We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so you should ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.
Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.
If the lead research organisation is an NHS organisation, check it is available in the Funding Service. You are encouraged to check this early as there may be additional steps for the organisation to be set up before you can apply.
To apply
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.
- Confirm you are the project lead.
- Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email support@funding-service.ukri.org
You should allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service. We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to Funding Service to enable you to apply to this Opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you.
- Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
- Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
- Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
- Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.
When including images you must:
- provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this counts towards your word limit)
- insert each new image onto a new line
- use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application may be rejected if you include:
- sentences or paragraphs of text
- tables
- excessive quantities of images
A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
References
References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.
Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:
- references are easily identifiable by the assessors
- references are formatted as appropriate to your research
- persistent identifiers are used where possible
General use of hyperlinks
Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)
Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.
For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment.
Deadline
We must receive your application by 9 July 2025 at 4:00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed or returned to you. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
Personal data
Processing personal data
MRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.
Sensitive information
If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email gapfund@mrc.ukri.org
Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].
Typical examples of confidential information include:
- individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
- declaration of interest
- additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
- conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
- the application is an invited resubmission
For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.
Publication of outcomes
MRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at board and panel outcomes.
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.
Summary
Word limit: 400
In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.
We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
- opinion-formers
- policymakers
- the public
- the wider research community
Guidance for writing a summary
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
- context
- the challenge the project addresses
- aims and objectives
- potential applications and benefits
Core team
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
- project lead (PL)
- project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
- project co-lead (international) (PcL (I))
- specialist
- grant manager
- professional enabling staff
- research and innovation associate
- technician
- visiting researcher
- researcher co-lead (RcL)
Only list one individual as project lead. If you include more than one project lead your application will fail at the checking stage.
UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.
Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.
Application questions
Background to application
Word limit: 600
What is the background of this application and the evidence supporting the proposed solution? Describe the gap in funding as outlined in the description of this question.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Ensure that you structure your response to this question with the following headings:
- background overview
- previous funding and funders
- resubmission
- correspondence with MRC
Background overview
Provide a brief overview of the scientific background of your application.
Previous funding and funders
Provide information related to any of your previously funded applications (including details of the funder), where this previous work has enabled and informed the work proposed in your application, specifying any previous UKRI application references.
If there is no relation between any of your previously funded work and your current application, you should still include the “Previous funding and funder” heading, indicating N/A to show a response to this question is not applicable.
Resubmission
You are required to identify if your application is a resubmission and include any invitations from MRC permitting your resubmission and how the proposed work has developed.
Correspondence with MRC
Reference any other correspondence with MRC relevant to and regarding your current application
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
We encourage applicants to use images including figures, diagrams, or visual representations in place of lengthy text. Effective visuals can convey complex ideas more clearly and concisely than words alone. Ensure that images are well-labelled, relevant, and enhance clarity, rather than being used to extend the word count.
Fit to funding opportunity
Word limit: 400
How do you consider your project to meet the aims of this funding opportunity?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
You must respond to each of the following four compulsory questions:
What is your “elevator pitch” for this project?
Summarise your project in two or three impactful sentences, focusing on its purpose, the problem it addresses, and the transformative potential of the proposed work in terms of clinical impact.
You should note that familiarity with the remit of the Gap Fund is essential and your wording should be tailored to our remit.
What is the high-risk early development step your project addresses?
Clearly and concisely define the single step you aim to tackle. Why is it critical, and what challenges or barriers does it address in your field?
You must not include more than one step and consider not requesting the full amount of the award, if not justified by scientific need.
How does the proposed work align with this funding opportunity’s objective to prepare you for substantive funding (DPFS or another funding opportunity) or direct patient benefit?
Explain how completing this step will unlock further opportunities, such as attracting major funding, forming industry partnerships, or delivering immediate or downstream patient benefits.
What is the potential impact of your project in its respective field and on patient benefit?
Highlight the significance of the anticipated outcomes, what your criteria for success are and how this will lead to the next steps in development.
If you fail to respond to one or more of the four questions above, your application will be rejected.
MRC Impact Acceleration Account
Word limit: 200
Does your research organisation (RO) have an MRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA)?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Contact your research office to enquire if your RO currently holds (or have previously held) an MRC IAA award.
If your RO has confirmed they hold an MRC IAA award, you must provide the following details in the text box:
- quote the MRC award reference (detailed within the offer letter sent to your RO)
- confirm the name of the RO awarded the IAA award
- describe why your proposed work is more suitable for a ‘Gap Fund’ award rather than IAA support
If your RO confirms they have not received an IAA award from MRC, you may apply to this funding opportunity as an earlier-stage project, noting that while your proposed project may not require extensive preliminary data, it will still be assessed with the same level of rigour. Compete the section by detailing such as ‘IAA has not been awarded to [confirm host RO name]’ within the text box.
Projects involving significant use of artificial intelligence (AI)
Word limit: 500
Does your project involve a significant use of AI?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
A significant use of AI in a Gap Fund project refers to the integration of artificial intelligence as a core enabling technology that fundamentally shapes the project’s functionality, development, and value proposition. This means that AI is not merely an add-on feature but a major technique that drives the project’s capabilities, automation, decision-making, or user experience.
If your application fits this description, respond to the questions in this section. If not, indicate ‘N/A’
Specify which of the detailed categories your application falls under.
You must indicate only one category from the following:
- training a model based on existing data
- clinical validation of a model
- repurposing existing models into new interventions
- collecting new data and building a new model
- other (please define)
You must also provide a brief description explaining why you have chosen the category you have selected (maximum 100 words).
You must provide a response to each of the four additional questions:
- justify why the available data or your plans for data collection are sufficient (maximum 100 words)
- justify why the proposed methodology is a sufficiently suitable approach (maximum 100 words)
- justify the AI and clinical (if applicable) expertise of the individuals involved in this application (maximum 100 words)
- outline the proposed success criteria and explain how these will demonstrate that your project has been successfully de-risked and is ready for the next stage of funding, once the current funding has been completed (maximum 100 words)
This is a compulsory section for applications that include significant use of artificial intelligence. If you fail to answer the questions above, your application will be rejected.
These questions provide a high-level summary of key aspects of your AI-based application. The panel expects concise yet impactful responses rather than detailed explanations. Full details should be included elsewhere in the application, while this section should set the overall tone of your submission.
You should refer to the ‘Scope’ section of this application form for more guidance on constructing an effective application involving significant use of AI.
Your research organisation’s support
Word limit: 200
Provide details of support from your research organisation (RO).
What the assessors are looking for in your response
The assessors are looking for you and your RO to interact with meaningful engagement and agree the strong support you will require to successfully undertake your proposed work.
The information you will provide within this section should be approved by an appropriate institutional authority, such as your RO’s ‘tech transfer office’ or ‘translational research office’ before submitting your application.
You must include the following information within the text box:
- a significant person’s name, their position and office or their department
- office address or web link
- describe the strong support your RO will provide you when you undertake your proposed work
Approach
Word limit: 1,500
How has the idea or solution been developed to date and what is the proposed approach for further development?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how you have designed your approach so that it:
- is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
- is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
- uses a clearly written and transparent methodology (if applicable)
- will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
- describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work
Ensure you describe how the idea or solution has been developed to date and what the proposed approach for further development is. You should outline:
- the previous work and current status of the innovation or technology and how the proposed work will build upon and progress its development
- the critical data to be generated as the project endpoint that will maximise translation of outcomes and transform the chance of attracting onward investment
- the expertise or any consultancy required to deliver the proposed work
Provide a summary of the project workplan, accompanied by an embedded Gantt chart or similar aide to support your application. You should outline:
- project specific deliverables, including proposed success criteria
- the resourcing necessary to deliver the proposed work
- the overall timeframe of the project
You should not use the project plan to include information which should be detailed in the other sections of your application.
Ensure that you describe the methodology and experimental design. This should include:
- the use of animals or patients, including justification for why particular animal models or clinical populations have been chosen and any considerations given to diversity
- any consultation with a statistician or methodology hub to the development of the application
- the access you will have to statistical support during the project
- the statistical analysis plans, the proposed sample sizes in sufficient detail for the replication of any power calculation
- the anticipated effect sizes and variability
- potential sources of bias and describe the strategies that will be adopted to minimise their effects
Refer to the MRC guidance for applicants for further information.
Use the ‘Research involving the use of animals’ section to provide information on the rationale for using animals, choice of species, welfare and procedure severity.
The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) have developed a free online tool to guide researchers through the design of their experiments. It helps to ensure that researchers use the minimum number of animals consistent with their scientific objectives, methods to reduce subjective bias, and appropriate statistical analysis.
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
We encourage you to use images including figures, diagrams, or visual representations in place of lengthy text. Effective visuals can convey complex ideas more clearly and concisely than words alone. Ensure that images are well-labelled, relevant, and enhance clarity, rather than being used to extend the word count.
Opportunity and market
Word limit: 1,000
What is the opportunity or challenge, you are seeking to address?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Ensure you describe:
- the health or clinical need you are seeking to address
- how your work could lead to the development of a new or improved prototype, product, service or technology
- how meeting this need could significantly reduce disease burden or alleviate an important bottleneck
- the competing solutions and their status, including whether similar or complementary research is being taken elsewhere
- the key competitive advantages of your proposed solution
- the potential market for your proposed solution
Applicant and team capability to deliver
Word limit: 1,650
Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:
- the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work
- the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work
- the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver the work and your approach to develop others
- contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the UKRI Funding Service.
The word count for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for R4RI modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.
Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.
Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed. Use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI. You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills each team member brings:
- contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
- the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
- contributions to the wider research and innovation community
- contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit, including public partnerships
Additions
Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).
Complete this as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.
References may be included within this section.
The roles in funding applications policy has descriptions of the different project roles.
Project partners
Add details about any project partners contributions. If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service.
A project partner is a collaborating person or organisation who will have an integral role in your proposed research. Their involvement may include direct (cash) and or indirect (in-kind) contributions such as expertise, staff time, use of facilities or recruitment of research participants. Project partners may be in industry, academia, third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU.
A project partner is not anyone in your core team or anyone from your organisation or any of the other organisations represented by core team members.
Add the following project partner details:
- the organisation name (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable)
- the project partner contact name and email address
- the type of contribution (direct or in-direct) and its monetary value
If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.
If there are specific circumstances where project partners do require funding for minor costs such as travel and subsistence, these project partner costs should be claimed and justified within the resources and costs section of your application.
Important information
If you are adding a project partners to this section, you must ensure they provide you with a letter or email of support and you upload it to ‘Project partners: letters or emails of support’.
If your project partners are from industry or a company, you must also complete the ‘Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)’ section.
Project partners: letters (or emails) of support
Word limit: 10
Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partners’ section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you do not have any project partners, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
What supporting statements we are looking for
We are looking for you to provide letters or emails of support from all your identified project partners.
What we are not looking for
We don’t want any other letters (or emails) of support, from people who are not your identified project partners, such as those simply expressing general support for your project. If these are included by you, they will be ignored by us and will not be used in the assessment process.
Important information
You should only provide letters or emails of support from people you have identified in the project partner section of your application, who will have an integral role in your proposed research.
What each project partner letter or email of support must include
Each project partner letter or email you provide should:
- include the name of the project partner organisation and contact information
- explain the project partners commitment to the project
- explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the proposed work, to them
- describe any additional value they will bring to the project
- not exceed two sides of A4 per project partner
Project partners letters and emails of support are not required to be on headed paper or include handwritten signatures (electronic signatures are acceptable).
The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.
Project partners from industry or a company
Industry or company project partners are required to download and complete the industry or company letter of support template. You must also complete the ‘Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)’ section. Find out more about ICF.
Project partners responsible for recruiting research participants or providing human tissues or samples
If the project partner is responsible for the recruitment of people as research participants or providing human tissue their letter or email of support should include:
- agreement that the project partner will recruit the participants or provide tissue confirmation that what is being supplied is suitable for the proposed work
- confirmation that the quantity of tissue being supplied is suitable, but not excessive for achieving meaningful results (if applicable)
Agreement with your project partners
Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the ‘Project partners’ section.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)
Word count: 1,500
Does your application include industry project partners?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
The assessors are looking for you to confirm if your proposed work involves collaboration with an industry or company project partner. If it does, you will need to follow the MRC industry collaboration framework (ICF).
By ‘industry or company’ we mean an enterprise that puts or has intention to put goods or services on a market.
For guidance to assist your decision if your proposed work requires you to follow ICF, you should explore the ICF decision tree (PDF, 41KB) and find out more about ICF which includes:
- collaboration agreements
- definitions of basic or applied research
- internationally based companies
- subsidy control
- intellectual property (IP) arrangements
- fully flexible and gated contributions
- the ICF assessment criteria
Enter ‘Yes’ in the text box if you have industry or company project partners and you are likely to follow ICF. You should also confirm your answers to the ICF questions one to nine in the text box for each ICF project partner.
Contact gapfund@mrc.ukri.org if you are unsure if your application should follow ICF.
In addition to the project partner information completed in the previous section, the assessors are looking for information relating to the nature, goals and conditions of the collaboration and any restrictions or rights to the project results that could be claimed by the industry or company project partner.
Confirm your answers to the ICF questions in the text box, repeat this process for each ICF project partner:
- Name the industry or company project partner considered under ICF.
- Indicate whether your application is basic research or applied research.
- Explain why, in the absence of the requested UKRI funding, the collaboration and the planned research could not be undertaken.
- State whether your application is under the category of fully flexible contribution or gated contribution (based on the IP sharing arrangements with the industry or company).
- Outline the pre-existing IP (‘background IP’) that each partner, including the academic partner, will bring to the collaborative research project and the terms under which partners may access these assets.
- Outline the IP that is expected to be developed during the collaborative research project (‘foreground IP’) and briefly outline how it will be managed, including:
- who will own this IP
- what rights industry or company partners will have to use academically-generated foreground IP during and after the research project, for internal research and development or for commercial purposes
- any rights of the academic partner to commercialise the foreground IP, including foreground IP generated by industry or company partners
- Outline any restrictions to dissemination of the project results, including the rights of the industry or company partner to:
- review, approve or delay publications (including the time period associated with such rights)
- request or require the removal of any information
- Declare any conflicts of interest held by the applicants in relation to the industry or company project partners and describe how they will be managed.
- Justify collaborating with an overseas industry or company under ICF (if applicable).
Failure to provide the information requested for industry or company partners under ICF could result in your application being rejected.
You are recommended to discuss the goals and conditions of any collaboration with an industry or company with your technology transfer or contracts office before applying.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made. You must provide us with a copy of the collaboration agreement, signed by all partners, before an ICF award starts.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
Word limit: 100
Does the proposed work involve international collaboration in a sensitive research or technology area?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Demonstrate how your proposed international collaboration relates to Trusted Research and Innovation, including:
If your proposed work does not involve international collaboration, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
We may ask you to provide additional TR&I information later, in line with UKRI TR&I Principles and funding terms and conditions (RCG 2.6.2, 2.7.1 and 2.7.2).
Facilities
Word limit: 250
Does your proposed research require the support and use of a facility?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you will need to use a facility, follow your proposed facility’s normal access request procedures. Ensure you have prior agreement so that if you are offered funding, they will support the use of their facility on your project.
For each requested facility you will need to provide the:
- name of facility, copied and pasted from the facility information list (DOCX, 42KB)
- proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility information list
- confirmation you have their agreement where required
Facilities should only be named if they are on the facility information list above. If you will not need to use a facility, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Data management and sharing
Word limit: 1,500
How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed research?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Provide a data management plan which should clearly detail how you will comply with MRC’s published data management and sharing policies, which includes detailed guidance notes.
Provide your response in the text box following the headings in the MRC data management plan template. You are not required to upload the document to your application.
The length of your plan will vary depending on the type of study being undertaken:
- population cohorts; longitudinal studies; genetic, omics and imaging data; biobanks, and other collections that are potentially a rich resource for the wider research community: maximum of 1,500 words
- all other research, less complex, the plan may be as short as 500 words
Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)
Word limit: 500
What are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work? If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated:
- the relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations
- how you will manage these considerations
Consider the MRC guidance on ethics and approvals.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Intellectual property rights (IPR)
Word limit: 700
Provide a brief description of the intellectual assets underpinning the proposed work (if any).
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Completing this section is compulsory for all applications, even if your project is not expected to generate new intellectual property (IP). Failure to provide this information will result in your application being rejected.
Where applicable, describe your future IP management plans to:
- manage the outputs of the project, including any intellectual assets and intellectual property
- have freedom to operate
- protect the foreground IP or market position
- disseminate and communicate the outputs of your project
The assessors are looking for you to outline where IP and freedom to operate considerations will need to be accounted for (for example where licenses will need to be obtained).
Note that, at the time of application, or during any subsequent grant, UKRI would not anticipate any business to have exclusive rights to the assets and IP arising from the funded project.
The assessors will judge whether there is an appropriate intellectual property strategy in place to facilitate downstream development, clinical uptake or commercialisation.
Include any IPR if appropriate. If your IPR is a patent, please include the patent numbers along with a summary scope of the claims. We recognise that most applications to Developmental Pathway Gap Fund (DPGF) will not have a patent or other IPR.
Genetic and biological risk
Word limit: 700
Does your proposed research involve any genetic or biological risk?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
In respect of animals, plants or microbes, are you proposing to:
- use genetic modification as an experimental tool, like studying gene function in a genetically modified organism
- release genetically modified organisms
- ultimately develop commercial and industrial genetically modified outcomes
If yes, provide the name of any required approving body and state if approval is already in place. If it is not, provide an indicative timeframe for obtaining the required approval.
Identify the organism or organisms as a plant, animal or microbe and specify the species and which of the three categories the research relates to.
Identify the genetic and biological risks resulting from the proposed research, their implications, and any mitigation you plan on taking. Assessors will want to know you have considered the risks and their implications to justify that any identified risks do not outweigh any benefits of the proposed research.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Research involving the use of animals
Word limit: 10
Does your proposed research involve the use of vertebrate animals or other organisms covered by the Animals Scientific Procedures Act?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing research that requires using animals, download and complete the Animals Scientific Procedures Act template (DOCX, 74KB), which contains all the questions relating to research using vertebrate animals or other Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 regulated organisms.
Save it as a PDF. The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Conducting research with animals overseas
Word limit: 700
Will any of the proposed animal research be conducted overseas?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing to conduct overseas research, it must be conducted in accordance with welfare standards consistent with those in the UK, as in Responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research. Ensure all named applicants in the UK and overseas are aware of this requirement.
If your application proposes animal research to be conducted overseas, you must provide a statement in the text box. Depending on the species involved, you may also need to upload a completed template for each species listed.
Statement
Provide a statement to confirm that:
- all named applicants are aware of the requirements and have agreed to abide by them
- this overseas research will be conducted in accordance with welfare standards consistent with the principles of UK legislation
- the expectation set out in Responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research will be applied and maintained
- appropriate national and institutional approvals are in place
Templates
Overseas studies proposing to use non-human primates, cats, dogs, equines or pigs will be assessed during NC3Rs review of research applications. Provide the required information by completing the template from the question ‘Research involving the use of animals’.
For studies involving other species, such as:
- rodents
- rabbits
- sheep
- goats
- pigs
- cattle
- xenopus laevis and xenopus tropicalis
- zebrafish
Select, download, and complete the relevant Word checklist or checklists by exploring NC3Rs checklist for the use of animals overseas.
Save your completed template as a PDF and upload to the Funding Service. If you use more than one checklist template, save it as a single PDF.
The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.
If conducting research with animals overseas does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Research involving human participation
Word limit: 700
Will the project involve the use of human subjects or their personal information?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing research that requires the involvement of human subjects, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place.
Justify the number and the diversity of the participants involved, as well as any procedures.
Provide details of any areas of substantial or moderate severity of impact.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Research involving human tissues or biological samples
Word limit: 700
Does your proposed research involve the use of human tissues, or biological samples?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing work that involves human tissues or biological samples, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place.
Justify the use of human tissue or biological samples specifying the nature and quantity of the material to be used and its source.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Resources and cost justification
Word limit: 1,200
Only request the funding you require to address a single-step gap in evidence and de-risk the onward development of your project.
What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Justify the application’s resources, in particular:
- project staff
- significant travel for field work or collaboration
- any equipment that will cost more than £25,000
- any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
- all facilities and infrastructure costs
- all ‘Exceptions’ costs
- support for public and patient involvement and engagement. Payments to public partners can be included under the exceptions fund heading
- support for preserving, long-term storage, or sharing of data
- support for international co-leads, demonstrating this is within the 30% costs cap for co-leads from high-income countries, India and China. There is no cap on costs requested for international applicants from DAC list countries
- NHS research costs, when associated with NHS studies
- animal costs, such as numbers that need to be bred or maintained and to maintain high welfare standards
- outsourcing work (see below)
Note, regular travel between collaborating organisations and conference costs are not permitted for this funding opportunity and must not be included.
You can request costs associated with reasonable adjustments where they increase as a direct result of working on the project. For further information see Disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders.
Outsourcing work
If you intend to outsource elements of the proposed work, you must detail:
- the scope of the outsourced activity being undertaken and what will be delivered
- the relevance of the outsourced activity
- why the outsourced activity cannot be undertaken in-house
- why this provider is most appropriate
- the cost of any outsourced activity and the tendering process you will follow
- explain any conflicts of interest (potential or actual) and how they will be managed
Assessors are looking for you to demonstrate how your anticipated costs are needed to deliver your proposed work. Detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown are not required.
You should ensure your costs are:
- are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
- represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
- maximise potential outcomes and impacts
Clinical research using NHS resources
Word limit: 250
Are you applying to do clinical research in the UK?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Researchers applying to do clinical research in the NHS, public health or social care usually need to complete a Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Tool (SoECAT).
We request the SoECAT because we want to know that you have taken the appropriate steps to request National institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) support and for the full costs of your research to be attributed, calculated and paid.
We want to see the expected total resources required for your project to consider if these are appropriate.
Enter ‘Yes’ and complete and upload a SoECAT if you are applying for clinical research and:
- you will carry out your research in the UK
- your research will use NHS resources
- the research requires approval by Health Research Authority (England) or its equivalents in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
- you will need support from the NIHR Research Delivery Network, this may include studies in a social care or public health setting
It is important to complete a SoECAT to be eligible for NIHR support. You must complete a SoECAT even if you don’t think your clinical research will involve excess treatment costs (ETCs).
See MRC guidance on who needs to complete a SoECAT.
How to complete a SoECAT
SoECAT guidance can be found on the NIHR website.
These are the steps you need to take:
- Contact an attributing the costs of health and social care Research & Development (AcoRD) specialist as early as possible in the application process.
- Complete an online SoECAT. Excel versions of the form have been discontinued. If you don’t have an account for NIHR’s Central Portfolio Management System (CPMS) you will need create and activate one. See the NIHR user guide for instructions.
- Request authorisation of your SoECAT.
- Once authorised extract the ‘study information’ and the ‘summary’ page from the ‘Funder Export’, combine them as a single PDF and upload it to your application.
Applications that require a SoECAT but have not uploaded the SoECAT funder export study information and summary may be rejected.
Ensure the AcoRD specialists name and date are included within the uploaded summary page. The SoECAT is invalid without this information.
Contact gapfund@mrc.ukri.org if you have questions about the UKRI aspects of this process or have concerns that your SoECAT may not be authorised in time for the application closing date.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
