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How We Fund Research

The selection process

Applications submitted under all the funding schemes are subject to an initial administrative review to ensure that the proposal fits the remit of the scheme and the necessary information has been provided. Following this internal review, the applications will be processed as follows:

PhD Studentship: External peer reviewers with the appropriate expertise are contacted to provide their comments on the different elements of the proposal, thereby ensuring that an independent review is provided for each award (all peer review processes conform to the standards set by the Association of Medical Research Charities). The external peer reviewer comments, in addition to the original proposal, are then reviewed by three members of our Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) for their comments and initial scores. Any applications that require further review will be invited to the main PRUK SAP meeting for further presentation and discussion before the initial outcome is agreed. The PRUK team will then inform applicants if they have been successfully invited for interview. Following the interview process, which involves the applicant giving a presentation on their proposal with questions from the SAP interview panel, a final funding recommendation will be made and presented to the Board of Trustees.

Research Training Bursaries: The original proposal is reviewed by the SAP for their comments and initial scores. Any applications that require further review will be invited to the main PRUK SAP meeting for further presentation and discussion before the initial outcome is agreed. The PRUK team will then inform applicants if they have been successfully invited for interview. Following the interview process (for Level 2 Research Training Bursary applications only), which involves the applicant giving a presentation on their proposal with questions from the Panel, a final funding recommendation will be made and presented to the Board of Trustees.

BOPA-PRUK Research Award: External peer reviewers with the appropriate expertise are contacted to provide their comments on the different elements of the proposal, thereby ensuring that an independent review is provided for each award (all peer review processes conform to the standards set by the Association of Medical Research Charities). These comments, in addition to the original proposal, are then reviewed by the SAP and BOPA representatives for their comments and initial scores. Any applications that require further review will be invited to the main PRUK SAP meeting for further presentation and discussion before the final funding recommendation will be made and presented to the Board of Trustees.

CMHP-PRUK Research Award: External peer reviewers with the appropriate expertise are contacted to provide their comments on the different elements of the proposal, thereby ensuring that an independent review is provided for each award (all peer review processes conform to the standards set by the Association of Medical Research Charities). These comments, in addition to the original proposal, are then reviewed by the SAP and CMHP representatives for their comments and initial scores. Any applications that require further review will be invited to the main PRUK SAP meeting for further presentation and discussion before the final funding recommendation will be made and presented to the Board of Trustees.

All our projects are peer-reviewed, either internally, externally or both, to ensure that the scientific integrity of the work is upheld.

You can read more about our recently funded projects or on becoming a peer reviewer if you wish to get involved in the process.

Please note that all recommendations for funding from the SAP are subject to a ratification process from the Board of Trustees.