Please note, there is no expression of interest stage in this competition – we are asking for full applications only. Accepted full applications will be reviewed by our Research Review Panel and be considered for funding. Applicants should read these guidelines before preparing a full application form.
Junior Fellowships to address the Lung Research Grand Challenges
Competition scope:
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Funding is available to support post-doctoral researchers to continue research after their PhD or equivalent (e.g. Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree) and allow them to, for example, generate further preliminary data, continue data analysis and/or finalise/secure publications (e.g. from PhD data).
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The outputs from this grant should help the grant-holder to prepare a competitive application for a subsequent grant e.g. a Post-Doctoral Fellowship.
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The theme of this funding competition is the Lung Research Grand Challenges. Your research proposal must align with at least one of the Grand Challenges (Diagnosis, Prevention and/or Treatment) and at least one of the stated goals.
Eligibility and finance:
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The principal applicant and host institution must be based in the UK. International collaboration is permitted.
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Grants are available to PhD-holders (or holders of an equivalent qualification) working in clinical, laboratory and/or epidemiological research. This individual should be listed as the PRINCIPAL APPLICANT and should be the individual who starts the application.
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At least one named supervisor/mentor will be required for each principal applicant - relevant individual(s) should be listed as a CO-APPLICANT.
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Principal applicant should not have previously been the Principal Investigator/ Grantholder for a grant award in excess of £100,000 (to ensure that we support early career researchers towards their next step). Principal applicants who have been awarded an A+LUK Early Career Starter Grant or Junior Fellowship since 2024 will not be favoured.
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There is no age limit for the principal applicant.
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The principal applicant can include provision for their own salary, subject to the guidance below.
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If the principal applicant’s salary is not already guaranteed and paid for by the host institution for the full term of the project to be funded by the grant and for at least one year afterwards, a person with such tenure should be a co-applicant (e.g. the named supervisor/mentor or another colleague).
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Grants are available for a specified period of up to 18 months, to a maximum of £100,000. Applications in excess of this sum will not be considered.
Asthma + Lung UK and British Thoracic Society Pre-doctoral early career fellowships for respiratory health care professionals
Competition scope:
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Funding is available to build capability for clinical academic respiratory research in the UK, and enable relevant researchers to make a competitive application for a larger follow-on grant award from a National funding body (e.g. NIHR Predoctoral award or NIHR Doctoral award, MRC studentship) that will move the candidate towards a PhD, or equivalent, qualification.
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Funding must be used to support activities that will develop and prepare a robust application for a larger follow-on grant in a respiratory subject, with this funding helping the grant-holder to ensure that the follow-on funding bid will be competitive and meet all necessary requirements of the relevant funder. Funding can be used to cover basic salary for the relevant period covered by the grant, allowing the grant-holder to step away from their clinical role and dedicate time to prepare for a follow-on grant application.
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The specific activities undertaken during the period funded by this award can be determined by the applicant, so long as the activities are focused on building a competitive application for follow-on funding. Applicants will be asked to describe the activities that will be undertaken during the funded period, and justify how these will support a competitive follow-on funding application.
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Some examples of activities that might be undertaken under the grant award include:
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Developing research ideas and project plans that will form the basis of a follow-on funding application/s to a National funding body.
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Conducting pilot/feasibility studies to collect initial data to inform the larger project design and/or hypotheses for an application/s to a National funding body.
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Performing desk research required to evidence a follow-on application/s to a National funding body and/or justify unmet need.
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Identify collaborators/mentors for follow-on funding application/s to a National funding body.
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Putting together a robust patient and public involvement approach, as may be required to allow the submission of a research application/s to a National funding body.
Eligibility and finance:
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The principal applicant and host institution must be based in the UK (although international collaboration is permitted).
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The principal applicant must NOT hold a PhD or equivalent (e.g. Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree), but must have ambitions to study for such a qualification.
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People who have completed their PhD (or equivalent) are not eligible for funding.
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A named supervisor (or co-supervisors) will be required for each principal applicant - relevant individual(s) should be invited as a CO-APPLICANT on the application.
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There is no age limit for the principal applicant.
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Awardees must be committed to making an application for larger grant funding from a National funding body in a respiratory subject, ideally within 6 months of completing the work on this A+LUK/BTS grant, and that the follow-on grant must aim to move them towards a PhD qualification, or equivalent (e.g. of follow-on grants include NIHR Predoctoral award, NIHR Doctoral award, MRC studentship).
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Awards are available to healthcare professionals of any type including allied health professionals (and including but NOT limited to doctors in training).
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Grants are available for a total of £40,000 per award for a duration of 6 months (or pro-rated for longer periods of part-time use of funds).