New opportunities for MRC fellows to partner with industry
18 January 2012
Today the MRC announces three new mechanisms to help MRC fellows develop successful partnerships with industry.
The MRC will now offer:
- all fellows face-to-face advice from an expert panel
- existing fellows the chance to ‘top up’ their fellowship with an industry collaboration; and
- all new fellows the chance to incorporate industry collaboration when they apply for a fellowship
The new mechanisms aim to offer talented researchers flexible support to further their careers by encouraging them to build mutually beneficial relationships with industry.
The MRC also believes that by sharing and developing their ideas with industry partners, MRC fellows will be better able to translate their research into benefits for patients.
This move also builds on several other recent MRC initiatives in industry engagement, such as the MRC/AstraZeneca: Mechanisms of Disease call and the Stratified Medicine call, and comes in response to feedback from fellows and industry partners.
The face-to-face advice stage offers an opportunity to ask an expert panel, in person, for advice on industry-related collaboration. The meetings will occur every two months and are open to both existing MRC fellows seeking advice on industry collaboration for a Partnership Award application and for those interested in applying for a new MRC fellowship involving industry.
Partnership Awards offer flexible opportunities for existing MRC fellows to pursue collaborative work with industry, by taking paid ‘time out’ during their fellowship to work with industry, extending their fellowship, or by developing a collaborative research project with additional support. The Partnership Award process is designed to be as quick and smooth as possible for the applicant, with a short application form and funding decisions made every two months.
New fellowship applicants are also able to incorporate industry collaboration into their proposals, as all of the MRC’s fellowship panels are now open to applications with industry partners. Taking advantage of the MRC’s existing MICA (MRC Industry Collaboration Agreement) mechanism, fellowship applicants will be asked to use the MICA form to outline details of the collaboration and submit it together with their application.
MRC fellowship awards are targeted to outstanding individuals undertaking challenging projects in excellent research and training environments. Fellowships are personal awards made by MRC panels, to talented researchers at key points in their careers. MRC fellows have their own funding to undertake a challenging research project and an ambitious programme of research training and personal development.
Dr Richard Peck, global head of clinical pharmacology at Roche Products Ltd and a member the MRC Training and Careers Group, said:
“The MRC recognises that flexible routes to linking with industry at different stages of a researcher’s career are crucial to establishing long-lasting, successful research partnerships.
“These new support mechanisms aim to encourage early career researchers who are keen to start building links with industry but don’t know how, and those who wish to capitalise on industry collaboration opportunities during their existing MRC fellowships.
“Scientists from many fields of research, basic and clinical, will be able to engage with industry now that all of the MRC’s fellowship panels accept proposals with industry collaborations.”
Dr Matt Jones, an MRC fellow at the University of Bristol who collaborates extensively with industry, said:
“Collaborations provide an invaluable knowledge and skills exchange for both parties and encouraging academics to collaborate with industry early in their careers is vital.
“By offering fellows access to funds for collaborations either from the outset of a new fellowship, or during the later part of an existing fellowship, the MRC is providing researchers with the flexibility to embark on industry partnerships at the best time for them. The advice stage will give much-needed guidance and help fellows with great ideas but not necessarily the confidence or experience to initiate a collaboration independently.”
For further information on any of the opportunities described above, please visit the Training and career development opportunities with industry web page on the MRC website, or email fellows@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk.
