Experimental medicine stage one

Opportunity status: Open Funders: Funding type: Grant Total fund: £10,000,000 Publication date: 2 October 2025 Opening date: 2 October 2025 9:00am UK time Closing date: 15 April 2026 4:00pm UK time Apply for funding to investigate the causes, progression and treatment of human disease. Your project must: focus on a mechanistic hypothesis include an experimental intervention or challenge in humans You must be a researcher based at a research organisation eligible to apply for MRC funding. If you are taking the next step towards becoming an independent researcher, you may be eligible to apply as a ‘new investigator. There is no limit to the amount of funding you can apply for or the length of your project. We will fund 80% of your project’s full economic cost. This is an ongoing funding opportunity. Application rounds close every April and October. To lead a project, you must be based at an eligible organisation. . Who is eligible to apply To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity you must: show that you will direct the project and be actively engaged in the work be looking to investigate the causes, progression and treatment of human disease For applicants who do not have a contract of employment for the duration of the proposed project, by submitting an application the research organisation is confirming that, if it is successful: contracts will be extended beyond the end date of the project all necessary support for the project and the applicants will be provided, including mentorship and career development for early career researchers New investigator applicants We welcome applications from early career researchers. The new investigator grant is aimed at researchers who are capable of becoming independent researchers and who are now ready to take the next step towards that goal. If you are applying as a ‘new investigator’, you must also: have be able to demonstrate that your skills and experience at the time of your application match those of the ‘transition to independence’ career stage, as set out in the use this grant to support your long-term career goals and chosen career route be able to demonstrate you are the sole intellectual leader of the application and the proposed work If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can also apply as a new investigator, if you: are employed as a postdoctoral research assistant, although this grant cannot start until your current work finishes hold a lecturer appointment, a junior fellowship or another research staff position hold, or have held, an early career training fellowship such as a Medical Research Council (MRC) skills development fellowship are not currently based at the eligible research organisation that has agreed to host your new investigator award are either a non-clinical or clinically active researcher have any number of years of experience Who is not eligible to apply as a new investigator You are not eligible to apply if you have already achieved independence. New investigator grants support individuals who have not previously led a research team or been awarded a substantial grant as fellow or project lead (formally known as principal investigator). A substantial grant is typically defined as for three or more years and including salary support for one or more additional team members. You are also not eligible to apply if you: already hold or have held an award that facilitates the transition to independence have applied for an MRC new investigator grant twice before have an application for any UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) fellowship currently under consideration, including a , or If you are unsure whether you meet the eligibility criteria as a ‘new investigator’ or have any questions about your eligibility, you should contact to find out whether you can apply. See further details on the . Your other team members (new investigators) We recognise and support the value of team science and interdisciplinary research, which may be important to your career development. Therefore, project co-leads, specialists and other team roles may be included if you are applying as a new investigator. Your team members should bring essential complimentary research, technical expertise or skills to the project, that you as the new investigator project lead cannot provide, or you are aiming to develop. We encourage you to use the appropriate application sections, such as ‘Applicant and team capability to deliver’, to make your leadership role clear and justify the team around you. It is not usually appropriate for a current or recent supervisor, or lab head of the new investigator, to be part of the applicant team as this may make your leadership unclear. If this is essential to the proposed work, it must be specifically justified. Who is not eligible to apply You are not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity as a project lead if you are based at an international research organisation. This does not include MRC Unit The Gambia or MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. International researchers As MRC is the lead funder for this funding opportunity, international researchers can apply as ‘project co-lead (international)’. Project co-leads (international) make a major intellectual contribution to the design or conduct of the project. Their contribution and added value to the research collaboration should be clearly explained and justified in the application, using the appropriate application sections, such as “Applicant and team capability to deliver”. Read for more details.