Selected funding opportunities

Generative AI for anxiety, depression and psychosis
This programme will fund fundamental research on using generative AI to improve the measurement or treatment of anxiety, depression and psychosis. Successful teams will research how to optimise generative models for mental health or how generative AI, mental health professionals and people affected by mental health issues can work together safely and efficiently.

Accelerator application deadline: 28 May 2025

Mental Health Award: Leveraging longitudinal data to transform early intervention in mental health
Wellcome are funding experts to unlock the potential of longitudinal datasets and develop innovative ways of identifying anxiety, depression and/or psychosis early. Successful teams will integrate cutting-edge analytics of longitudinal data with experimental research so that, in time, people may benefit from better-targeted early interventions.

Deadline: 22 July 2025

Population Health Career Scientist Award
The NIHR is accepting applicants to the Population Health Career Scientist Award (PHCSA). This UK-wide initiative enables senior researchers to take the next step to Reader or Professor level in their host institutions.

Deadline: 10 July 2025

Public Health Research Programme - future topics
The NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) Programme is considering the following topics for future commissioned research: Serious violence, Advice services, Children and young people's mental health, loneliness in the community, Coastal communities, Transport poverty, Green space and natural environments, Mid-life interventions to support healthy ageing

Opens: Spring 2025

Open: 5 March 2025 

Deadline: 28 May (1pm) 2025

Interdisciplinary research to tackle epidemic threats
Apply for funding to undertake ambitious interdisciplinary research to tackle epidemic diseases of animals, humans or plants for a duration of up to five years. This funding opportunity is phase two of a flagship investment to better prepare for future epidemics as part of the UKRI Tackling Infections strategic theme.

LifeArc Philanthropic Fund

The LifeArc Philanthropic Fund is a multi-million pound grant fund to support translational medical research projects to develop treatments and diagnostics for rare diseases. Projects should be underpinned with a strong, scientific rationale in addressing a rare disease medical need and must be target driven, with a credible delivery plan and led by an academic.

If you have a project focused on research into therapeutics, diagnostics or devices that could support people living with a rare disease, please get in touch by completing this form.
Further details can be found here. 

Ongoing

EPSRC

Standard research grants (EPSRC)
Standard research is for unsolicited research proposals submitted by anyone eligible to apply to EPSRC for funding. They can be submitted at any time and in any field of research relevant to EPSRC’s remit. 

We encourage research collaborations with business and the public sector, particularly where they can help research advances and the take up of results.

Ongoing

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

NERC urgency funding

Apply for funding to respond quickly to transient and unexpected scientific opportunities. You can only apply for urgency funding if there is an unexpected event you need urgent data on. These may be events affecting the environment created by the occurrence of sporadic natural events such as: earthquakes, droughts, floods, ephemeral events in ecosystems. The aim of this grant is to help you collect valuable data at the start of the event before other events and actions affect the data collection.

Ongoing

• establish new, high-value collaborative activities or capabilities
• add value to high-quality scientific programmes that are already supported by grants from MRC and other funders

MRC Career Development Award
Apply for support to become an independent researcher in a medical research field. Your research can focus on any area of Medical Research Council (MRC)’s remit to improve human health. You must:

• have a PhD or equivalent
• show evidence of career progression
• show clear plans for developing as a leader in your area of research