MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship (CSF), Jan 2018

The CSF develops talented medically and other clinically qualified professionals who have gained a higher research degree to lead their own research plans and establish their own research team to make the transition to independent investigator. Applications are invited for the standard CSFs, the Tenure Track CSFs, or the jointly funded CSFs, all of which are considered in open competition once a year. 

A CSF provides funding for a challenging research programme, and an ambitious programme of research training which offers accelerated personal and career development. The CSF provides four years' support.  Patient-orientated proposals where the project will require significant amounts of patient contact may request up to five years’ support. The Tenure Track CSF also provides up to five years’ support.

Applicants wishing to retain an existing position and combine this with research funding, should consider funding options under one of the grant schemes. You may wish to pay particular attention to the New Investigator Research Grant scheme, which aims to support individuals wanting to transition to independence.

Applications are welcome across all areas of the MRC remit. Applications may range from basic studies with relevance to mechanisms of disease to translational and developmental clinical research; however, it is expected that applicants’ clinical work helps to inform and strengthen their research work.

The CSF aims to support individuals transitioning to independence and is open to hospital doctors, dentists, general practitioners, nurses, midwives and members of the allied health professions. Veterinarians may apply where they have equivalent qualifications and providing their project is of relevance to human health.

The CSF provides full personal salary costs, together with support for research staff, consumables expenses, travel costs and capital equipment appropriate for the research project.

There are no eligibility rules based on years of post-doctoral experience, but all applicants must have obtained a PhD (or equivalent), or expect to have done so, by the time they take up the award.

Successful applicants who require a visa to work in the UK will be eligible to be considered under the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa route. In line with the highly prestigious nature of the award, this visa route is designed for people who are internationally recognised as world leaders or potential world-leading talent in the fields of science and the arts and enables the holder to be both adaptable and flexible during their research in the UK.

For the full call text please visit the MRC grant call webpage.