IBioIC

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Our Future Health Innovation Seed Fund

Valerie Evans

This call is currently closed.

This funding aims to support researchers in the development of their independent research and their affiliation with the industry sector.

Scope of Prize

In May 2021 SULSA and SINAPSE, with support from additional Research Pools and Innovation Centres organised the Our Future Health workshop as part of the Research Innovation Scotland series, in partnership with KTN. This new funding call builds on the success of this workshop and its subsequent activities and is joint-funded across five Research Pools (SULSA, ScotCHEM, SUPA, SICSA and SINAPSE) and two Innovation Centres (IBioIC and CENSIS). Researchers from across these Pools are all eligible to apply for this scheme.

Researchers can apply for between £5,000 – £15,000, which must be match funded by an industrial partner or show a strong case for commercialisation of your research. Applications must focus on one of four topics:

  • Big Data in Health

  • Development of Advanced Therapies or Vaccines

  • Biomanufacturing of Drugs or Therapeutics

  • Medical Devices or Sensors

This fund is aimed at early lecturers/PIs to support development of their independent research and their affiliation with the industry sector. The project should aim to foster new projects and collaborations across the academic and industry sector and drive novel and exciting research and innovation.

Projects should have a significant consideration for sustainability post-award and show demonstrable potential for securing funding leverage. This scheme is not for continued funding of existing projects.

Applicants are encouraged to reach out to innovation centres and similar organisations where appropriate when developing their application.

A workshop to support researchers in finding industrial collaborators will run on Friday 25th February from 1-3 pm. Registration is now open. Academics are invited to pitch your research within this workshop in response to industry challenges around each topic, and also learn more about the Innovation Centres and how they can support you. This workshop will be organised with further support from DHI and The Data Lab.

Eligibility

Essential:

  • The academic lead applicant should be early stage lecturer/PIs (either within the ECR criteria of 8 years post-PhD award or within the first 3 years of your first independent position).

  • There must be an industrial co-applicant with agreed match funding as cash or in-kind contributions*

  • All academic applicants must be employed within a SULSA, ScotCHEM, SICSA, SINAPSE or SUPA member university.

  • All applicants must have at least 12 months remaining on their contract/current funding from the 1st January 2022. If your contract is ending before then, you are still eligible if you can secure a letter from your host institution confirming that your contract will be extended.

* For applications for the commercialisation of research where there is not an industry partner tied in this is not required, however you must show a strong case of support from a business development specialist.

Desirable:

  • Additional co-applicants can be academics, post-graduate students, technologists and technicians, or anyone with a PhD employed as a researcher. Including ECRs, with a defined plan of engagement and CPD, will be looked favourably upon.

  • We would encourage applications to be multidisciplinary and collaborative across multiple national or international universities.

  • Engagement with an Innovation Centre or similar external organisation.

  • Further funding agreed in principle.

Conditions

  • Between £5,000 and £15,000 is available per application. For industry-partner applications the amount requested must be match funded by the industry partner. This award can be used to cover consumables and facilities access only, it is not for staff costs.

  • Match funds from the industry partner can be extended to in-kind contributions, or be a combination of cash and in-kind. In-kind contributions might include consumables, use of lab space or facilities, or industry staff time.

  • Between 4 – 12 projects will be awarded, depending on the amount requested for suitable applications.

  • We expect that funds will be awarded in June 2022.

  • The Innovation Centres listed will be involved in the review process, as will external partners, and there is potential for suitable applications to be supported and/or developed by these centres.

  • Connecting with relevant organisations external to your academic institution will be seen as a strength, these do not have to be Innovation Centres.

  • Funds will be awarded to the lead applicant’s institution.

  • Updates on the collaboration will be provided to SULSA as and when requested. SULSA reserves the right to clawback funds not used in accordance with these terms and conditions.

  • A short report (template will be provided) to be submitted to SULSA 3-months into the project summarising expected outputs. Industry partners must agree to this prior to the award being funded. If funded through an Innovation Centre, other reports may also be required, including from the industrial partner.

Additional Information

Judging Criteria:

Applications will be reviewed in two stages, first for scientific quality by the relevant Research Pool reviewing panel and secondly by an external panel who will consider:

  • The novelty, innovative nature and need for the project

  • Impact and commercial feasibility of project

  • The collaborative strength

  • Engagement of external organisations

  • Potential to leverage further funding

  • Sustainable and impactful outcomes

  • Consideration of group member support

How to Apply

Submitting Your Application:

Application Deadline: Monday 4th April 2022 at 5pm

How to Apply: Submit your completed Our Future Health Seed Application Form (all documents merged into a single PDF file) to jill.inkster@glasgow.ac.uk by the above deadline

Download a copy of the Our Future Health Seed Funding Guidelines

Notification of Outcome:

Successful applications will be notified by email.

Payment of Funds:

If successful, funds will be transferred to your lead Institution. Funds must be spent within 12 months of the date of transfer. Upon request funds can be divided up between applicant’s host institutions.

Reporting:

You must provide the SULSA administration with project updates and outcomes at 3 months and 12 months post-award. If this project leads to a published article, or leverages grant funding, please contact the SULSA administration to make them aware. Projects in receipt of funding from CENSIS or IBioIC will receive additional monitoring and support of the project.

These grants are provided by the Scottish Funding Council and must therefore comply with constitute Subsidy Control (previously State Aid).