FAQs
- Eligibility
- Remit
- Consortium development
- Funding
- Applying
- Assessment
- Ethics and governance
- Communications
Eligibility
Is there a limit to the number of applications I can submit?
Individuals may be the Principal Investigator on two applications, but may act as a Co-Investigator on any number of applications. However, please note that the assessment will consider the level of engagement of Principle Investigators and Co-Investigators with the research and their capacity to meet these requirements.
Can MRC/BBSRC units and institutes apply under this call?
Yes. However any award to a MRC/BBSRC unit/institute would be made on the basis of 100 per cent directly incurred costs only and would not include indirect or estates costs.
Can I submit research which has previously been submitted to an MRC Research Board or Panel and was not funded?
Applications previously declined by the MRC or another Research Council will not be considered by the MRC within 12 months (from the date of submission to the original Research Council, as either an outline or full application) unless substantially revised.
Remit
What constitutes systems immunology?
Systems biology describes the study of complex systems at various scales, with emphasis on how interactions between different components underlie the function of the system as a whole. A systems approach is typified by a combination of multiplex measurements and testing of computational models of complex processes to explain and predict biological phenomena. The approach must be iterative, combining cycles of theory, modeling, simulation, prediction and experiments. In systems immunology, these principles and approaches are applied to immune function in health and disease.
The Panel will consider applications which comply with the above definition of systems approach. The systems approach should be applied to a basic or clinical question or problem including changes over the human life course, infectious human disease and to disorders of the human immune system.
Must my application be disease focused?
No, we are also interested in projects which monitor normal immunological changes which take place throughout the life course with no particular disease focus.
If my application doesn’t fit the call remit, what options do I have?
If your application does not fit the remit of this call, but is within the broader sphere of MRC interest, then you may apply via other normal funding mechanisms. Please see funding opportunities on our website for more information or email to Dr Jacqui Oakley.
What will happen if more than one application is received in any particular disease or subject area?
The MRC will expect researchers to take a collaborative approach in developing these consortia. MRC may consider short listing two outlines in the same disease or subject area if there is marked difference in the aims. If there is significant overlap in two or more outlines, MRC may invite applicants to work together on a single full application.
Consortium development
Who should be involved in a consortium?
Consortia should be multidisciplinary incorporating the necessary expertise to address both the immunological question and the computational and mathematical experimental approaches to answer these.
What stage of development is expected of the consortia?
The outline stage can also be used as a stimulus for consortia development. Applicants should indicate the stage of development of the consortium. The panel will need to see detail of how the teams will work together and integrate, as specified in the guidance detailed in the case for support.
Can I include industry partners within my consortia?
Yes, collaborations with industry are also strongly encouraged, where this will add demonstrable value to the project. Where the project partner is industrial, applicants must then follow the guidance relating to MRC Industrial Collaborative Awards (MICAs) as outlined in section 4.2.5 of the applicant handbook and on the MICAs section of the website.
Funding
How much funding is available under this call?
The MRC has allocated £3 million to the call so far, BBSRC are contributing a further £1 million.
What is the expected duration of the grants under this call?
Duration should be based on the programme needs, but 4-5 years would be normal.
Are applications under this call value limited?
No. Awards under this call will not be limited. However applications are expected to be appropriately costed and all resources requested adequately justified. We anticipate most projects to have an upper value of £2m.
Will the application attract full economic costs (FEC)?
Yes, the application will need to be submitted on a FEC basis.
Will awards be pruned?
Yes, the MRC will retain the option to prune awards in line with developing the consortium and feedback received from the Systems Immunology panel. However, it is still important that applications are appropriately costed and represent clear value for money.
When will the outcome of outlines be announced?
The outcome and feedback on outlines will be sent to lead applicants at the end of March 2013.
When will the awards be announced?
Awards will be announced following approval of the Systems Immunology Panels recommendations in October 2013.
Applying
My organisation is not registered to use the Je-S system.
Please contact the J-eS helpdesk as soon as possible with details of your organisation and the grant scheme you wish to apply for.
What is the page limit for the case for support?
The page limit for outlines is 4 pages and for full applications the limit is 12 pages.
Can I create my own case for support document as I would for a normal research grant?
No, outline applications must use the headings specified in the call text on the MRC website.
Can I include annexes in my application?
No annexes will be accepted.
What happens if my application is received after the deadline?
Any proposals received after the deadline will not be eligible for this call and will be declined.
Assessment
How are proposals assessed?
At the Outline stage, applications will be reviewed by the System’s Immunology Scientific Panel comprising comprised of senior independent academics, and representatives of MRC Boards. There will be two possible outcomes of this review stage:
- Outline proposal successful – applicants will be invited to develop a full proposal to be submitted 30th June 2013
- Outline proposal unsuccessful – applicants will be given feedback.
At the Full proposal stage, applications will be sent out for international peer review and assessed by the Systems Immunology Panel. Applicants may be invited to panel interview at the full application stage. The expert panel will make the final funding decisions. Full proposals will be assessed on the standard criteria for an MRC research grant. MRC may supplement the panel with additional expertise.
Will the applicant be given the opportunity to respond to the panel?
Applicants will be able to respond to reviewers comments during the panel meeting. Applicants however, will not be allowed to respond to the Panel. The Panel’s decision is final.
Ethics and governance
Do I need full ethics permission and regulatory approvals for any human studies in the proposal? If so, when should I apply for this?
The MRC does not require ethics permissions and regulatory approvals to be in place when you submit an application. However, given that research requiring the use of human tissue/organs may raise various ethical and regulatory issues, applicants will be required to demonstrate that they have adequately considered these matters. Early discussions with regulatory bodies may be required to ensure that all requirements can be met in a timely manner once an application is successful. It is the responsibility of your host institution to ensure that the appropriate ethics approval(s) has been obtained and that no research requiring such approval is initiated before it has been granted. Please read the MRC terms and conditions.
Communications
How will you let me know if my application has been successful?
The Principal Investigator will be notified of the decision on outlines and also full applications by email communication.
Will you publish a list of the awards that are made?
Yes, MRC intend to publish a list of the short-listed outline applications to raise awareness to the broader industry and academic communities of potential collaborative opportunities.
Following the final funding decisions a list of awards will be made available on the MRC website (the list will be inclusive of name, title of grant, host institution and value awarded).