Deadline: 9 November 2016
Innovate UK is currently inviting applications for its Innovation in Health and Life Sciences Round 1 to invest up to £15 million in projects addressing technical or commercial challenges in health and life sciences (H&LS). The aim is to increase competitiveness for UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The H&LS sector focuses on agriculture, food and healthcare. It is supported by bioscience technology, medical research and engineering and physical sciences expertise.
Priority Areas
The aim of this competition is to stimulate innovation in Health and Life Sciences (H&LS). Projects must cover at least one of the following Innovate UK priority areas:
- increase yield, quality and sustainability in agriculture and food production
- improve precision medicine, advanced therapies, preclinical technologies
- advance biosciences in healthcare and agriculture and food production
Proposals should indicate how projects will enable a step change in competitiveness and productivity for at least one UK SME involved in the project.
Themes
Increasing agricultural productivity:
- advanced and precision engineering
- fighting agro-chemical and antimicrobial resistance
- enhancing resilience to biotic and abiotic stress
- individualized livestock/aquaculture nutrition and healthcare
- novel genetics and breeding
Improved food quality and sustainability:
- authenticity and traceability
- enhanced nutritional value
- food safety
- modern methods of food manufacturing
- new and smarter ingredients
- protein development
- smarter packaging
Precision medicine:
- paediatrics and child health
- stratification in primary care and the community, including direct-to-consumer products
- companion diagnostics
- antimicrobial resistance
- precision medicine and advanced therapies
Advanced therapies:
- preclinical testing and advanced therapies
- preparation and execution of early clinical trials
- developing tools and technologies that help new therapies launch in the health sector
Preclinical technologies:
- developing and validating new in silico, in vitro and in vivo medicines testing before human trials
- techniques to improve success and safety in drug discovery
- approaches relevant to the agrichemical, chemical and personal care industries
Biosciences:
- synthetic biology
- computational systems biology
- characterisation and discovery tools
- bio-based and sustainable solutions
Funding Information
- Stream 1 is for projects under 12 months and under £100,000.
- Stream 2 is for projects over 12 months or over £100,000.
Eligibility Criteria
To lead a project, applicants must:
- be a UK-based business
- be a business of any size
- involve at least one SME
- carry out your project in the UK
- propose an innovation project that lasts between 6 months and 3 years
- If project costs are less than £100,000, an SME can work on the project alone or with partners.
- If project costs are £100,000 or more, the project must include at least 2 grant-claiming partners working together.
How to Apply
Applicants can apply via given website.
Eligible Country: United Kingdom
For more information, please visit Innovation in Health and Life Sciences Round 1.