Transcript in vivo - University of Aberdeen

Aberdeen Confidence in
Concept Fund
Prof Phil Hannaford
Vice Principal – Research & Knowledge Exchange
Strategic Aims
•
•
•
•
Increase research income
Increase translational activity
Impact of research
MRC CinC aimed at increasing translation from areas
of key strengths in biomedical and clinical research
particularly:
• Infection inflammation and immunity (particularly
medical mycology)
• Dietary and Metabolic Health
Translational Commitment
• Major investment in key research areas
• Investment in supporting facilities (imaging, drug
development, trials design etc.)
• Excellent basic research – unfulfilled translational
potential
Translational successes
• MRC CinC to allow us to repeat past successes
such as
• BBSRC translational funding
• Wellcome translational funding
• Spinout successes
• NovaBiotics
• Sirakoss
• GT Biologics
MRC Confidence in Concept
• Application in 2014
• Prepare projects for translation
• Fully realise potential of world class science
• University committing matched funding
• Improve translational funding application
rates
What was awarded?
• £200k
• University to provide additional support and
resource
• Must support projects in the key strategic areas
• Up to £60k per project
Applications call open
• Applications welcomed in key areas:
• Infection, Inflammation and Immunity (especially
Medical Mycology)
• Dietary and Metabolic Health
In Scope
• Transformational activities for basic research
• Outputs to be:
• Applications for translational research funding
e.g. MRC Biomedical Catalyst (DPFS) , Wellcome
Trust, other major charities
• Further industrial funding / development/
partnerships
The application process
Dr James Duncan
Research & Innovation
1st Call
• Call open
• Call closes 1st May
• Funding decision end of May
• Project start expected 1st July
• http://www.abdn.ac.uk/staffnet/research/governance3212.php
• 2nd call August 2015 if not all funding allocated
Further information
• http://www.abdn.ac.uk/staffnet/research/information-forapplicants-3213.php
• Completed application form about 6 pages
• Answer all questions fully
• TTO endorsement required
Potential example projects
• small-scale pre-clinical or
clinical studies, especially
those involving dietary
intervention or repurposing of
existing licensed drugs;
• in vivo studies designed to
demonstrate efficacy or to
support a clinical study;
• generation of antibodies;
• synthesis of ligands for assay
development or inhibitors for
target validation
• optimisation of hit
compounds;
• synthesis of radioligands for
PET studies;
• generation and
development of assays and
animal models of disease;
• screening against targeted
libraries.
Out of scope
• Entire translational
projects
• Staff between posts/funding
(i.e. as “bridging” funds), or
PhD studentships
• Administration costs
• Continuation of normal
research grants
• Industrial partner costs
• Costs relating to protection
of intellectual property (note
that IP costs for awarded
projects will be supported
by match funding from the
University)
Good Luck