The British Heart Foundation’s Translational Award funds the early-stage development of new medicines and technologies, taking discovery science towards human studies, phase II trials and, eventually, patients or the market. The next preliminary application deadline is 3 February 2027 at 17:00.
The BHF funds research into heart and circulatory diseases, and that remit takes in the vascular side of brain health, including stroke, small vessel disease and vascular dementia. If your work could lead to a new therapy, device or diagnostic in that space, this scheme is worth a look.
What it funds
Any type of technology is in scope: therapeutics, devices, diagnostics, imaging, digital tools, cell therapy, surgical techniques and early-phase clinical studies. A project can start and finish anywhere between initial development and phase II, but the end point has to be a real step change in value, scientific or commercial. Open-ended investigative research and late-phase trials aren’t covered.
There’s no upper limit on cost, though every request has to be justified. Projects run for up to three years and are managed against three to five milestones with go/no-go criteria, so funding stops if milestones aren’t met. The award can cover staff (but not PhD studentships), consumables, essential equipment, consultancy, contract research organisations and up to 0.2 FTE of a project manager. Intellectual property usually sits with your institution, which needs a plan for protecting and commercialising it.
Who can apply
The lead applicant must be based at an established UK research institution. People from companies can join as collaborators, and you’ll need to work with your Technology Transfer Office on the application.
Deadlines and decisions
There are two preliminary rounds a year, and the next two close on 3 February 2027 and 4 August 2027, both at 17:00. Late applications aren’t considered. If your preliminary application is successful, you’ll be invited to submit a full application, which goes to external review and then an interview. Allow up to ten months from preliminary submission to decision.
How to apply
Preliminary applications go through the BHF’s online system at researchgrants.bhf.org.uk, and are reviewed by the Translational Awards Committee, which meets twice a year. If you need something smaller to generate proof-of-concept data first, the BHF’s Translational Pump Priming Awards are worth a look. If you want to see how these decisions are made from the inside, the BHF is also recruiting reviewers and committee members.
Read the full details and apply
Visit funding web page
(https://www.bhf.org.uk/for-professionals/information-for-researchers/what-we-fund/translational-award)