Asthma + Lung UK's annual funding call is now open!
Applications for funding are now open and will close Monday 25 January 2027 at 12 noon.
Please complete an application form on Flexigrant. You'll need a Flexigrant account to do this.
Check out our Key Application Information page and FAQs page for more information about this funding call, how to apply for a grant, and how to use Flexigrant.
This year we're offering the following grants:
| Grant award | Amount | Duration | Additional Information |
| Programme Development Grants to address the Treatment Lung Research Grand Challenge | Up to £250,000 | 2 years | |
| Junior Fellowships to address the Lung Research Grand Challenges | Up to £100,000 | 2 years | With support from Medical Research UK |
| Pre-doctoral Early Career Fellowships for Healthcare Professionals | Up to £40,000 | 6 months | Jointly awarded with the British Thoracic Society |
Programme Development Grants
To address the Treatment Lung Research Grand Challenge
Asthma + Lung UK's Programme Development Grants provide up to £250,000 over a period of up to two years to help UK led respiratory research teams develop ambitious, high-quality proposals for major follow-on funding awards exceeding £1 million.
Through this investment, we aim to help researchers build the programmes, partnerships and evidence needed to deliver the next generation of breakthroughs in lung health. These grants can be used to, for example, build collaborations, generate preliminary evidence, undertake feasibility work, involve people with lived experience of lung conditions in shaping future research programmes.
This year, we’re offering funding for proposals that align with the Treatment Lung Research Grand Challenge: discovering cures for lung conditions and developing new treatments that significantly reduce symptoms.
Eligibility to apply:
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The principal applicant and host/grant-holding institution must be based in the UK. National and/or international collaboration is encouraged.
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The principal applicant must be medically qualified and/or, a post-doctoral scientist and/or an allied healthcare professional.
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The work carried out under the this grant should reduce risk, build capability, and create the conditions needed for a strong, sustainable medical research programme which aims to deliver long term patient benefit. This can include multiple collaborators across multiple institutions. The involvement of early career researchers and elements of career development are welcome where they will directly support the intended follow-on funding (e.g. where this supports meeting the remit of the intended follow-on grant).
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Applications must focus on tackling one or more of the goal(s) of the Treatment Lung Research Grand Challenge.
Apply for a Programme Development Grant on Flexigrant.
Respiratory Leadership Academy
Junior Fellowship awards and Pre-doctoral Early Career Fellowships for Healthcare Professionals awards are offered through Asthma + Lung UK’s Respiratory Leadership Academy, which is designed to support and nurture the next generation of research leaders. In addition to funding, awardees will benefit from tailored support throughout their grant period, helping to foster collaboration, strengthen leadership skills and maximise the impact of their research.
Junior Fellowships
To address the Lung Research Grand Challenges
Asthma + Lung UK's Junior Fellowships provide up to £100,000 over a period of up to two years.
These awards are designed to support early-career researchers as they transition towards research independence. The aim of this funding is to support researchers to generate preliminary data, strengthen their research profile and build competitive applications for larger funding awards. We welcome applications from researchers of all ages and encourage national and international collaborations.
This year, we’re asking applicants to align their research proposals with any of the Lung Research Grand Challenges, tackling any of their underpinning goals.
While this is an open call for any respiratory research topic, any proposals that are focused on asthma in children and young people will have the potential for their award to be co-funded by Medical Research UK. Grants awards will be administrated by Asthma + Lung UK.
Eligibility to apply
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Be based at a UK research institution.
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Hold a PhD or equivalent research qualification (for example, an MD(Res)).
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Be working in clinical, laboratory, and/or epidemiological research.
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Be applying as the Principle Applicant of the research project.
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Have at least one named supervisor or mentor who will be included as a co-applicant.
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Not have previously been a Principal Grant holder for a post doctoral grant award in excess of £100,000.
Apply for a Junior Fellowship on Flexigrant.
Pre-doctoral Early Career Fellowships for Healthcare Professionals
With the British Thoracic Society (BTS), we’re offering up to £40,000 over a period of six months.
These awards are for for healthcare professionals who are working towards a PhD (or equivalent qualification, e.g. MD(Res)) in respiratory related research but currently don’t have the time, resources, or support needed to develop an application. This award is open to any healthcare professional, including allied healthcare professionals. While we expect the duration of the grant to be six months, if you'd like to use the funding over a longer period, this can be considered.
It’s our hope that these funds help support the next generation of clinical researchers. Applicants must be committed to applying for follow-on funding upon completion of this grant that will support their journey towards a PhD or equivalent qualification. This follow on funding application should ideally be made within six months of completing this Asthma + Lung UK and BTS grant.
Awards must be used to support development of a follow-on funding application. Examples of activities that this grant could support include:
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Developing research ideas and project plans that will form the basis of a follow-on funding application.
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Conducting pilot or feasibility studies to collect initial data to inform the larger project design and/or hypotheses.
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Performing desk research required to evidence a follow-on application and/or justify unmet patient need.
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Identifying collaborators/mentors for follow-on funding application.
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Putting together a robust patient and public involvement approach, as may be required by the follow-on funder.
Which healthcare professionals can apply?
This award is open to any healthcare professional, including allied healthcare professionals, for example:
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Medical doctors (including generalist, specialist practitioners and public health doctors)
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Doctors in training
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Midwives
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Nurses
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Pharmacists
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Physiologists
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Dentists
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Dietitians
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Clinical scientists
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Occupational therapists
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Paramedics
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Physiotherapists
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Practitioner psychologists
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Radiographers
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Speech and language therapists
If you're profession is not featured and you're not sure you can apply, please contact research@asthmaandlung.org.uk.
Apply for a Pre-doctoral Early Career Fellowship for Healthcare Professionals grant on Flexigrant.