Centre grant in lifelong health and wellbeing
This call is now closed for applications and is only available for reference purposes.
As part of a joint research council initiative on ageing (currently involving the MRC, EPSRC, BBSRC and ESRC), the MRC invited proposals for centre grants.
- Background to the centre grant call
- Expectations of centres
- Eligibility
- Criteria and assessment
- Centres awarded
Background to the centre grant call
The centre grant call concentrated on strengthening multidisciplinary and collaborative research into ‘Lifelong Health and Wellbeing’ within the UK. The Research Councils highlighted the following three key areas where proposals were particularly welcome.
- The ageing brain;
- Frailty;
- Health related quality of life.
Proposals should add value to existing UK research through one or more of the following:
- Strengthening coordination and collaboration between key disciplines in ageing research;
- Developing multidisciplinary programmes to address important gaps in current UK research and/or impediments to progress of research in the ageing field;
- Training in a multidisciplinary environment or training to address identified gaps.
The applicants must show how their strategy and research activities will add value to ageing research in the UK. All proposals must show:
- Strong strategic and financial support from universities and where relevant, support from NHS Trusts;
- Visionary and effective scientific leadership;
- Significant existing research programmes.
This call was formally announced at a workshop held on the 13th March 2007 presentations were given by all participating research councils.
Expectations of centres
Centres are intended to be joint investments by the MRC (or jointly with other research councils) and the host institution, so a strong commitment from the Vice Chancellor (or equivalent) will be required. The centre will also need to be supported by the overall strategy of the university, and that of other (e.g. NHS) stakeholders. Assessing the effectiveness of the university cooperation will be a key part of the review process. The host institution(s) will be expected to identify their own targets and milestones for the centre and explain how these will be monitored. Formal Heads of Agreement, covering the additional terms and conditions of centre awards will be signed by the MRC and host institutions at the time of the award. For more information please read expectations of centres.
Eligibility
Applicants were expected to undertake highly multidisciplinary research. Centres may involve several universities, partnerships with industry, build on existing MRC units, other research council groups, other structures, or may be virtual. There must be a lead institution to allow clear and practical arrangements for governance, leadership and accountability. One proposal was expected per university.
Criteria and assessment
1. Process
Centre grant outline proposals were considered and short-listed by the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Centre Panel which has been specially formed to run the competition, particularly for the assessment of multidisciplinary proposals. Invited full proposals will be considered by the centre panel together with referee’s opinions. In light of these, the proposals may be short-listed. The final short-listed proposals were invited to attend a meeting at MRC Head Office on the 13th February 2008. The purpose of this meeting was to clarify specific issues regarding the applications. The centre panel will make funding recommendations and a final decision will be made in March 2008.
2. Referees
The overriding question for international referees will be “Would the proposed grouping of scientists constitute a renowned centre of excellence in research?” Referees will be asked to comment on:
- The standing of the centre director and the main scientists in the centre;
- How the centre would be different or complementary to similar centres nationally and internationally;
- The importance of the field for biomedical advance;
- Whether the objectives set by the centre are important and achievable; and
- How the centre could add value to existing work (e.g. in terms of multidisciplinary; delivery of a specific strategy; building critical mass and capacity; development of novel methods or facilities; improved ability to achieve translation into practice).
3. Visit to MRC Head Office for final short-listed applicants
The visit to MRC Head Office will vary for each short-listed applicant to allow clarification regarding specific areas or outstanding concerns. The centre panel are likely to focus on key aspects regarding the strategy, training, management, the university commitment or resources requested within the application (see below). For this reason, MRC expect that the Vice Chancellor (or equivalent), the nominated director and key academic partners (up to a maximum total of five attendees) should be available to attend. The applicants visit to MRC Head Office took place on the 13th February 2008.
Strategy:
Leadership – centres must be strongly led and the director will have influence in the field. The centre panel will discuss with the director their vision for the centre.
Strategy – The centre should be built around a focused theme and the centre panel may probe into how the centre will make meaningful differences to the advancement of the field, therapy or clinical practice.
Added value – The centre panel may assess the ‘scientific; added value. For example, will the centre be particularly effective at nurturing young scientists, stimulating research in priority areas, developing new collaborations?
Critical mass - The centre should have sufficient numbers of established, high-quality investigators to be able to attract further growth through competitive funding schemes.
Training and capacity building:
The centre panel will assess the quality of the training environment, supervisory capacity available and support (e.g. training) given to supervisors, and their track record of training. Student supervision and guidance will be assessed, including PhD completion rates and times to completion. The centre panel will also assess the opportunities for research training across-groups and whether the research training is in a priority discipline. The centre panel may take into account the track record of the centre personnel in converting training fellowships to more senior fellowships and established university posts.
Management:
The centre panel will wish to consider the management structure and whether this will deliver the directors strategy.
Resources requested and university commitment:
The centre panel may assess the extent of the commitment and support from the university and then recommend to the Board, the level of resources requested that are justified for the centre’s strategy, taking into account the strength of the university commitment and the overall value for money to the MRC and other research councils.
Centres awarded
Three new ‘lifelong health’ research centres were announced in 2008.
The centres will carry out research on healthy ageing, targeting the major determinants of health and wellbeing over the whole life course and reducing dependency in later life. The initiative will provide substantial long-term funding for the new centres. Each will have specific research themes, drawing on the interdisciplinary strengths of the research councils, such as quality of life, physical frailty and the ageing brain.
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology
Host: University of Edinburgh
Director: Professor Ian Deary - Centre for Brain Ageing and Vitality
Host: Newcastle University
Director: Professor Doug Turnbull - The Crucible Centre
Host: University College London
Director: Professor Nick Tyler
If you have a query about this call please email
Email: grants@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk