The Functional Genomics Initiative Clusters funding opportunity has two stages.
Stage one
The expression of interest stage is mandatory. You must submit an expression of interest to MRC using the Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S) system and case for support template.
To manage demand, individuals may only submit one expression of interest as a principal investigator.
The expression for interest stage is open and will close on 4 May 2023 at 4:00 pm UK time.
Following completion of your expression of interest, you will be notified and invited to apply to the full application stage (stage two). We will communicate expression of interest decisions no later than 25 May 2023. You can find advice on completing your Je-S expression of interest under the ‘How to apply stage one: expression of interest’ heading.
Stage two
The full application stage will open on 4 April 2023, closing on 27 July 2023 at 4:00pm UK time.
How to apply stage one: expression of interest
We recommend you submit your expression of interest as soon as possible.
Your host organisation will also be able to provide advice and guidance.
Submitting your application
Before starting an application, you will need to log in or create an account in Je-S.
When applying:
- Select ‘documents’, then ‘new document’.
- Select ‘call search’.
- To find the opportunity, search for: Expression of Interest Functional genomics 2023.
This will populate:
- council: MRC
- document type: Outline proposal
- scheme: Standard outline
- call/type/mode: Expression of Interest Functional Genomics 2023
Once you have completed your application, make sure you ‘submit document’ to your research office for checking and approval.
You can save completed details in Je-S at any time and return to continue your application later.
Deadline
MRC must receive your expression of interest application by 4 May 2023 at 4:00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time. Please leave enough time for your proposal to pass through your organisation’s Je-S submission route before this date.
You should ensure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines that may be in place.
What to include within your expression of interest application
You must follow the below guidance before accessing Je-S.
Je-S application
Project details section
Search the database to add the lead research organisation and department, where the funded award will be held.
Project title
The title should be as informative as possible, capturing the essence of the research challenge. It should not exceed 150 characters. Avoid using specialist characters and symbols.
Start date and duration
The start date should be no later than 1 April 2024
The project duration will be 48 months.
Investigators
All applicants eligible to be included as part of the proposed leadership team, should be added to the Je-S application as an investigator.
If the application is to be delivered in partnership by two or more eligible organisations, then the principal investigator must be from the organisation which will lead the partnership (as detailed within project details section). All host organisations must be represented by an eligible co-investigator.
Each member of the leadership team will need an active Je-S account at the required level (proposal Je-S account type), to allow their inclusion as an investigator. The individual who will act as the grant holder with responsibilities to MRC at the start of the MRC award should be included within the application as principal investigator, this is for administrative purposes. Other leadership team members should be the application co-investigators (including international researchers if applicable).
The leadership team members’ application roles should not imply relative status or influence the leadership model which is for the applicants to propose.
These roles and people added do not limit who might be recruited to team at the full application.
If you are a researcher based in the UK, an overseas MRC unit or an international researcher who has not created a Je-S account, navigate to the Je-S home page and select ‘create an account’.
Principal investigator
Search the Je-S database to add the principal investigator and select ‘save’.
Co-investigator
Search the Je-S database to add all other members of the leadership team as co-investigator and select ‘save’. Repeat process to add all new co-investigators (including any international researchers assisting with the leadership of the project).
Researcher co-investigator
Search the Je-S database to add all other members of the leadership team as researcher co-investigator and select ‘save’. Repeat process to add all researcher co-investigators (including any international researcher co-investigators assisting with the leadership of the project).
Researcher co-investigator status is aimed at researchers who are currently not eligible to be a principal investigator or a co-investigator on a grant but who provide significant intellectual input to grant writing and design.
To be considered suitable for the status of researcher co-investigator, applicants are expected to not be eligible as a principal investigator or co-investigator of a research grant in their own right (for example, because they do not have a contract of employment with any of the participating research organisations for the duration of the grant prior to application). This could include, but is not limited to:
- postdoctoral researchers
- technology specialists
- clinical fellows
For further information related to researcher co-investigator eligibility.
Project partners
If project partners will be involved in the project, please note, they are not required to be detailed at the expression of interest stage.
If your application involves one or more industrial partners, you should review the information published within the MRC Industry collaboration framework (ICF) to decide if you should submit your full application under the ICF.
Grant type
Select the option to indicate research grant and save.
Case for support attachment
All applicants are required to use the expression of interest template (DOCX, 263KB), designed for this expression of interest stage.
When you have downloaded and completed the case for support template, you are required to upload this to the attachments section of the Je-S expression of interest outline application.
How to apply stage two: full application
Full application requirements and guidance will be detailed here, when the full opportunity opens on 4 April 2023.