Published: 13 January 2020
Two NIHR funding programmes are joining forces as part of a pilot to provide health researchers the opportunity to undertake a career development award alongside leading an NIHR programme funded clinical study.
For the first time, the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) programme is inviting applications for clinical studies to be led by a chief investigator who is also applying for an NIHR Advanced Fellowship Award. Researchers from across all areas of health are encouraged to apply. The study proposal should evaluate an intervention or medical test with the potential to maintain health, treat disease or improve recovery.
The EME programme is a partnership between the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the NIHR, and both are keen to explore new ways to support the development of capacity and expertise in conducting clinical trials.
Professor Dave Jones OBE, Dean for the NIHR Academy, said: “The NIHR provides a wide range of career development awards for researchers at all stages of their career but we do recognise that it isn’t always possible for these awards to support the size of study which can be funded through the EME programme. This exciting new initiative is bringing together two successful NIHR funding opportunities to help researchers develop their careers whilst building their clinical trials experience by leading a clinical efficacy study.”
Professor Danny McAuley, Director of the EME Programme, said: “We are delighted to launch this new initiative, which provides an important opportunity for researchers to lead a clinical efficacy study as part of their Advanced Fellowship Award. We hope this will build clinical trial capacity within the UK. We are excited to be partnering with the NIHR Academy on this important project.”
Applications to the EME programme are now being accepted and the deadline for these is 16 April 2020. Applications to round four of the Advanced Fellowship scheme will launch at the beginning of April with a deadline for submissions in early June.