Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Funding Opportunities in:
Medical History & Humanities
at the Wellcome Trust
Nils Fietje
Fay Bound-Alberti
4 May 2012
Who we are
• An independent researchfunding charity
• Established 1936
• Funded from private
endowment
• Managed for long-term
stability and growth
• Interests range from
science to history of
medicine
Strategic Plan 2010-20
• One vision
• Three focus areas
• Five challenges
Our Vision
“To achieve extraordinary
improvements in human and
animal health”
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Our Mission
“To support the brightest
minds in biomedical
research and the medical
humanities.”
Three focus areas…
• Supporting outstanding researchers
supporting the best researchers at all
stages of their careers; creating the best
research environments; influencing the
policy landscape
• Accelerating the application of research
stimulating Technology Transfer, clinical
research and uptake to policy & practice
• Exploring medicine in historical and
cultural contexts
fostering medical humanities, education
& public engagement
Five major challenges…
• Maximising the health benefits of
genetics and genomics
• Understanding the brain
• Combating infectious diseases
• Investigating development, ageing &
chronic disease
• Connecting environment, nutrition and
health
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Medical History & Humanities
Aims
To enable bold and expansive research that
addresses important questions at the interface of
science, medicine and the humanities.
To focus funding on fewer, larger grants and
continue to support a number of personal awards
(Research Fellowships, University Awards).
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Medical History & Humanities
Remit
• The research we fund should develop our understanding of
the impact of medicine and medical sciences on human
and animal health
• Research must be historically grounded, drawing, where
appropriate, on wider disciplines, in particular the
humanities (e.g.: Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, etc.)
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities, Ethics & Society
Delivering the strategy
Main grant types:
• Strategic Awards
• Investigator Awards
• Personal Awards
• Small Grants
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities, Ethics & Society
Geographic eligibility
Major Overseas Programmes
Focus countries
Other eligible countries
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities, Ethics & Society
Strategic Awards in
Medical Humanities
• Large-scale initiatives or research
programmes that engage with 5
strategic challenges and/or explore
medicine in its social, historical &
cultural context
• Flagship projects for established groups
with strong track records
• Competing with projects from all areas
of the Trust’s interests
• Highly competitive, even at preliminary
stage. Get in touch!
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Investigator Awards in Medical
Humanities, Ethics & Society
•
•
•
•
New and Senior Investigator Awards
Joint Investigator Awards are possible
Triage and interview
Awarded on vision & track record but must be
methodologically sound
• Flexible duration, flexible budgets: the research
question should drive application
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Lessons from the first round…
• 8 grants funded: 4 in MHH, 4 in E&S
• Sanjoy Bhattacharya, University of York: The local bases of
global health
• Susan Golombok, University of Cambridge: Future families
•
•
•
•
Methodology is key
Need to address a mixed audience
Presentation: 3 slides to tell your story
New Investigators: we want more!
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
University Awards
• Very successful and prestigious
scheme
• Applicants cannot be in an
established academic post
• The university guarantees a
permanent post at the end of the
award
• Up to 5 years support, providing full
salary for three years, 50% in the
fourth year and 25% in the fifth year
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Fellowship Awards
• Includes an interview stage
• We expect candidates to have
completed their PhD at the point of
application
• Try to have published something from
your PhD
• Up to 3 years support
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Research Leave Awards for Health Care
Professionals/Scientists
• Enables clinicians, scientists, or
nurses to undertake full-time research
at a centre or department with
academic expertise in medical
humanities, biomedical ethics, or the
health-related social sciences
• Provides the salary of a locum or
replacement lecturer for the duration
of the award
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Committee Structure for MH&E Grants
MHH
ERG
IA applications,
peer-reviewed
Fellowship & UA
applications
E&S
ERG
MH&H
Fellows IC
E&S
Fellows IC
Medical Humanities
Selection Panel
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities, Ethics & Society
Assessment Process for IAs
Optional
CV
details
check
Main
application
submission
Expert Review
Group
review &
short-listing
(2 ERGs –
MHH and
E&S)
External
peer review
Selection
Panel
Interviews
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Important Dates (1st Round)
Investigator
Awards
22nd July, 2012
Deadline
Fellowships &
University Awards
CV Check/Prelim
20th June, 2012
2nd September, 2012
Full Application
1st August, 2012
1st week November,
2012
ERG
1st week February,
2013
1st week November,
2012
Selection Panel /
1st week December,
Interview Committee 2013
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Important Dates (2nd Round)
Investigator
Awards
Deadline
Fellowships &
University Awards
NONE
CV Check/Prelim
2nd December, 2011
NONE
Full Application
NONE
ERG
NONE
1st February, 2012
1st week May, 2012
Selection Panel /
3rd week June, 2012
Interview Committee
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
PhD Studentships
• Provides a stipend and
research expenses
• For the full 3 years – must
apply before you begin your
studies
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Master’s Studentships
• Supports Master’s courses in
HoM or MedHum at any
university with a HoM or
MedHum Master’s programme
• Expected excellent upper 2:1
undergraduate degree
• Pays for fees and stipend
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Small Grants
• £5,000 to facilitate medical humanities research
• Can fund small-scale projects such as scoping exercises, workshops,
conferences, symposia, lectures series, etc.
• Can pay for research expenses for a larger research project
• Does not necessarily have to be historically grounded
• Should have a distinct output
Wellcome Trust POST Fellowships
• Available to WT-funded final year doctoral students or early-stage
postdocs to spend 3 months at POST
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Public Engagement Grants
People & Society Awards
• People < £30k, Society > £30k
• Exhibitions
• Events & debates
• Education projects
• Drama productions
• Films
• Festivals (Science, History & Literature)
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Public Engagement Grants
Arts Awards
• Two schemes: Small <£30k, Large >£30k
• Dance, drama, performance arts, visual arts, music, film,
craft, photography, creative writing or digital media
• Projects must involve creation of new work
Broadcast Development Awards
• Seed funding for getting early-stage ideas for
TV, radio or new media projects to a ‘pitchable’ stage
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
Wellcome Library
http://library.wellcome.ac.uk
Wellcome Collection
http://www.wellcomecollection.org
Wellcome Trust Book Prize
http://www.wellcomebookprize.org
Funding Opportunities in Medical Humanities
PLEASE STAY
IN TOUCH!
n.fietje@wellcome.ac.uk
f.bound-alberti@wellcome.ac.uk
www.wellcome.ac.uk/medicalhumanities