New funding to deliver targeted research

The Medical Research Council is launching a new funding stream to encourage the development of new therapies, interventions and diagnostic tools, and also of research tools used in their development by adopting problem-led approaches.

The investment, known as the Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme, will directly support research which has a clear goal of delivering fundamental research towards the clinic.

Dr Chris Watkins, leader of the Translation Theme at the MRC explained:

"This funding will be aimed at projects that target significant and unmet health needs by improving prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment of patients, or by developing the relevant research tools. The projects will be clearly managed with milestones. This continuous monitoring will ensure they stay on track and maximise the likelihood of delivering to their potential."

He went on "The proposals will need to demonstrate a clear understanding of what is needed to translate research into medical use, and be able to pinpoint the future utility of their outcomes. The projects don't have to be about translating a fundamental discovery… funding will also be available for research that is already closer to the clinic."

This is part of the coordinated approach to translational research agreed between the MRC and the National Institute for Health Research.

Researchers will be expected to define two to three milestones in their plans, depending on the complexity of the project. Negative results, or poor progress, will result in funding being terminated or redirected. The scheme will support a significant proportion of high-risk, high-payoff projects, especially in fields not being actively pursued in the private sector at present.

The scheme is not designed to support the discovery of new causes or risk factors of disease, biomarkers, drug targets, biomaterials, research tools, and so on. Instead it takes such discoveries as its starting point.

For more information on applying visit: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/ApplyingforaGrant/AvailableGrants/DPFS/index.htm

The Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme forms a key part of the MRC's Translational Research Strategy.

Sir David Cooksey's report, 'A review of UK health research funding', focused the minds of public funders on accelerating the translation of fundamental research into benefits for the person, in health and disease. A generous settlement for the MRC's 'translational research' in the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) - an extra £132 million over the next three years - has demonstrated the Government's clear support.

Working in collaboration with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (the body through which the Department of Health delivers the Government's new R&D strategy), the MRC has published plans to deliver on this investment.

The MRC's Translational Research Strategy is part of the coordinated strategies, built around the advice, priorities and needs of MRC, NIHR, and the NHS.

Together the strategies encompass translational, public health, e-health records and methodology research and human capital.