Clinical Fellowships
Our Clinical Fellowships are in partnership with the Chief Scientist's Office and are designed to encourage academic research into MND.
About the scheme
Our Clinical Fellowships are offered in partnership with the Chief Scientist’s Office of Scotland. They are designed to encourage clinicians to undertake academic research in MND, provide training in clinical and/or laboratory techniques leading to a higher degree – usually a PhD.
In the UK, 1 in 300 people will die from MND and there is currently no cure or disease modifying treatment available. Average life expectancy following diagnosis is just 18 months. MND Scotland is committed to ‘making time count’ for people affected by MND and one of our core strategic goals is to fund innovative research in the search for new treatments.
The Chief Scientist Office of Scotland (CSO) and MND Scotland are offering one three-year Clinical Academic Fellowship to start in 2024, with the aim of building research capacity in the area of MND in the Scottish NHS. This scheme provides the opportunity for clinical professionals early in their career to undertake a PhD.
This scheme is not suitable for non-clinical researchers seeking to undertake a PhD – you should, instead, look at our PhD Studentship scheme, which is currently inviting applications.
Applicants to the 2024 Clinical Academic Fellowship should have a research question that addresses an aspect of MND that will either:
- Progress the search for an effective treatment e.g. understanding disease mechanism/target identification/biomarker development/diagnostic development/translation into treatment etc
- Address an unmet need for the community affected by MND (including carers)
- Improve standards of care for people with MND.
In the MND Scotland 2022-2024 research strategy we outline how we will strive to make time count for people affected by MND through innovative research. In this funding call for we, therefore, particularly welcome applications that align with this strategy, including those that enable collaborative use of MND datasets, biorepositories and biobanks, or address issues raised by people affected by MND in our ‘What Matters in MND’ survey.
Apply now
The deadline for this funding calls is noon 12 October 2023.
Please apply for this grant via the Chief Scientist Office website. You will be able to download the application form and CSO guidance there.
What do I need to know?
Our Clinical Fellowships are awarded approximately once every three years. Grants must not exceed £85,000 per year, up to a maximum of £250,000 over the full duration.
The scheme invites applications from early career clinical professionals wishing to become a clinical academic. This includes Medics, Dentists, Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health Professionals (NMAHPs) and Healthcare Scientists and others in a clinical role.
Specific requirements for each category can be found on the Chief Scientists Office website.
- The proposed host must be a Scottish Higher Education Institute.
- The candidate intends to register for and complete a PhD.
- Where already registered for a PhD (or MPhil with transfer to PhD), the applicant should not have been registered for more than 12 months at 100% WTE by the time the award starts.
If your specific situation is not covered or you wish to query your eligibility please contact – Julie.simpson@gov.scot.
This funding call is being managed by the Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government. The deadline for this funding calls is noon 12 October 2023.
If your research proposal requires input from people affected by MND, your application must be accompanied by a completed ‘Involving People in Research’ form, available here. This will allow us to assess what support and assistance MND Scotland can provide for you.
Should your research project be funded you will automatically be given the assistance you require.
To find out more about the Clinical Research Fellowship scheme please contact research@mndscotland.org.uk.
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Find out more about MND Scotland's research policies, other funding schemes, FAQs and latest research news here.
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