Senior Cancer Research Fellowship
The Senior Cancer Research Fellowship provides an opportunity for outstanding scientists to establish or to further develop an independent research group. The Fellowship is open to both non-clinical researchers and clinician scientists.
What is covered
The Fellowship provides:
- the opportunity to establish an independent research group or to develop an existing research group
- six years' support
- salaries for the Fellow, up to two postdoctoral researchers, a technician and a PhD student
- consumables costs
- equipment
Applicants will have a strong publication record. Applications are considered on the basis of the applicant's academic achievements and potential, the scientific merit of the research proposal, and the research environment provided by the sponsoring department.
Applications are invited from those with interests in any area of basic, biomedical science (including biology, chemistry, physics and maths) and population research, providing the applicant is able to explain the relevance of their proposal to cancer research. All applicants must ensure that their proposed work fits within the remit of our Research Strategy.
To find out more about recent holders of Senior Cancer Research Fellowships, please see the case studies listed in left-hand navigation.
Eligibility
Applicants who have already established an independent research group through alternative routes such as the Cancer Research UK Career Development Fellowship scheme, junior fellowship schemes supported by other funding agencies or tenure-track positions are welcome to apply. We welcome applications from candidates based in a Cancer Research UK Centre.
Non-clinical applicants:
- should, at the time of application, normally have completed at least six but no more than twelve years research since completing their PhD, although consideration will be given to exceptional candidates with less experience
- should have a proven track record as an independent researcher and to have demonstrated the vision required to become a future leader in their field of interest
- should not have been running a group for longer than six years at the time of application
Clinician scientists:
- must have completed their specialist training
- should have a PhD or MD and have extensive postdoctoral research experience
- should have a proven track record as an independent researcher
Clinician scientists who wish to apply must contact Dr Joslyn Taylor (see contact details below) in the first instance to discuss their eligibility further.
Period of funding
The Senior Cancer Research Fellowship will be awarded for a period of six years.
Funding value
The Fellowship will provide a competitive salary for the Fellow, a technician, up to two postdoctoral workers, technical assistance (i.e. a technician, post-graduate research assistant or a scientific officer), a four-year PhD student, research expenses and an equipment grant to set up the laboratory.
How to apply
Applications for this scheme are considered once a year. Application forms for the 2013 funding Panel are now available online.
The application process has two stages. Preliminary applications will be reviewed by the New Investigator Awards Panel. The Panel will invite the best candidates to submit full applications, which will be peer reviewed. The best candidates at this stage will be invited to an interview.
All applications must be made online using the electronic Grants Management System. Please note that applications are only fully submitted to Cancer Research UK once approved by the host institution administrators.
Application guidelines are now available to download (PDF, 189KB).
Please note that applications are only fully submitted to Cancer Research UK once approved by the host institution administrators.
Deadlines
The deadline for preliminary applications is Monday 16 July 2012. These will be considered in September by the New Investigator Awards Panel. A short-list of candidates will be selected to submit full applications with a deadline of Thursday 15 November 2012. These full applications will be peer reviewed and considered at the March 2013 panel meeting. A final short-list of candidates will be selected at this meeting and invited for an interview on the 25th or 26th April 2013.
Additional notes
The Fellowship cannot be held in the Cancer Research UK core-funded Institutes in London (London Research Institute), Manchester (Paterson Institute for Cancer Research), Glasgow (Beatson Institute for Cancer Research), Cambridge (Cambridge Research Institute) or Oxford (Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology).
There are also a number of other locations that are not eligible, and all applicants should contact Cancer Research UK prior to application to ensure that their selected host institution is acceptable.
Commitment from Host Institution
Cancer Research UK expects that all institutions hosting one of these prestigious Fellowships will make some commitment to the longer term support of the Fellow. The depth of this commitment may vary from an undertaking to consider a Fellow for a senior lectureship or other non-time limited post, should one become available, to the firm guarantee of such a post at the end of the Fellowship.
Candidates should discuss this issue with their proposed host institution before a full application is made as Cancer Research UK will require details of the host institution's commitment.
Review
The Fellowship is subject to a review after three years, with continuation dependent upon satisfactory progress.
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