Funding research

In previous years, Asthma UK has spent approximately £3 million each year on research. To date, the charity has spent nearly £50 million on research to understand more about asthma, its causes and treatments.

Whilst total amounts available for research funding from the charity can vary between years, our annual research spend continues to be a combination of capacity building and project-based grant support for asthma research. 

This includes:

  • long-term support for two professorial chairs and related staff
  • medium-term support for exceptional individuals through the Research Fellowship scheme
  • project support through an annual competition to fund the best research ideas from the asthma research community.

How are fellowships and research grants selected?

Each year Asthma UK invites proposals for research projects through its website and through the research professional press. All applications for funding are assessed for scientific quality and relevance to asthma by our Research Committee, which is comprised of an independent panel of scientists, clinicians and lay representatives.

Research proposals are also subjected to further scrutiny by international experts through our external review process, who have experience closely related to the subject area. Asthma UK's Council of Trustees then decides how many of the recommended research proposals can be funded, based on the projected income of the charity.

Developing an asthma research strategy

Asthma UK has developed a comprehensive research strategy by bringing together the expert knowledge and opinions of people with asthma, researchers, clinicians, the major UK funding agencies, the pharmaceutical industry and the Department of Health.

The results of these national consultations provide a framework for the development of Asthma UK's research programme. The research strategy is designed to provide inspiration and guidance to anyone applying for research funding, as well as to ensure that the research we fund is relevant to people with asthma.

Our researchers work across a variety of disciplines within hospitals, universities, GP surgeries and clinics throughout the UK. Asthma UK is therefore able to fund researchers who work directly with people with asthma as well as those who are undertaking basic science research in the laboratory.

There are two main strands to Asthma UK's research programme:

  • Basic research, which includes investigations into the causes of asthma and disease mechanisms
  • Clinical research into treatments and management of asthma. This includes the psychosocial aspects of asthma and non-drug approaches to managing asthma.

Make a donation to support asthma research

Although Asthma UK is one of the largest funders of asthma research in the UK, each year the charity has to turn away good quality research proposals due to lack of funds.

With your help we can continue to shape the future of asthma research and improve the wellbeing of people with asthma.

You can donate money to support all of Asthma UK's charitable activities, including its research programme, in a number of ways, including setting up a direct debit, becoming a member and giving a gift in your will.