Project categories
We are seeking research within the remit of MRC or NIHR that includes at least one of the following project categories.
Methodology research
Your project can include research into methodologies underpinning health or biomedical research that extends beyond a single case study or application. Research outputs should be designed to maximise:
- accessibility
- informative value
- utility across broader research communities, sectors or systems.
Improving methods used
Your research should respond to an evidenced barrier to uptake of optimal research methods. It should be framed within a pathway to improve community practice by methodologists or non-methodologists, or both. This can include:
- research standards
- theory
- implementation
- adoption of optimal methods.
Improving research outputs
Your methodology research should make the outputs of biomedical and health research more useful to others. For example, this can be across:
- scales
- experimental approaches
- systems
- disciplines
- translational pathways.
Research themes in scope
We encourage applicants to learn from others where possible, and welcome multidisciplinary teams or approaches.
You can choose from a number of research themes that are in scope for your project, such as the ones outlined. However, this list is not exhaustive. You are encouraged to contact the programme manager ahead of developing a full application. You can find the contacts in the ‘contact details’ section.
Research themes in scope include:
Integrative biological systems
You can include:
- molecules to humans and mechanisms
- methods for discovery and translation.
Phenotyping, endotyping, populations and people
You can include:
- cohorts
- epidemiology and public health (including geography and anthropogenic change)
- complexity for ageing and multimorbidity
- precision medicine
- prevention
- measures
- health psychology, behaviours and social science for health.
Clinical and translation for health
You can include:
- health economics, policy and evidence development
- decision making, including clinical, operations and management
- fiduciary activities, such as:
- jurisprudence
- ethics
- regulatory science
- data protection
- privacy
- intellectual property rights.
- digital health and in silico vigilance, including:
- performance monitoring
- safety
- validation
- calibration
- audit
- reporting.
- trials, assessment and comparisons
- underpinning methods for advanced therapies.
Global health
You can include:
- implementation
- transportability, both complexity and context.
Health research systems and culture
You can include:
- research on health research
- knowledge exchange, reporting and learning research systems
- public trust
- commercial engagement and responsible innovation.
Activities we do not fund
Technology or biomarker development is out of remit for funding. However, we may consider projects that include new methodological approaches that are essential to improve their implementation or broader uptake.
If you are seeking support for development of a methodology for a specific research question you should instead apply for funding via opportunities offered by MRC research boards. If you are applying via an MRC board opportunity, please include a covering letter noting the relevance to the ‘better methods, better research’ programme.
If you are seeking support for biomarker identification and validation, you should also apply through the relevant MRC research board.
See MRC remit, programmes and priorities.
Funding available
The budget for each opportunity is £2 million.
The annual budget is £4 million annually with two opportunities occurring each year.
The full economic cost of your project will typically be up to £625,000. MRC and NIHR will fund 80% of the full economic cost.
Funding of more than £625,000 will be considered but requires written approval from the programme manager ahead of submitting an application.
If you hold active or pending funding from NIHR, you may apply to embed an additional ‘better methods, better research’ award into existing research activity through the current ‘better methods, better research’ opportunity.
Embedded awards need to demonstrate additional methodological insight and added value from the integration of this research into an ongoing study.
