Deadline: 29-Sep-2025
Kidney Research UK has launched the jointly funded Kidney Research UK-Stoneygate Professor Michael Nicholson Awards for the third year. They invite UK-based proposals aimed at improving outcomes for kidney patients and advancing expertise in renal transplantation.
Applications are welcomed for several grant types. Research project grants support stand-alone projects to advance knowledge in kidney transplantation. Start-up grants fund new studies investigating innovative hypotheses with limited existing evidence. Senior non-clinical fellowships assist scientists building reputation and expertise in renal research. The transplant surgeon PhD fellowship supports medical graduates specializing in surgery to develop expertise in kidney transplantation research. PhD studentships are also available for research leading to a PhD focused on kidney transplantation.
Research project grants offer up to £250,000 over a maximum of three years. Start-up grants provide up to £40,000 for up to two years. Senior fellowships cover salary and consumables over a maximum of five years, with an annual consumables allowance of £24,000. The transplant surgeon PhD fellowship covers salary, tuition fees, and an annual £15,000 consumables allowance for up to three years. PhD studentships include a stipend based on the Medical Research Council scale, tuition fees, and a consumables allowance of up to £15,000 over three and a half years.
Kidney Research UK, as part of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), notes that grants allow recipient institutions to claim additional funding through the Charity Research Support Fund. However, Kidney Research UK does not cover the full economic cost of research, expecting institutions to contribute from other sources. It does not provide overheads for general infrastructure.
Certain costs are ineligible for funding, including general travel expenses, conference fees, subsistence, administrative support, office supplies, printing, IT equipment (unless critical and justified), licensing fees, apprenticeship levies, and contributions to general departmental overheads.
The Lead Applicant acts as the Principal Investigator responsible for the proposed research. Co-Investigators contribute significantly to the research content and direction. Collaborators provide expert guidance without direct input. Supervisors oversee students or fellows, and sponsors support Senior Fellowship applicants. Various institutional officials are involved in endorsement and administration.
Applicants must reside in the UK, and research work must take place within the UK. Collaborators and Co-Investigators can be based abroad if justified. Grants must be held at a UK university or NHS Trust; other organizations are not eligible. Lead Applicants cannot hold more than three active Kidney Research UK awards, excluding PhD Studentships and Start-up Awards, and may submit only one grant application per year.
Applications must follow the specified format, with word limits for each section. Essential unpublished results can be uploaded as a single-page appendix. Deadlines must be strictly observed, as late submissions will not be accepted. The research summary should outline the aims, methods, and expected outcomes of the proposed study.
For more information, visit Kidney Research UK.
