BBSRC ICURe Explore is a market exploration programme for bioscience researchers and technicians.
BBSRC ICURe Explore is open to bioscience researchers in:
UK universities
BBSRC-funded institutes
BBSRC-approved public sector research enterprises
You must have completed ICURe Discover in order to apply.
Open
Grant
£420,000
£35,000
8 January 2026
8 December 2025
6 February 2026 11:59pm UK time
Apply for fellowship funding to build artificial intelligence (AI) capability.
This funding opportunity is for established researchers from across UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s remit, without a background in core AI research, who want to build domain relevant AI capability.
You may apply only if invited to do so following a successful outline application.
Open
Fellowship
£22,000,000
£500,000 - £2,187,500
16 December 2025
16 December 2025 9:00am UK time
24 February 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to undertake cutting-edge Metascience research into more effective ways of conducting and supporting research and development (R&D), including the impact of AI and the challenges of measuring research excellence.
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding.
Upcoming
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
Grant
£6,000,000
£350,000
25 November 2025
12 February 2026 9:00am UK time
23 April 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to pursue early-stage development of cutting-edge research technologies with transformative potential in the biosciences.
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding.
Open
Grant
£3,000,000
£225,000
24 November 2025
26 November 2025 9:00am UK time
11 February 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for up to 150,000 graphics processing unit hours on the Isambard-AI and Dawn supercomputers for artificial intelligence (AI) related research and development projects.
You must be a UK researcher from academia, industry or other organisations.
Open
Other
6 November 2025
6 November 2025 9:00am UK time
16 January 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to purchase mid-range equipment for research across BBSRC’s scientific areas through ALERT 2025.
You must be a researcher or a research technical professional from an eligible UK research organisation to apply for funding.
Open
Grant
£20,000,000
£200,000 - £1,500,000
23 October 2025
24 October 2025 9:00am UK time
20 January 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding for large team-based fundamental bioscience research projects pushing the frontiers of human knowledge.
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding.
Full stage submissions are invitation only following assessment of a sLoLa outline application.
Open
Grant
£20,000,000
£2,000,000
23 October 2025
28 October 2025 9:00am UK time
5 February 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding for a research grant in any area within the remit of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding.
Open
Grant
£2,000,000
25 September 2025
25 September 2025 9:00am UK time
14 January 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding for a research grant in any area within the remit of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding.
Open
Grant
£2,000,000
25 September 2025
25 September 2025 9:00am UK time
14 January 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to pursue early-stage bioscience discovery research.
Applications should open original and adventurous research avenues with the potential to transform our fundamental understanding of living systems.
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding.
Open
Grant
£5,000,000
£350,000
17 September 2025
20 November 2025 9:00am UK time
25 February 2026 4:00pm UK time