MRC Proof of Concept Panel (formerly DPFS): Member vacancies

• Closing date: 13 September 2026 at 11:59pm UK time
• Number of positions: Seven
• Length of term: Two years from 1 April 2027, plus additional two years after review
• Time commitment: Two days per month
• Remuneration: £160 per day, travel and subsistence as appropriate
• Outcome communicated: By mid-December 2026

The Medical Research Council (MRC) is inviting applications from talented researchers and research technical professionals to become members of the MRC Proof of Concept Panel from 1 April 2027.

It is essential you are an experienced researcher and reviewer with appropriate expertise related to the vacancy that you are applying for.

MRC’s panels play a key role in delivering MRC objectives across our portfolio of research. They make funding recommendations and contribute to the development and delivery of MRC strategy.

Find out more: MRC board and panel membership

Who we’re looking for

We are seeking applications from talented and committed non-clinical and clinical researchers and research technical professionals, with relevant expertise and experience to join the MRC Proof of Concept Panel. You can be based in research institutes or universities, or in companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life, or digital sciences sectors.

We particularly encourage applications from currently under-represented groups, including women, minority ethnic and disabled researchers, and those with long-term health conditions. We welcome applications from people based in all regions and nations of the UK, as well as from international applicants where full participation is practical. This might mean attending meetings in the UK or participating virtually during UK business hours.

It is essential you are an experienced researcher and reviewer with appropriate expertise related to the vacancy that you are applying for.

You must also be:

• able to commit the time expected (around two days per month on average)
• able to exercise judgement across a range of research and policy issues, within and beyond your areas of core expertise
• a team player with a commitment to the mission of MRC and supporting objective and fair approaches to funding research, developing careers and positive research culture
• able to work effectively within the public sector requirements for accountability and openness, and managing public money

What you’ll be doing

As a panel member you will use your expertise and experience to help MRC invest in high-quality and impactful research, innovation and training. You will provide input into our strategy, including through interactions with other panels and MRC’s advisory structures.

As it is not possible for individuals to provide in-depth expertise across all specialities, members will work collectively through open and objective discussions. They will provide advice across the panel remit, sharing responsibility for judgments and recommendations.

MRC Proof of Concept (formerly known as the Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme, or DPFS) is the MRC’s primary mechanism for supporting translational research. The MRC Proof of Concept Panel is responsible for supporting academic-led projects to progress fundamental and clinical research findings towards clinical use, wider health application, and commercialisation. MRC Proof of Concept supports a broad spectrum of activities from the development of novel therapies and interventions, devices, and diagnostics through to early-phase clinical studies. Projects are goal-orientated, and milestone-monitored with clearly defined outcomes and downstream development plans.

The MRC Proof of Concept Panel also reviews and makes funding recommendations for the MRC Impact Accelerator Awards (formerly known as the Developmental Pathway Gap Fund). This supports smaller scale projects to generate critical data that builds confidence in developing a new or repurposed medicine, medical device, diagnostic test, or other medical intervention.

For further information please refer to the remit of MRC Proof of Concept (formerly DPFS) and Impact Acceleration Awards (formerly Gap Fund).

We have up to seven vacancies for applicants with academic or industry translational expertise in at least one of the following areas:

• gene therapies, spanning preclinical and clinical development
• clinical cardiology, including experience in the development of medical devices
• artificial intelligence and digital health, with experience of robotics or device development
• medicinal chemistry
• mental health, including the development of digital and psychological interventions
• biomaterials, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering
• ophthalmological translational research
• surgery, for example development and translation of surgical technologies
• artificial intelligence and digital health technologies
• statistics for clinical and pre-clinical research

We particularly welcome applications from clinically active researchers, researchers based in industry and those with knowledge of the relevant investment landscape. Given the breadth of MRC Proof of Concept and Impact Accelerator Awards applications, panel members are required to help cover areas outside of their primary expertise.

How to apply

To apply, complete and submit the application form on the UKRI Engagement Hub.

All applications must be submitted by 11:59pm (UK time) on 13 September 2026.

There is one form for all our current panel vacancies, you may indicate interest in becoming a member of up to three MRC panels that are currently recruiting new members.

We are also recruiting in parallel for our College of Experts (CoE), you may apply to be a member of the CoE and a panel member, although you will only be offered one role. You should complete separate applications if you are interested in both CoE and panel membership.

In addition to the information provided in the application, we may also use publicly available information, in line with the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), to assist with membership decisions.

Decisions on membership will be made by mid-December 2026. Applicants will be notified of the recruitment decisions shortly thereafter.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make our recruitment processes as well as participation on our panels accessible to all, and this includes making reasonable adjustments for individuals who identify as disabled, neurodiverse or as having a long-term condition.

If you have any queries regarding the application process or if you would like this application in a different format (such as accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille), email mrc.eventsandcommitteesteam@mrc.ukri.org

If you apply and ‘opt in’ on your application, you will be considered following our disability inclusion assurance process. Further information may be found below.

Should your application be successful, we will work to fulfil your requirements to enable you to fully participate. Please let us know in advance if you would like to discuss in confidence how we can support you. This can be either through providing information in the diversity monitoring section of your application or through contacting mrc.eventsandcommitteesteam@mrc.ukri.org

How we’ll assess your application

Applicants will be shortlisted based on the evidence they provide of meeting the following criteria.

Research expertise

You have:

• expertise related to a vacancy (essential)
• other expertise that could contribute to the activities of MRC panels, such as clinical training and practice, ethics and regulations, experimental design and reproducibility, industry expertise, quantitative skills or technical skills (desirable)

Experience as a researcher

You have:

• experience leading or conducting respected research (essential)
• a successful track record of applying for research funding (essential, this may be as a co-applicant or key contributor to team science)

Or you have:

• leadership positions within a company and other indicators that demonstrate research leadership (essential for candidates from industry)
• other indicators of research recognition, such as prizes or awards (desirable)

Experience as a reviewer

You have:

• experience of peer review (essential): this includes reviewing applications for funding in the UK or internationally and reviewing research publications.

• experience of funding panels (essential): this includes major funders, charity, philanthropic or government and public sector funding panels, or panels within your organisation. Experience equivalent to membership of a funding panel will also be considered.

Panel representation

When making the final selection we aim for between 18 and 24 members on each panel, including representation from a diversity of organisations, backgrounds, characteristics, and perspectives. Through our recruitment to the panels we strive to:

• broaden the diversity of membership
• steadily increase the number of women, disabled and minority ethnic members
• increase the ratio of mid-career to later-career members
• ensure a strong representation for basic research across all panels
• include industry researchers, representatives from MRC’s major investments and international members as appropriate
• include expertise to evaluate translational research applications, including applications involving early phase clinical trials

We expect the membership to meet MRC policies on equality.

We strive for representation from research organisations across the UK and may limit the number of members from one organisation. We will also consider applicants from other countries if their full participation is practical (able to travel to attend meetings in the UK or participate virtually during UK business hours).
While we will take the preferences indicated in your application into account, you may be offered a role on any MRC panel that is currently recruiting.

Further information

Disability inclusion assurance process

We are committed to increasing the representation of disabled people on our panels. In line with this, we offer an enhanced assessment process for disabled applicants. If you opt into this scheme and meet the criteria for the role, your application will receive an additional layer of consideration. This will ensure it has been assessed fairly and in line with our inclusion values. To do this, you will need to select ‘opt in’ under ‘disability’ in the diversity monitoring section of the application survey.

This approach is inspired by the Disability Confident ‘offer to interview’ scheme but adapted for non-employment roles where no formal interview stage exists. The process does not guarantee appointment or preferential treatment but aims to ensure that all applicants are assessed equitably.

Induction for successful applicants

As part of the preparation for their tenure, all new members will be offered an induction in spring 2027, further details will be provided nearer the time.

The induction will be an opportunity for you to meet MRC staff, and your panel colleagues. It enables us to provide guidance on your role and an overview of the MRC, its strategic ambitions, functions and methods of operation related to the work of the panels.

New members are expected to attend a panel meeting as an observer prior to starting their new role.

Relevant panel meeting dates are:

• MRC Proof of Concept Panel: 20 and 21 January 2027
• Experimental Medicine Panel: TBC
• Equipment Panel: March or April 2027
• Clinical Training and Career Development Panel: 17 and 18 March, 30 June and 1 July, 10 and 11 November 2027
• Non-Clinical Training and Career Development Panel: 23 and 24 March 2027, 13 and 14 October 2027
• Centres of Research Excellence Panel: to be confirmed

Last updated: 17 July 2026