Deadline: September 8, 2023
Applications are open for the MQ Mental Health Transdisciplinary Research Grants 2023. This funding opportunity from MQ Mental Health Research and Wellcome aims to support researchers outside psychiatry, psychology, and neuroscience to apply bold and novel ideas and methods from their discipline to mental health science.
They seek to bring ambitious ideas and new thinking from different academic disciplines and backgrounds to make contributions to mental health science and drive breakthroughs in prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety, or psychosis.
The chosen awardees (individuals or small teams) will have 6 months to review the relevant literature and produce a viewpoint paper of publishable standard (for example, as a review, personal view, position paper, or comment) of up to 3,500 words, as well as a single-page summary.
Funding
- This pilot scheme will provide funding of up to £50,000 (GBP) for a period of 6 months. Funds must be used for direct research costs such as materials, supplies, personnel, and travel to the extent that such expenses are directly related to the proposed project.
Eligibility
- They will fund innovative and bold ideas to advance the field of mental health science and further an understanding of what causes mental health conditions or supports their resolution, and how we can personalise and improve pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to prevent and treat depression, anxiety, and psychosis.
- Proposed projects should include novel applications of methods and concepts from domains outside of mental health science to accelerate progress in early intervention for depression, anxiety, or psychosis.
- They encourage applicants to consider how they will incorporate patient and public perspectives in their proposed projects. MQ will support awardees in embedding patient and public involvement in their research through genuine and meaningful partnership with patients and the public in design, delivery and dissemination of research.
- Early-career, mid-career, and established researchers can apply.
- Individuals or teams from any academic discipline or background outside mental health science including but not limited to:
- Arts and humanities
- Economics, social and political sciences
- Basic sciences, e.g. physics, mathematics
- Engineering and physical sciences
- Environmental sciences
- Biotechnology and biological science
- Host institutions can be anywhere in the world except for institutions that are based in mainland China and countries which are under UK financial sanctions.
Requirements
- Projects should have one lead applicant responsible for creating and submitting the application. The lead applicant will be accountable for completion of grant activities and financial management of the grant.
- Applicants should only act as lead applicant or co-applicants on one application.
- Lead applicants should identify a host institution which will act as the lead applicant’s employer for the duration of the award. Host organisations hosting the MQ grant must be able to provide the applicant with a contract of employment for the duration of the award.
- Team applicants should clarify the distinct roles and responsibilities of each co-applicant involved.
Assessment Criteria
The Funding Committee and external reviewers will assess the applications based on:
- Potential of the proposal to accelerate advances in the field of mental health science
- Novelty and boldness of the proposed ideas
- Experience and/or qualifications of the lead applicant and co-applicants
- The extent to which the project supports novel applications of methods and concepts into mental health science brought in from other fields
- Potential for further development of the project in relation to scale, applicability, and ambition (e.g broader applicability to mental health research and types of literature surveyed)
- Feasibility: Ability to successfully carry out the proposed project with resources and facilities available to applicant/s
- The proposed use of funds: costs requested should be for the direct costs of the research and be reasonably justified in line with work plan
Application
- Expression of Interest: All applicants should submit an expression of interest via the grants management system Flexi-Grant by 8 September 2023 13:00 (UK time). You will be asked to provide:
- Details about the applicant/s (employment, education/training, career stage)
- Breakdown of funds requested
- Project summary of up to 800 words outlining aims and objectives, background and rationale, work plan, and potential outcomes
- Lay summary of proposed project
- Full Application: Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit an online full application by 23 October 2023 13:00 (UK time). Full applications will be reviewed by the Funding Committee. The Committee will include lived experience and academic experts including mental health experts as well as experts from other disciplines.
For more information, visit MQ Research Grants.
