We’re pleased to announce an early career researcher project call for the NIHR Newcastle BRC dementia theme

Deadline: 4th January 2021

The NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre is able to offer some targeted additional funding to support the development of existing or new projects, or to support alternative strands of work within the Newcastle BRC Dementia theme. In this context we are launching a call for small scale projects (up to 12 months duration) for the dementia theme, specifically aimed at early career researchers.

Please note, this opportunity is available to Newcastle University, Newcastle Hospitals and CNTW researchers only. 

Eligibility criteria

This call is open to early career researchers (typically within five years of their PhD/MD being awarded) both clinical and non-clinical. Senior lecturer, comparable level (e.g. consultant clinicians) or more senior academics are not eligible for this call.

Key facts

• We are seeking to fund 2-3 projects of around £15-£20K.
• Proposals must relate to the Newcastle BRC’s dementia theme and can be an extension of existing projects or be novel and support alternative strands of work which will feed into the next iteration of the Newcastle BRC.
• Proposals which link to other Newcastle BRC themes (ageing syndromes & multiple long term conditions, liver disease, musculoskeletal, neuromuscular disease and skin/oral disease) will be viewed particularly favourably as well as those looking at research in dementia from the perspectives of digital health, big data/informatics and/or multimorbidity.
• Projects should consider and describe clearly how they relate to ageing or multi-morbidity whether through common symptoms, mechanistic pathways, diagnostic approaches etc.
• In addition, for the next Newcastle BRC iteration, a strong emphasis for the theme will be on mental health and health inequalities and proposals which relate to these in the context of our overarching dementia theme are also welcome.
• There needs to be clear deliverables within a 6-12 month period with projects starting no later than April 2021.
• Animal work cannot be funded.
• Costs can include salaries, consumables and/or equipment with the latter capped at £5K. Salary of the lead applicant is not covered.

Application process

Please complete the brief application form below and provide a two page CV of the lead ECR applicant and return to Heather Dowey heather.dowey@newcastle.ac.uk by 5pm on 4^th of January 2021.

Newcastle BRC dementia theme ECR Project Application Form (word doc).

We appreciate this is relatively soon given holidays but need to feedback early in the new year to the NIHR regarding our planned use of this additional funding – hence the short timeline. However, to ensure the process is not onerous, the application is deliberately brief and light touch and indicative costs are all that is needed at this stage; full/formal costing will only be expected if proposal is selected for potential funding.