Wellcome Trust ISSF Independent Research Awards
2015-16:
Guidance for Applicants
Background
The Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF) provides funding to support scientific
progress and interdisciplinary collaboration in biomedical research. A total of £182,0801 of nontranslational research grant funding is available to be spent in this scheme by 16th September 2016.
In all cases, priority will be given to projects that are aligned with the strategic aims of the Wellcome
Trust and those of your College.
For details of Wellcome Trust’s strategic aims, please read the Wellcome Trust Strategic Plan.
To read the Wellcome Trust’s definition of ‘biomedical research’, please follow this link.
Match Funding
In order to secure this funding from the Wellcome Trust, the University has had to commit to a range of
internal investments in areas relevant to the remit of the Trust. Your proposal does not have to secure
any cash from the University to qualify for this call, but you do need to show that your proposed work is
aligned in some way with these University investments. Some examples of these investments are listed
below. However, this list is not exhaustive and prospective applicants must discuss their proposed
project with their Research Support Office to establish strategic fit at the earliest opportunity.
1

Bacterial and Viral Infection

Stratified Medicine

Drug Discovery and Screening

Genetics and Personalised Medicine

Cell Therapy

Translational Inflammation

Systems Science for Health

Healthy Ageing

Trauma-related research

Centre for Computational Neuroscience & Cognitive Robotics

Genetic and genomic approaches to biomedical research

Birmingham Fellowships
This figure is subject to change
1 of 4
Please note that all applications will require a statement of support with a signature from the relevant
College Director of Research as a guarantee that match funding is in place.

If you have general enquiries with regard to the scheme or the application, please contact Tariq
Khan in Research & Innovation Services (t.khan@bham.ac.uk, x47093)
How to Apply
Application
forms
for
each
stream
are
available
on
the
RIS
website
at
https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/finance/ris/research-funding/Internal-Funding.aspx. All applications
must be accompanied by a signed letter of support from your Head of School.
To improve the quality of your application, please ensure that:
a) Your project is eligible for funding and that you have shown a clear link to previous investment.
b) You have discussed your application with your Research Support Office:
- Francesco Maria Colacino, f.colacino@bham.ac.uk (x42216), EPS
Or
- Caroline McKay, C.S.McKay@bham.ac.uk (x 43463), LES
Or
- Kate Bishop, K.Bishop@bham.ac.uk, x(43115), MDS
Enquiries about the application process should be directed to Tariq Khan in Research & Innovation Services
Research & Innovation Services (Ext: 47093, t.khan@bham.ac.uk).
Assessment process
5.8
This is likely to be a highly competitive round. In the first instance, applications will be reviewed by
the ISSF Management Group which comprises of academics representatives from MDS, LES and EPS
and which is chaired by Prof. Paul Moss (MDS).
5.9
Recommendations made by the ISSF Management Group will be considered by the Strategic Block
Grant Panel which comprises of:
• PVC Research & Knowledge Transfer, Professor Tim Softley (Chair)
• Director of Research (MDS), Paul Moss
• Director of Research (LES), Chris Miall
• Director of Research (EPS), Jon Rowe
• Director of Knowledge Transfer (LES), Lee Chapman
• Lloyd Czaplewski, Chemical Biology Ventures Ltd.
• Neil Rawlinson, MTC
2 of 4
5.10 The Strategic Block Grants Panel will consider the ISSF Management Group’s recommendations at a
meeting taking place on 11 February 2016. Applicants will be notified as to the outcome of their
applications by the end of February 2016. The decisions of the panel will be final.
Award conditions
All successful funding recipients must participate in public engagement activity supported through ISSF.
For further information please contact:

Dr Eliot Marston, Deputy Head
(e.d.marston@bham.ac.uk, x49020)
of
Research
and
Knowledge
Transfer
-
A final project report will be required from all awardees within one month of project completion. Some
awardees may also be required to complete a short interim report.
Further Reporting requirements will be confirmed on award of funding.
Independent Research Awards
Purpose:
This fund is intended to primarily support early career researchers to establish themselves
as independent researchers in the biomedical sciences. This will be evidenced by the
production of high-impact publications and external awards, including fellowships, which
result from successful ISSF-funded projects. The reviewers will also look at the potential
for: increased interdisciplinary research activity; increased applications to the Wellcome
Trust for large-scale and interdisciplinary grants from across the life sciences.
Eligibility:
This stream is open to applications from all academic and research staff working in the
Wellcome Trust’s remit of biomedical sciences, although priority will be given to early
career researchers. PhD students, whether during their period of study or writing up, are
not eligible to be applicants but may be involved in project work. In cases where PhD
students are to be involved in this way, their time must be accounted for directly in the
project costs.
Use of funds: Funds may only be used for directly incurred costs. Applicants are generally discouraged
from applying for staff costs and should be aware that the panel will not consider the
appointment of new posts at all. Where applicants can justify the support of current posts
the intended funding they are to move on to after the award must be made explicitly
clear (e.g. external funding applications submitted and expecting outcomes by the end of
the proposed project). Where they are included, staff costs should be calculated as salary
+ NI + superannuation. Estates and indirect costs may not be included. Please contact
your research finance contact for costing information.
Research finance: Please contact the research finance team for help with costing your application.
Award conditions: As part of the award conditions, all successful funding recipients must complete
necessary reporting and participate within public engagement activity.
3 of 4