This funding opportunity seeks applications for human-based studies with a clear pathway to impact. Successful projects will include people with or at risk of MND and laboratory-based studies with samples, tissues, cell-lines or data derived from people with or at risk of MND, and appropriate controls.
Proposals:
- must focus on human-based approaches
- should be hypothesis driven
- should be achievable in six to 18 months
In-scope projects
In-scope projects include, but are not limited to:
- projects to develop, validate or apply biomarkers for disease stratification, monitoring progression, clinical trials and more
- projects to demonstrate target engagement
- early phase clinical trials and experimental medicine
- leveraging existing cohorts to validate biomarkers
- analysis of human samples and data generated from earlier clinical trials
- evaluation of novel fluidic biomarkers for diagnosis, proximity, or monitoring
- development of novel patient-derived cellular models of disease (for example, organoids, induced pluripotent stem cell) with specific aim of supporting translational research
- nested studies within existing MND research trials and consortia, where additional investment could increase impact
Out-of-scope activities
Ineligible or out of scope activities include:
- fundamental or discovery neuroscience research
- animal-based studies
- sample characterisation or phenotyping projects
- creating or expanding cohorts
You are invited to take advantage of Dementias Platform UK (DPUK) and UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) scientific and technological platforms, resources and expertise. These include, for example:
- fluid based and digital biomarkers
- proteomics
- single cell and spatial transcriptomics
- MND smart trials platform
- innovation and business support
- streamlined contractual templates
- end-to-end data management
- multimodal data analysis
- networks for brain imaging (magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, magnetoencephalography)
- induced pluripotent stem cells
Whereas proposals that will benefit from these resources are welcome, proposals are not required to use these resources. However, data will be required to be made available through the DPUK Data Portal.
Funding available
Funds may be used to cover:
- scientific, medical, and technical personnel
- research consumables and reagents.
- appropriate contract research organisation costs
- service costs commensurate with the specific use of equipment
Ineligible costs include:
- conference and other meeting registration and travel
- publishing costs
- industry partner costs
- PhD studentships
Modest travel costs may be included but only when travel is necessary for the successful delivery of the research. Funds may not be used for the purchase of equipment unless the you can demonstrate that the proposed equipment is an essential component of the project and is otherwise unavailable (including via a collaborator).
Applications should be costed under MRC’s standard 80% of the full economic cost (FEC) methodology.
Permitted exceptions (see MRC guidance for applicants) will be funded at 100% FEC.
