Apply for Medical Research Council funding to run a high throughput screen (HTS) using AstraZeneca’s compound library and screening robots.
There are two funding opportunities per year, which remain open to all targets. The thematic focus of this round is mental health or dementia (including Parkinson’s and Huntington’s), and applications in either of these areas will be given a strategic uplift at ranking.
Who can apply?
To lead a project, you must be based at an eligible organisation. Check if your organisation is eligible.
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, 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
Who is not eligible to apply
Research applications that are led by commercial entities are not eligible. Applications may not include collaborations with additional commercial parties.
You are also 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 that are eligible to apply as project lead.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.
We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:
- career breaks
- support for people with caring responsibilities
- flexible working
- alternative working patterns
UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.
What we’re looking for?
Scope
The small molecule HTS using AstraZeneca facilities funding opportunity aims to support academic researchers in discovering potential starting points for small molecule medicinal drugs.
Academic researchers will benefit from unprecedented access to over two million molecules in AstraZeneca’s compound library, as well as its state-of-the-art high-throughput screening facilities.
Medical Research Council (MRC) will provide funding to support up to four projects per year. As capacity is limited, projects will be prioritised for funding and for time slots within the facility. The timeframe for commencement of the studies will vary, although the expectation is within six months of the funding decision.
AstraZeneca may offer to fund a project in its entirety if, based on the application, it considers that route to be the most appropriate funding mechanism for that individual study. In such cases, these will be taken forward through direct collaboration with the company without any further MRC involvement. Applicants who do not wish to accept this offer may continue to seek MRC support through the initiative.
AstraZeneca will provide technical input to support assay optimisation, investigation of alternative readout technologies and pilot HTS screen, prior to transfer of the assay to the HTS platform. Depending on the results of the optimisation, a compound set of between 100,000 and 1,000,000 of the library will be screened.
Minimum assay development guidelines
There are a number of minimum assay development guidelines which when considered as a whole will need to provide evidence that a screen could be conducted. Funds are provided to complete the assay development, so a less well-developed assay is not a barrier to your application being competitive.
Duration
The duration of this award is typically 15 months, however the duration can be from 12 (minimum) to a maximum of 18 months.
Funding available
The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £270,000 (£250,000 cost to MRC).
We will fund 100% FEC of the work conducted at AstraZeneca.
We will fund 80% FEC of any work conducted at the research organisation or related to staff costs, subsistence and travel.
What we will fund
We will fund costs related to the staff and consumable costs incurred at AstraZeneca for the optimisation and execution of the HTS. These include:
- £20,000 (100% FEC Exceptions) for optimisation and establishment of an HTS
- £150,000 (100% FEC Exceptions) for execution of the HTS
- cost of travel, accommodation and subsistence for a host institution researcher to work at AstraZeneca in Cambridge for three months (80% FEC)
- costs for elements of the screening cascade that cannot be undertaken at AstraZeneca and must be undertaken at the host organisation (80% FEC)
- minimal percentage of full time equivalent for the project lead (80% FEC)
What we will not fund
We will not fund conference attendance.
Supporting skills and talent
This funding opportunity highly encourages a researcher from the host institution to embed themselves at the AstraZeneca facilities in Cambridge for a period of up to three months total, in order to help with the establishment of the assay and conducting the HTS. The three months can be split into shorter chunks based on requirements of the project. Any application not requesting funding to support a visit to the AstraZeneca facility, should state why it is not viable although it will not affect the evaluation of the merits of the project, as it is understood that not all researchers can accommodate a prolonged period away from home.
We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.
As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.
See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.
Visit funding web page
(https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/small-molecule-high-throughput-screen-using-astrazeneca-facilities/)
