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College of Biomedical and Life Sciences

Current opportunities

Following on from the College’s successful award of a third round of Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF), funding is available for a number of awards.

ISSF3 is founded on a Career Stages Framework, focusing activity in four areas:

  • Training - PhD level
  • Consolidation - postdoctoral stage
  • Independence - building a research group
  • Collaboration - working in partnership

Available awards

Award Career stage Max duration of award Maximum amount (£) of each awardDeadline for
applications
Clinical Primer Award Training Up to six months 30,000Closed
Consolidator Award Consolidation 12 months50,000Closed
Mobility and Skills Award Consolidation Variable length10,000Closed
Reconnect with Science Award Independence Variable length55,000Closed
Fellowship Award Independence Variable length75,000Closed
Seeds for Seed Award Independence Variable length20,000Closed
Population Award Collaboration Variable length50,000Closed
Cross-Disciplinary Award Collaboration Variable length50,000Closed
Translational Kickstart Award Collaboration Variable length50,000Closed
Interlinking Award Collaboration Variable length 145,000Closed 
Public Engagement Proof-of-Concept AwardPublic EngagementVariable length7,500Closed
Public Engagement Co-production AwardPublic EngagementVariable length15,000
Closed

Processes and applications

Funding for all ISSF activities is awarded via competitive application, using brief application forms outlining the planned activity, means of delivery, and likely scientific, engagement and sustainable funding outcomes.

Panels will be held by career stage allowing us to use funding within, but not between, career stages, while flexibly responding to our research community priorities.

We monitor and evaluate outcomes of the award, looking to build sustainable research groups and programmes.

Submission checklist

  • Application form
  • CAP form
  • Equality, Diversity & Inclusion form
  • Any additional letters of support documents (optional)

Panelists

We routinely recruit and rotate members of ISSF3 panels to balance expertise and provide the broadest involvement in ISSF3, and are actively looking for new members for our panels.

'For several years I applied to multiple funding bodies to serve on their funding panels. I participated in the ISSF3Wellcome Trust funding panels at Cardiff and gained valuable experience in the peer review process that mirrors the majorfunding bodies. Since then, I have served on the BBSRC panel for 3 funding rounds and continue to apply the valuable assessmentexperience gained from working with the Cardiff University ISSF3 program.'

Professor Eshwar Mahenthiralingam Head of School, School of Biosciences

If you work within the College and are interested in applying to become a member of an ISSF panel, please contact ISSFAdmin@cardiff.ac.uk and we will advise you of the process.

Early Career Researcher (ECR) Observers

ECRs are invited to observe our panel discussions to learn about the review, scoring and decision-making process. A typical review panel will involve a set of 4-6 ECR observers for a morning or afternoon session. This experience has been viewed very positively by attending ECRs, and while we still have a few individuals on a waiting list for this experience, please email us if you are interested in this opportunity.

'Being on the ISSF3 panel was probably one of the most useful training exercises I have completed at Cardiff. I am reallygrateful this experience was on offer especially when I am writing a lot of grants and uncertain on whether I am making common mistakes.'

Dr Jessica Steventon Research Associate
Brain Imaging Group

Please email your name, school, position and a brief overview of your science interests (highlighting if you are due to apply for an external award shortly) to the ISSFAdmin@cardiff.ac.uk email address. This will allow us to put you on the list, and prioritise attendance accordingly depending upon funding deadlines.

Further information

For more information about funding calls, application forms or panels please contact:

Hasnae Khamlichi

Research Support Officer