond this application
Within the Approach section we also expect you to:
explain and justify how you will approach diversity and inclusion in the study population and follow the MRC embedding diversity in research design policy (if applicable)
show how you will use male and female animals or tissues and cells from female and male donors (if applicable). If you are not proposing to do this, justify why
explain and justify the inclusion of public partnerships (if applicable) and the added value these offer
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Translation and knowledge transfer and exchange
Word limit: 1,000
What is your approach to translational research and knowledge transfer and exchange?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain your approach, including:
how your translational research approach will be developed within the hub or with partners
how you will maximise the potential benefit of research undertaken in the hub to the research community, wider society and economy
how you plan to maximise engagement with relevant stakeholders (academia, industry, charities, policy makers) to ensure the appropriate sharing of knowledge and expertise
Intellectual property rights (IPR)
Word limit: 700
Provide a brief description of the intellectual assets underpinning the proposed work (if any).
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Completing this section is compulsory for all applications, even if your project is not expected to generate new intellectual property (IP). Failure to provide this information will result in your application being rejected.
Where applicable, describe your future IP management plans to:
manage the outputs of the project, including any intellectual assets and intellectual property
have freedom to operate
protect the foreground IP or market position
disseminate and communicate the outputs of your project
The assessors are looking for you to outline where IP and freedom to operate considerations will need to be accounted for (for example where licenses will need to be obtained).
Note that, at the time of application, or during any subsequent grant, UKRI would not anticipate any business to have exclusive rights to the assets and IP arising from the funded project.
The assessors will judge whether there is an appropriate intellectual property strategy in place to facilitate downstream development, clinical uptake or commercialisation.
Environmental sustainability
Word limit: 500
How will you approach environmental sustainability?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how you will:
promote environmental sustainability with the hub’s research practices
adopt relevant standards
align your environmental sustainability strategy with host research organisation sustainability plans and policies
Data management and sharing
Word limit:1,500
How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed research?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Provide a data management plan which should clearly detail how you will comply with MRC’s published data management and sharing policies, which includes detailed guidance notes.
Provide your response in the text box following the headings in the MRC data management plan template. You are not required to upload the document to your application.
The length of your plan will vary depending on the type of study being undertaken, as follows:
population cohorts, longitudinal studies, genetic, omics and imaging data, biobanks, and other collections that are potentially a rich resource for the wider research community: maximum of 1,500 words
all other research, less complex, the plan may be as short as 500 words
Leadership, operations and decision-making
Word limit: 1,500
How will you approach running the hub?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how the proposed hub:
will be effectively and inclusively managed including describing a leadership team with clear roles and responsibilities
will approach decision-making and agility in response to new scientific developments, and the processes and criteria to take decisions on future research directions
has clear governance plans to successfully function as a research entity, and coordinate activities across multiple sites (if applicable)
How the hub will access the appropriate services, facilities, infrastructure, or equipment to deliver the proposed research should be described in the ‘Your host research organisation support’ section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Applicant and team capability to deliver
Word limit: 2,000
Why are you the right leadership team to successfully deliver the proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Evidence of how your team, have:
the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work
the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work
the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver the work and your approach to develop others
contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
The word count for this section is 2,000 words, 1,500 words to be used for Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.
Use the R4RI format to showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.
Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed. Use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI. You should provide an integrated view of the skills and collective value of the team as a whole as they relate to the proposed challenge. You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the following key skills each team member brings in relation to your proposed hub, rather than listing the skills of each individual:
contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
contributions to the wider research and innovation community
contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit
Additions
Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).
You should complete this as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.
References may be included within this section.
ORCID iD
Within the R4RI format, team members should include their ORCID iD as part of the ‘short role descriptor’.
The roles in funding applications policy has descriptions of the different project roles.
Research organisation support
Word limit: 2,500
How will your research organisation(s) support the planned Hub?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
We are looking for strong host support and capability to deliver, evidenced through a statement from an individual with oversight of the organisations research strategy, vice-chancellor research or equivalent.
An outline of the support offered from the research organisation to the Hub and description of how the research organisation will help the Hub meet our expectations.
The statement should include:
name and position of all contributors to the statement
how the Hub aligns with host organisation strategies (research, research culture, training, sustainability)
the support and facilities you will offer the Hub
how you will operate the Hub and help it address its challenge
how the Hub will be governed within your organisation
Within the research organisation support section, we also expect you to explain how your support will contribute to a collaborative and stimulating multi or interdisciplinary research environment.
Project partners
Add details about any project partners contributions. If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service.
A project partner is a collaborating person or organisation who will have an integral role in your proposed research. This may include direct contributions for example cash, donated equipment and resources, or staff seconded to the project, or indirect and in-kind contributions for example use of project partner’s equipment, datasets, or facilities. Project partners may be in industry, academia, third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU.
A project partner is not anyone in your core team or anyone from your organisation or any of the other organisations represented by core team members.
Add the following project partner details:
the organisation name (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable)
the project partner contact name and email address
the type of contribution (direct or in-direct) and its monetary value
If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.
If there are specific circumstances where project partners do require funding for minor costs such as travel and subsistence, these project partner costs should be claimed and justified within the resources and costs section of your application.
Important information
If you are adding a project partner to this section, you must ensure they provide you with a letter or email of support and you upload it to ‘Project partners: letters or emails of support’.
If your project partners are from industry or a company, you must also complete the ‘Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)’ section.
Project partners responsible for carrying out animal work
If the project partner is responsible for conducting animal work or providing animals or animal tissue samples, you must ensure that you complete and upload the appropriate forms under the sections ‘Research involving the use of animals’ and ‘Conducting research with animals overseas’ (if applicable).
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Project partners: letters (or emails) of support
Word limit: 10
Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partners’ section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you do not have any project partners, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
What supporting statements we are looking for
We are looking for you to provide letters or emails of support from all your identified project partners.
What we are not looking for
We don’t want any other letters (or emails) of support, from people who are not your identified project partners, such as those simply expressing general support for your project. If these are included by you, they will be ignored by us and will not be used in the assessment process.
Important information
You should only provide letters or emails of support from people you have identified in the project partner section of your application, who will have an integral role in your proposed research.
What each project partner letter or email of support must include
Each project partner letter or email you provide should:
include the name of the project partner organisation and contact information
explain the project partners’ commitment to the project
explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the proposed work, to them
describe any additional value they will bring to the project
not exceed two sides of A4 per project partner
Project partner letters and emails of support are not required to be on headed paper or include handwritten signatures (electronic signatures are acceptable).
The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.
Project partners from industry or a company
Industry or company project partners are required to download and complete the industry or company letter of support template. You must also complete the ‘Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)’ section. Find out more about ICF.
Project partners responsible for recruiting research participants or providing human tissue or samples
If the project partner is responsible for the recruitment of people as research participants or providing human tissue their letter or email of support should include:
agreement that the project partner will recruit the participants or provide tissue
confirmation that what is being supplied is suitable for the proposed work
confirmation that the quantity of tissue being supplied is suitable, but not excessive for achieving meaningful results (if applicable)
Agreement with your project partners
Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the ‘Project partners’ section.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)
Word limit: 1,500
Does your application include collaboration with industry or company project partners?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
The assessors are looking for you to confirm if your proposed work involves collaboration with an industry or company project partner. If it does, you will need to follow the MRC industry collaboration framework (ICF).
By ‘industry or company’ we mean an enterprise that puts or has intention to put goods or services on a market.
For guidance to assist your decision if your proposed work requires you to follow ICF, you should explore the ICF decision tree and find out more about ICF which includes:
collaboration agreements
definitions of basic or applied research
internationally based companies
subsidy control
intellectual property (IP) arrangements
fully flexible and gated contributions
the ICF assessment criteria
Enter ‘Yes’ in the text box if you have industry or company project partners and you are likely to follow ICF. You should also confirm your answers to the ICF questions one to nine in the text box for each ICF project partner.
Contact us if you are unsure if your application should follow ICF.
In addition to the project partner information completed in the previous section, the assessors are looking for information relating to the nature, goals and conditions of the collaboration and any restrictions or rights to the project results that could be claimed by the industry or company project partner.
Confirm your answers to the ICF questions in the text box, repeat this process for each ICF project partner.
Name the industry or company project partner considered under ICF.
Indicate whether your application is basic research or applied research.
Explain why, in the absence of the requested UKRI funding, the collaboration and the planned research could not be undertaken.
State whether your application is under the category of fully flexible contribution or gated contribution (based on the IP sharing arrangements with the industry or company partner).
Outline the pre-existing IP (‘background IP’) that each partner, including the academic partner, will bring to the collaborative research project and the terms under which partners may access these assets.
Outline the IP that is expected to be developed during the collaborative research project (‘foreground IP’) and briefly outline how it will be managed, including:
who will own this IP
what rights industry or company partners will have to use academically-generated foreground IP during and after the research project, for internal research and development or for commercial purposes
any rights of the academic partner to commercialise the foreground IP, including foreground IP generated by industry or company partners
Outline any restrictions to dissemination of the project results, including the rights of the industry or company partner to:
review, approve or delay publications (including the time period associated with such rights)
request or require the removal of any information
Declare any conflicts of interest held by the applicants in relation to the industry or company project partners and describe how they will be managed.
Justify collaborating with an overseas industry or company under ICF (if applicable).
Failure to provide the information requested for industry or company partners under ICF could result in your application being rejected.
You are recommended to discuss the goals and conditions of any collaboration with an industry or company with your technology transfer or contracts office before applying.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made. You must provide us with a copy of the collaboration agreement, signed by all partners, before an ICF award starts.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
Word limit: 100
Does your proposed work relate to UKRI’s Trusted Research and Innovation principles?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Demonstrate how your proposed work relates to UKRI’s Trusted Research and Innovation principles including:
list any dual-use (both military and non-military) applications to your research
if this project is relevant to one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act, please list the area(s)
please read the academic export control guidance and confirm if an export control license is required for this project and the status of any application(s)
if your project involves any items or substances on the UK strategic export control list, please list these
We may ask you to provide additional TR&I information later, in line with UKRI TR&I Principles and funding terms and conditions (RGC 2.6.2, 2.7.1 and 2.7.2).
International collaboration
Word limit: 100
Does the proposed work involve any international collaboration or engagement?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Provide details about your expected international collaboration or engagement, including:
a list of the countries your international project co-leads, project partners, visiting researchers, or other collaborators are based in
details of any subcontractors or service providers
If your proposed work does not involve international collaboration or engagement, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Equipment
Word count: 500
Do you want to request any mid-range or large equipment?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you want to request mid-range or large equipment critical to establish platforms or facilities at the Hub:
list the equipment items
include an estimated cost for each
provide the percentage full economic cost to be requested
justify why the equipment is required and how it will be used
Mid-range equipment is a single item costing over £138,000 (£115,000 excluding VAT).
If you do not want to request any mid-range or large equipment you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)
Word limit: 500
What are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work? If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated:
the relevant ethical and RRI considerations, including both the research or topic area itself and the design and delivery of the project
the wider implications of the proposed work, and how you will maximise the positive societal, environmental, and economic benefits arising from the project, whilst minimising unintended negative impacts, such as research misuse or accidental harm
how you will manage these considerations throughout the lifecycle of the project
Consider the MRC guidance on ethics and approvals.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Please refer to the UKRI position statement on funding ethical research and Responsible innovation for more information around our expectations on ethical and responsible research and innovation.
Genetic and biological risk
Word limit: 700
Does your proposed research involve any genetic or biological risk?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
In respect of animals, plants or microbes, are you proposing to:
use genetic modification as an experimental tool, like studying gene function in a genetically modified organism
release genetically modified organisms
ultimately develop commercial and industrial genetically modified outcomes
If yes, provide the name of any required approving body and state if approval is already in place. If it is not, provide an indicative timeframe for obtaining the required approval.
Identify the organism or organisms as a plant, animal or microbe and specify the species and which of the three categories the research relates to.
Identify the genetic and biological risks resulting from the proposed research, their implications, and any mitigation you plan on taking. Assessors will want to know you have considered the risks and their implications to justify that any identified risks do not outweigh any benefits of the proposed research.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Research involving the use of animals
Word limit: 10
Does your proposed research involve the use of vertebrate animals or other organisms covered by the Animals Scientific Procedures Act?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing research that requires using animals, download and complete the Research involving the use of animals template (DOCX, 52.5KB), which contains all the questions relating to research using vertebrate animals or other Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 regulated organisms.
When a project partner will be responsible
If a project partner will conduct animal work for the proposed research, or will provide animals or animal tissue, you must:
upload a letter of support under the ‘Project partners: letters (or emails) of support’ section
complete and upload the required template in this section
complete and upload the template in the ‘Conducting research with animals overseas’ section (if applicable)
Save it as a PDF. The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Conducting research with animals overseas
Word limit: 700
Will any of the proposed animal research be conducted overseas?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing to conduct overseas research, it must be conducted in accordance with welfare standards consistent with those in the UK, as in Responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research. Ensure all named applicants in the UK and overseas are aware of this requirement.
If your application proposes animal research to be conducted overseas, you must provide a statement in the text box. Depending on the species involved, you may also need to upload a completed template for each species listed.
Statement
Provide a statement to confirm that:
all named applicants are aware of the requirements and have agreed to abide by them
this overseas research will be conducted in accordance with welfare standards consistent with the principles of UK legislation
the expectation set out in Responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research will be applied and maintained
appropriate national and institutional approvals are in place
Templates
Overseas studies proposing to use non-human primates, cats, dogs, equines or pigs will be assessed during NC3Rs review of research applications. Provide the required information by completing the template from the question ‘Research involving the use of animals’.
For studies involving other species, such as:
rodents
rabbits
sheep
goats
pigs
cattle
xenopus laevis and xenopus tropicalis
zebrafish
Select, download, and complete the relevant Word checklist or checklists by exploring NC3Rs checklist for the use of animals overseas.
Save your completed template as a PDF and upload to the Funding Service. If you use more than one checklist template, save it as a single PDF.
The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.
If conducting research with animals overseas does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Research involving human participation
Word limit: 700
Will the project involve the use of human subjects or their personal information?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing research that requires the involvement of human subjects, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place.
Justify the number and the diversity of the participants involved, as well as any procedures.
Provide details of any areas of substantial or moderate severity of impact.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Research involving human tissues or biological samples
Word limit: 700
Does your proposed research involve the use of human tissues, or biological samples?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing work that involves human tissues or biological samples, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place.
Justify the use of human tissue or biological samples specifying the nature and quantity of the material to be used and its source.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Resources and cost justification
Word limit: 2,000
What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Justify the application’s more costly resources, in particular:
hub and project staff
significant travel for field work or collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences)
any equipment that will cost more than £25,000, including routine equipment and mid-range or large equipment
any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
all facilities and infrastructure costs
all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’
initiatives to improve environmental sustainability
preserving, long term storage, or sharing of data, including open science
activities to increase impact, for public partnerships and related activities, including public engagement and involvement and payments to public contributors, knowledge transfer and exchange or to support responsible innovation
You can request costs associated with reasonable adjustments where they increase as a direct result of working on the project. For further information see Disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders.
Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources. Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work:
are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
maximise potential outcomes and impacts
Clinical research using NHS resources
Word limit: 250
Are you applying to do clinical research in the UK?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Researchers applying to do clinical research in the NHS, public health or social care usually need to complete a Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Tool (SoECAT).
We request the SoECAT because we want to know that you have taken the appropriate steps to request National institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) support and for the full costs of your research to be attributed, calculated and paid.
We want to see the expected total resources required for your project to consider if these are appropriate.
Enter ‘Yes’ and complete and upload a SoECAT if you are applying for clinical research and:
you will carry out your research in the UK
your research will use NHS resources
the research requires approval by Health Research Authority (England) or its equivalents in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
you will need support from the NIHR Research Delivery Network, this may include studies in a social care or public health setting
It is important to complete a SoECAT to be eligible for NIHR support. You must complete a SoECAT even if you don’t think your clinical research will involve excess treatment costs (ETCs).
See MRC guidance on who needs to complete a SoECAT.
How to complete a SoECAT
SoECAT guidance can be found on the NIHR website.
These are the steps you need to take:
Contact an attributing the costs of health and social care Research & Development (AcoRD) specialist as early as possible in the application process.
Complete an online SoECAT. Excel versions of the form have been discontinued. If you don’t have an account for NIHR’s Central Portfolio Management System (CPMS) you will need create and activate one. See the NIHR user guide for instructions.
Request authorisation of your SoECAT.
Once authorised extract the ‘study information’ and the ‘summary’ page from the ‘Funder Export’, combine them as a single PDF and upload it to your application.
Applications that require a SoECAT but have not uploaded the SoECAT funder export study information and summary may be rejected.
Ensure the AcoRD specialists name and date are included within the uploaded summary page. The SoECAT is invalid without this information.
Contact us if you have questions about the UKRI aspects of this process.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Supporting information
Research and innovation impact
Impact can be defined as the long-term intended or unintended effect research and innovation has on society, economy and the environment; to individuals, organisations, and the wider global population.
Webinar for potential applicants
We will hold a webinar at 2:00pm UK time, on 25 March 2026. This will provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions.
Research disruption due to COVID-19
We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions and disruptions across our communities. We are committed to ensuring that individual applicants and their wider team, including partners and networks, are not penalised for any disruption to their career, such as:
breaks and delays
disruptive working patterns and conditions
the loss of ongoing work
role changes that may have been caused by the pandemic
Reviewers and panel members will be advised to consider the unequal impacts that COVID-19 related disruption might have had on the capability to deliver and career development of those individuals included in the application. They will be asked to consider the capability of the applicant and their wider team to deliver the research they are proposing.
Where disruptions have occurred, you can highlight this within your application if you wish, but there is no requirement to detail the specific circumstances that caused the disruption.
Related content
Contact details
Get help with your application
If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page
The helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility, content or remit of a funding opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.
Contact details
For help and advice on costings and writing your application please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.
For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact humandiseasemodels@mrc.ukri.org
For general questions related to MRC funding including our funding opportunities and policy contact rfpd@mrc.ukri.org
Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.
Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org
Phone: 01793 547490
Our phone lines are open:
Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm
Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm
To help us process queries more efficiently, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.
For further information on submitting an application read How applicants use the Funding Service.