New funding opportunities for asthma researchers
18 August 2006

Talented researchers with innovative and exciting ideas are being encouraged to apply for funding from Asthma UK to help further understanding of asthma and how it can most effectively be treated.

The charity is offering funding for individual projects to start in 2007, as well as one fellowship award, as part of its rolling programme of research. Asthma UK spends around £3 million a year on research, which includes grants, fellowships and professorial chairs.

Research priorities

In consultation with a range of health professionals and people with asthma, Asthma UK has developed a research strategy to identify priorities for basic and clinical asthma research.

This includes work on the causes and underlying mechanisms of asthma, as well as looking at how diagnosis, care and education can benefit people with asthma.

'We look forward to receiving applications addressing these priority areas,' said Jenny Versnel, Asthma UK's Executive Director, Policy & Research. 'However, we also welcome novel and innovative grants aimed at increasing our understanding of asthma and improving the quality of life for the 5.2 million people with asthma in the UK.'

Research project grants

Research grant proposals undergo a rigorous peer review process to ensure quality of science, cost effectiveness and relevance to asthma before being selected for funding. The deadline for project grants is 13 November 2006. Those projects selected for funding would be expected to start in October 2007.

Fellowship awards

Asthma UK fellowships are designed to support individuals at critical stages of their career so that they can concentrate on research into asthma. The applications are open to clinical and non-clinical researchers in areas covering basic science, social science and clinical management of asthma, in addition to health services research.

Research fellows are selected by a process of application and interview and would be able to start from April 2007. The deadline for fellowship applications is 13 November 2006.