MRC Research Consortia to Underpin Proactive Vaccinology

Apply for funding to establish research consortia to underpin proactive vaccinology.

You must:

• be a researcher employed by a research organisation eligible to apply for MRC funding
• have at least a postgraduate degree
• have a record of securing funding and delivering research
• propose a project that fits the remit of the funding opportunity

The funding limit is £8 million per consortium. We will usually fund up to 80% of your project’s full economic cost (following full economic costing principles).

Funding will last up to 5 years.

Vaccines are one of our most powerful tools in the fight against infectious disease, as abundantly demonstrated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where vaccination has offered good protection against severe disease. Despite these successes, there remains a critical need for fundamental research to underpin future vaccine development. With SARS-CoV-2, there is clear evidence of waning protection against infection from first-generation vaccines, driving the emergence of new variants capable of further escaping existing immunity.

More broadly, key questions remain unanswered about the nature and drivers of pathogen evolution and immune responses to vaccination. Without this knowledge, we cannot overcome the barriers to development of next-generation vaccines with broader, more durable and, optimally, transmission-blocking efficacy.

With this in mind, the purpose of this funding opportunity is to support consortia to tackle these questions. The funding available will support the creation of at least 2 consortia, each funded for up to 5 years. They will each focus on 1 of 2 complementary themes listed below and are each expected to deliver a coordinated portfolio of innovative discovery research, aligned to an ambitious vision and a robust, clearly articulated governance structure.

Find out more and apply online.