Apply for funding

Through our successful PhD studentship programme we have a track record of attracting and funding promising young scientists to develop their careers in MND research. We only fund research of the highest scientific/clinical excellence and greatest relevance to MND.

Deadline

Our Autumn 2020 funding round will consider both Biomedical and Healthcare studentship applications. This round is now closed.

Please read our Guidelines, Terms and Conditions and our Guide to Completing the Online Summary Application Form. It is also recommended that you read the MND Association Research Strategy and Research Governance Overview.

Duration

Awards will be offered for three years to allow registered students to undertake full-time research for a PhD.

Eligibility

Studentship applications are invited from prospective supervisors, based in UK and Ireland laboratories. Collaborative projects between departments are welcomed, provided the relative roles of the supervisors and departments are addressed. Supervisors should recruit and nominate the student of their choice (subject to MND Association approval). Students should hold, or expect to obtain, a first or upper second class honours degree.

Assessment and Budget

Please see our Guidelines for more information on assessment criteria and budget information.

We are committed to playing a key role in ending MND. Our biomedical research programme is delivering significant and measurable advances in understanding and treating the disease. We only fund research of the highest scientific excellence and greatest relevance to MND.

Deadline

The deadline date for receipt of summary applications is 30 October 2020. This will open on 4 September 2020.

To apply please register and complete our Online Summary Application Form. Before completing the form, please read our Guidelines, Terms and Conditions and our Guide to Completing the Online Summary Application Form. It is also recommended that you read the MND Association Research Strategy and Research Governance Overview.

Duration

Grants will be offered for up to three years duration. Applications for less than two years should include a named researcher with the relevant expertise, familiar with the laboratory.

Eligibility

Applicants can be based outside the UK and Ireland, provided the project is unique in concept or design (i.e. no similar research is being performed in the UK) and involves a significant aspect of collaboration with a UK institute.

Assessment and Budget

Please see our guidelines for more information on assessment criteria and budget information.

Our Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowship programme, in partnership with the Medical Research Council (MRC), is attracting and developing outstanding young clinicians in MND research in order to create future scientific leaders in this field.

Central to the MND Association’s research strategy is the need to develop opportunities for the scientific training of young clinicians, to strengthen the links between the laboratory and the clinic.

The MRC/MND Association Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowships aim to support clinicians wishing to pursue research into the pathogenesis and treatment of motor neurone disease. Awards under this scheme are available at three levels:

Clinical Research Training Fellowships
The deadline date for round one is 9 January 2020
The deadline date for round two is 1 April 2020
The deadline date for round three is 2 September 2020

Clinical Scientist Fellowships
The deadline date for round one is 9 January 2020
The deadline date for round two is 1 April 2020
The deadline date for round three is 2 September 2020

Senior Clinical Fellowships
The deadline date for round one is 1 April 2020

How to apply

The Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowships are administered by the MRC. Application forms can be found in the ‘Guidance for applicants’ section on the MRC website.

For more information please read our Clinical Research Fellows document or see the MRC website. If you wish to discuss your proposed research area in advance of submission, please contact Dr Brian Dickie, our Director of Research Development.

The Association is proud to announce our newly launched non-clinical fellowships in MND. These fellowships will aim to foster and nurture post-doctoral researchers into the MND research leaders of tomorrow.

The fellowships will be awarded at two levels, depending on the experience of the applicant: Junior Non-Clinical fellowships or Senior Non-Clinical fellowships.

Deadline

This round is now closed.

Please read our Guidelines, Terms and Conditions and our Guide to Completing the Online Summary Application Form. It is also recommended that you read the MND Association Research Strategy and Research Governance Overview.

Duration

Grants will be offered for up to three or four years duration.

• Junior Non-Clinical – awards will be offered for 2 – 3 years
• Senior Non-Clinical – awards will be offered for 3 – 4 years

Eligibility

Fellowship awards may only be held at an institute in the UK and Ireland. At the time of application the prospective fellow may be based elsewhere

• Junior Non-Clinical – applicants must have 2 – 6 years post-doctoral experience at the time of commencement of the award. Exceptional final year PhD students may apply but should consult the Association prior to submitting a summary application.
• Senior Non-Clinical – applicants must have 4 – 10 years post-doctoral experience at the time of commencement of the award.

Assessment and Budget

Please see our guidelines for more information on assessment criteria and budget information.

The MND Association has a longstanding record in commissioning and funding healthcare research. Our goal is that healthcare research we fund will lead to better symptom management and quality of life for people with MND, their families and carers and help strengthen the case for public funding of high-quality MND care.

One current priority is the creation of a population-based MND register to obtain better information on the demographics and natural history of MND, and help to assess the impact of co-ordinated care provision through our Care Centre network.

Our 2020 Healthcare funding round will focus on PhD Studentships, to be run concurrently with our Biomedical PhD Studentship funding round. For more information, please see the 'PhD Studentships' tab above.

We also have an established record of supporting studies in collaboration with other agencies, such as Marie Curie and NIHR to fund research into improved care for those living with MND. We will be keen to discuss opportunities for jointly funded initiatives. 

Enquiries about Healthcare research can be directed to the Research Grants Team at research.grants@mndassociation.org.

Read about our Terms and Conditions for our ongoing Healthcare grants and our Healthcare Research Governance Overview.