Translational Funding Opportunities

(Previously known as Confidence in Concept)

Translating fundamental science into new interventions is central to the MRC’s mission to develop new therapies, diagnostics and medical devices. The scheme aims to support innovation and accelerate the transfer of the best ideas from discovery research into new interventions that reach patients and improve the return on investment in fundamental research. It is intended to rapidly de-risk projects across the translational pathway so that they become competitive for substantial funding for further development. 

The MRC Proximity to Discovery Industry Engagement Fund (P2D) aims to support individual mobility and discovery days to enable early engagement with industry, as well as proof of principle projects with businesses that could accelerate the translational potential of your work. P2D includes streams for travel, workshops and short projects.

Projects supported by the Wellcome Translational Development Fund (TDF) seek to address early-stage translational development barriers, enabling projects to take the first step from discovery research towards identification or initial validation of clinical, practical, commercial or non-commercial outcomes.

The MRC DPFS supports translational research from pre-clinical development to early clinical trial Phase IIa across all diseases and interventions. It runs three times a year and there is no limit to the amount requested. Applications involving industry partnerships, adding value to the project, are encouraged but not essential (the MRC will not fund the work of the industry partner).

The Invention for Innovation (i4i) scheme supports projects that have demonstrated proof-of-concept with a clear pathway towards adoption and commercialisation. It is aimed at de-risking early-to-late stage medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and high-impact patient-focused digital health technologies for ultimate NHS use. The i4i funding program has 3 funding schemes: Product Development Awards (PDA, once a year), Challenge Awards (twice a year) and Connect (once a year).

The NIHR EME funds studies with novel methodological designs that deliver results more efficiently, reduce the study timeline, and maximise the knowledge gained. It primarily supports clinical trials, and other well-designed studies that test the efficacy of interventions with the potential to improve patient care or benefit the public. Only studies with a strong ‘proof-of-concept’ will be considered. Where appropriate it can also fund hypothesis testing mechanistic studies integrated within the main efficacy study.

The BHF Translational Award supports the development of technologies with transformative potential from the proof-of-concept stage to commercial market readiness. Proposals to this scheme are expected to demonstrate a strong intellectual property position and a development proposition that could attract follow on investment.

The CRUK Biomarker Project Award funds projects on biomarker assay development, validation and qualification where there is a clear line of sight to clinical implementation.

The CRUK Early Detection and Diagnosis programme supports across the full pathway of disease from generation of pilot data to large, integrated research programs, which have the potential to transform early cancer detection.

The CRUK Multidisciplinary Project Award supports innovative collaborations between cancer scientists and across the engineering / physical science disciplines with the aim to accelerate treatments, diagnosis and prevention of cancer.

Innovate UK supports innovation in businesses. Many of its schemes allow universities to partner with businesses, who will lead the project (from SMEs to large businesses). The lead industrial partner must be a UK-based business. If you are considering the Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme, contact the University of Birmingham KTP Office for support.

The EPSRC is the main funding body or engineering and physical sciences research in the UK. Some of the themes supported are Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Healthcare Technologies, Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering.