Vision and purpose
The overarching vision is to reduce the impact of obesity on society through a deeper, integrated understanding of the physiological and pathological mechanisms and the downstream health consequences. The new knowledge, insights and innovation generated will accelerate the development of treatments and long-term prevention strategies. This vision will be delivered as an internationally leading UK Obesity Research Institute (UK-ORI).
Leadership
Your application should be led by a director with an international track record in large-scale research and delivery in a relevant field. The director will play a strategic leadership role regarding the future vision and direction of how the institute, and its partnerships, will grow. The requested funding should include an allocation for the director’s own research programme, forming part of the overall scientific vision for the institute.
World-leading research
Applications should address key biological and pathological questions on the causes, consequences and prevention of obesity, with a strong emphasis on advancing understanding of underlying pathophysiology and mechanistic biomedical drivers.
By bringing together complementary expertise under clear director leadership, the institute should aim to unlock new insights. This will enable the development of effective, targeted prevention and treatment strategies and deliver meaningful, measurable impact in the field.
The research will be distinct in the context of other national and international activities and outward facing, harnessing the best talent to deliver upon the proposed vision. It should be positioned in the context of ongoing investments across the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the broader landscape, synergising with or capitalising upon existing knowledge and national assets where relevant.
The model
Applications should propose plans for a scalable, national UK-ORI, centred on a director-led hub that coordinates and drives the overall scientific vision and programme. It is expected that to achieve the vision of this funding opportunity, applications will need to be collaborative and multi-site. Partner research sites should add distinct value and expertise and will be expected to play a key role in the coherent and integrated co-development and co-delivery of the institute’s aims.
Together, the hub and partner sites should operate in a unified, collaborative manner, ensuring strategic alignment, effective coordination, and the successful realisation of the institute’s objectives.
Funding as a scalable, collaborative and outward-facing institute is intended to position UK biomedical science at the international forefront of obesity research. This approach will support and integrate the critical mass needed to develop and deliver an ambitious vision.
The director should plan to work with a leadership and administrative team on a day-to-day basis and will be responsible for overarching management of UK-ORI, coherence across its sites, and demonstration of its overall strategic impact.
Scientific scope
UK-ORI will undertake research into the biological origins, prevention, treatment, and health consequences of obesity, with a strong focus on elucidating underlying mechanistic pathways. Its scientific scope will integrate fundamental biomedical science, medicine, and technological innovation to enable the development of effective, targeted interventions and improved health outcomes.
The institute will prioritise integrated, biologically and data-driven discovery across molecular, cellular, and physiological systems, with a strong emphasis on dynamic human physiology and related cardiometabolic processes. Research themes should address the mechanistic links between obesity and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. This will be supported by agile proof-of-concept target validation in humans and experimental medicine to test mechanisms in vivo and de-risk novel therapeutic targets.
UK-ORI will also accelerate the translation of discovery into real-world impact, strengthening links between academia, industry and public benefit, while aligning with national priorities for innovation-led growth.
What is not in scope
UK-ORI will deliberately not address all the challenges associated with obesity, which are broad and complex, and intersect across the whole of society. Our aim is to support the transformative underpinning biomedical mechanistic science that is needed to link into the broader obesity research landscape. Areas outside this funding opportunity include:
- the broad, underlying societal and environmental factors that contribute to obesity
- behavioural science alone without integration with basic biological mechanisms
- basic science or observational research which does not provide mechanistic insights into the pathophysiology of obesity and related conditions, or a pathway to prevention or treatment
- longitudinal population studies
- proposals where the focus is predominantly on networking activities
Capacity building
UK-ORI is expected to play a significant national role in training and career development.
It will develop and enhance UK research capacity by providing strong multidisciplinary skills and training environments, particularly for early career researchers, and expanding research infrastructure to maintain the UK’s position as a world leader in obesity research.
Partnerships
UK-ORI will provide an internationally leading investment capable of attracting global talent and further ‘bolt-on’ investment from across the health and life sciences sector to address areas strategically important for other public and private funders. Leveraging partnerships with other funders, industry and technology company investment is strongly encouraged. This will ensure that the knowledge generated by this national endeavour will be accelerated into impactful translation to support effective ‘real world’ interventions to prevent and treat obesity.
Research culture
The institute will be a beacon of excellence in research culture, equality, diversity and inclusion, leadership models, and innovation.
Duration
The duration of this initial award will be seven years in the first instance, with the potential to renew.
Funding available
Funding available up to £60 million (80% full economic cost) for up to seven years.
We expect to make one award.
Applications will be from a single eligible research organisation in a partnership with other research sites.
We will provide all the awarded funding to the lead organisation, to manage and distribute accordingly. Awards spanning multiple organisations will require a clear plan addressing award governance and management to ensure funds can be used flexibly to support changes in research delivery and opportunity across the duration of the award.
Funding of this opportunity is subject to approval of a full business case.
