Wellcome Translational Partnership Award (TPA)
The Wellcome Trust has awarded the University of Glasgow a Translational Partnership Award (TPA) to further develop the support available to researchers across the medical, life and social sciences. The TPA further enhances the link between discovery science and innovation, and promote the translation of scientific research to health impact.
Details of funding opportunities can be found below. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their proposal with a member of the TRI before applying. Further information on how to apply and contact details below. Joint application form for all opportunities can be found below and in the quick links tab to the right.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Access to Clinical Resources / Biorepository Funding
Deadline: Call closed.
Funding: Up to £20k per project
The Translational Research Initiative aims to provide researchers with access to critical resources that would allow them to collect preliminary evidence and conduct the essential initial work or feasibility studies to establish the viability of their research project before seeking more substantive funding. Funds can be used to enable access to clinical resources and expertise, as well as Biospecimens and Biomarkers through the Biorepository, and can be tailored to address the individual needs of each eligible project. Both early-stage and more mature projects are eligible to apply, with the aim of this funding being to support proof-of-concept studies, pump-priming, and feasibility studies. Applications by Early Career Researchers working on early-stage projects aimed towards clinical translation are highly encouraged.
Applications will be reviewed and determined based on the developmental stage of the research and the project-specific requirements in each case. The objectives are expected to be completed by 31st July 2023. Please contact Dr Michaela Petaroudi (Michaela.Petaroudi@glasgow.ac.uk) for more information.
Access to Expertise / Industry Champions
Deadline: Call closed.
Funding: Up to 15k per project
Industry Champions are consultants that specialise in mentoring and supporting projects, identified to be on the cusp of spin-out or commercialisation. This fund is for short-term (3-6 months) “entrepreneur in residence”-type support on a project-by-project basis to provide PIs with direct support for their ambitions and drive forward effective engagement with industry and relevant funders.
This resource is for driving translational projects to the market, aiming to provide researchers with direct support for their ambitions and drive forwards effective engagement with industry and relevant funders.
This support scheme can provide researchers with:
- Industry Champion support
- Consultancy costs for assessing commercial aspects of project
- Assistance with business development planning
- Funds for market assessment
- Access to expertise on start-up formation and product commercialisation
- Support in identifying and securing further translational funding
The TRI have a panel of consultants that may be able to help your project, or between the TRI and IP Team, we can help identify a potential Industry Champion. Please contact louise.mason@glasgow.ac.uk for advice on this. Applications can also be made if you already have an external consultant in mind. Application process can be found below.
Bridging Local Capability Gap Funding
Deadline: Call closed.
Funding: Up to 20k per project
Lack of certain industry-standard capabilities blocks the translation of discovery research and its validation from the laboratory set-up to pre-clinical stages. Through Wellcome TPA, can provide funding to bridge these local capability gaps. The purpose of this funding is to support the development of partnerships to enable our researchers to readily access the services that is not available internally within the University of Glasgow, but from an external organisation. Our translational researchers working across multiple therapeutic areas can benefit from external collaboration with facilities that can perform tailored biochemical, cell-based assays for identifying new targets and phenotypes, high content image analysis, compound screens, medicinal and computational chemistry, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics to name a few. PIs in our organisation have previously built partnerships with external CROs to de-risk their projects and taking the lab discoveries to structured phases of drug development. Through the BLCG scheme, we aim to accelerate the translation of research from discovery science to the next stages of translational science. We support proof of concept studies, feasibility studies, collaborative projects with industry or that can bridge research disciplines.
Applicants will be asked to explain how the funding would help in bridging the local capability gaps and need to demonstrate the ways of de-risking the project through appropriate partnerships. Furthermore, the applicants need to briefly explain the next steps of translational steps if the project is successful. Application process below.
Application process:
To apply for funds, please contact mvls-innovation@glasgow.ac.uk. Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the TRI to discuss their project proposal prior to submission. Further information can be found on our TRI webpages or contact us.
Wellcome Funding Call Application Form 2022-23
Deadline: Call closed.
To apply for any of the above opportunities, please submit your application via email to mvls-innovation@glasgow.ac.uk. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their proposal before submitting their application.
Please pass on these opportunities to other colleagues who may be interested. A member of The TRI Management Team would be happy to discuss any of the opportunities above with you.
Wellcome TPA Objectives
1. Capacity to fulfil our potential
Translational Research Scientists (TRS) - a pilot 1-year training fellowship scheme for postdoctoral researchers aiming to take a step towards a commercial or translational setting. The TRSs will be provided with training in commercially relevant skills and techniques (e.g. lab-based, financial, pitching to business, etc.) to enable them to work alongside their lead investigators to support the translational process.
2. Navigating the frontiers of clinical translation
Through the TPA we will address the barriers to clinical translation, particularly relating to the development of new diagnostics, technologies and innovations by providing flexible, dedicated support to help researchers navigate the frontiers of clinical translation.
3. Project readiness
Development grants - A significant barrier to driving translation, is funding to bridge the gap between very early stage research and established schemes aimed at supporting commercialisation. We will use our TPA to provide grants to researchers who have prospects to pursue through early translation.
Early Concept Development
The aim of the Wellcome Early Concept Development (ECD) scheme is to support translational projects, including novel diagnostics, devices, therapeutics and repurposed therapeutics, at an early stage of development to generate sufficient evidence for a subsequent MRC CiC application, or similar. In particular, we would like to support projects with collaborative links to industry or which bridge research disciplines.
4. Confidence to engage effectively
Entrepreneurial bootcamps and workshops - We will provide intensive training for early career researchers (grant funded PDRA and fellows, with priority for Wellcome-funded individuals) to sharpen their commercial awareness and develop their strategic thinking. See for more information.
Industrial Champions - Support for more established researchers is being provided through TRI and is tailored to specific development needs identified through the audits. The TPA will add value and extend our training strategies by allowing us to focus specialist mentoring on projects identified to be on the cusp of spin-out or commercialisation. Securing short-term (3-6 months) “entrepreneur in residence”-type support on a project-by-project basis will provide PIs with direct support for their ambitions and drive forward effective engagement with industry and relevant funders.
5. Awareness of / access to local infrastructure and resources
An ‘Audit of Expertise and Capabilities’ - mapping the local environment to identify the funding, expertise and capabilities (e.g. technology, equipment, facilities, existing partnerships) that already exist and are available to our researchers. Those identified will form the basis for our Translational Map but, importantly, they will also engage with the TPA and our research community through a series of networking and partnering events to ensure our researchers can rapidly identify and engage relevant expertise for their projects. See our for more information.
Bridging local capability gaps - we will identify external organisations with required capabilities and support the development of partnerships to enable our researchers to readily access their services. This partnership development will include agreement of standard / template terms of engagement and provision of small grants to enable relationships to grow, so that ready access to such support can be secured.
For more information, contact Louise Mason.