Chronic Degenerative Disease Highlight Notice
The Population and Systems Medicine Board (PSMB) has responsibility for MRC’s funded portfolio in function and pathophysiology, and in the prevention or treatment of deterioration or illness, in all the major organ systems (except the brain and nervous system). Diseases associated with ageing often result in prolonged periods of morbidity. In seeking to develop its portfolio of research in chronic degenerative diseases with high population burden, where there remains an unmet need, PSMB wishes to encourage innovative, high quality, multidisciplinary investigator-initiated research that will have significant potential in impacting on health. (N.B this highlight does not include cancer, which is funded through MCMB)
PSMB wishes to support proposals that particularly address the following areas:
Priorities
- Understanding the aetiology and mechanisms of disease
- Understanding the biological basis for variation in the natural history of disease progression.
- Functional studies on genes associated with chronic degenerative disease.
- Understanding the basis for variation in the tempo of age-related changes in physiology and function relative to disease onset progression.
- Life course – Using existing cohort resources to uncover disease mechanism
- Development of approaches to disease prevention and improving quality of life
- Development of novel therapeutic approaches
- Development of evaluation methodologies to assess the impact of public health initiatives (in partnership with the MRC/NIHR Methodology Panel)
The above are issues PSMB has an interest in addressing across all organ systems, but PSMB is particularly keen to promote the following areas which are currently underrepresented in its portfolio:
- Osteoarthritis (OA)
- Osteoporosis
- Age-related loss of muscle mass and function (Sarcopenia).
- Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Fibrosis, chronic inflammation and tissue repair
Approach
The approaches to the research are also important and the Board wishes to particularly encourage longer-term collaborative research from new partnerships working at the interface of basic and clinical research, building bridges across systems and demonstrating clear and credible translation pathways.
The Board is interested to see development of good disease specific animal models and the collection and use of well phenotyped disease cohorts.
Proposals involving collaborations with industry will be particularly favoured. MRC will consider collaborative funding with other Research Councils, charities and industry.
Please find details of MRC funding schemes, including the electronic grant application form in the funding opportunities section of our website.
If you have any technical queries concerning your Je-S application form, please contact the Je-S helpdesk.
Applicants are requested to reference this highlight notice in the abstract and case for support sections of their proposals.
If you would like to discuss your proposals informally please contact:
Contact: Dr David Crosby (Programme Manager)
Email: david.crosby@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk