Increasing the number of researchers into respiratory medicine (so-called capacity building) is a key priority for the Medical Research Council (MRC), and researchers and funders are working hard to attract and retain high quality individuals in the field of asthma research.
By investing in young scientists and clinicians, Asthma UK aims to enhance and develop the current network of asthma researchers, enabling greater opportunities to learn and share expertise.
These training opportunities are intended to develop a broad range of research skills within the priority area of respiratory medicine.
Respiratory research in the UK has long been under-funded in relation to its impact on people's daily lives - and disproportionately so when compared with other research areas, such as cancer and heart disease.
This is despite the following:
- Respiratory disease is the most commonly reported long-term illness in children and babies.
- Respiratory disease is the second most common illness responsible for emergency admission to hospital and in 2004, cost the UK £6.6 billion.
- On average 1 person every 6 hours dies from asthma in the UK. As many as 90% of these deaths are preventable.
A recent government report by Sir David Cooksey highlighted that although respiratory research in the UK 'has achieved much with relatively modest financial support... our ability to exploit the enormous diagnostic and treatment potential of recent advances in biology has been compromised (by this relative underfunding).'
The benefits of capacity building
As well as being of huge importance to the respiratory research community, capacity building in asthma research is also vital to Asthma UK achieving its vision of ‘Control over asthma today, freedom from asthma tomorrow’. A cohort of new researchers will mean people working towards discovering novel mechanisms in asthma and allergy, developing new treatments and designing innovative methods of managing asthma.
Our studentships provide science graduates with a springboard into asthma research. Students will be able to study for a PhD under the direction of experienced researchers, within centres that are known for their strong research presence.
Talented individuals will also get the opportunity to work with a wide range of people in a variety of disciplines whereby enabling them to increase their confidence in taking steps towards making a valuable contribution to asthma research and becoming future leaders in the field themselves.
Leanne Male, Assistant Director, Research says:
'By funding these studentships, Asthma UK has recognised the important role that young scientists and clinicians can have in asthma research. It also means that our research funding programme now includes all of the different types of researchers that are vital to progressing asthma research in the future.
'Not only does Asthma UK fund a broad research profile covering both basic and clinical asthma research, but within this we support our two highly regarded Professorial Chairs with outstanding research career histories, and the work of numerous post-doctoral researchers and more senior group leaders. We also support a GP through our Senior Research Fellowship and we are now funding the career development of young scientists and clinicians.
'It is a very exciting time and shows the understanding that Asthma UK has of the unique role that each of these individuals possesses within the UK asthma research environment.'
Current studentships
Asthma UK studentships
Asthma UK has awarded funding for two PhD studentships at the MRC-Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma. One of the studentships has already started under the supervision of Professor Tak Lee, Asthma UK Professor of Allergy and Respiratory Medicine and Director, MRC-Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma. These studentships are designed as a one year’s Masters degree followed by a three year PhD. The MRC-Asthma UK Centre supports world-class research scientists and clinicians based at King’s College London and Imperial College London and their associated hospitals. The second studentship at the centre is scheduled to start this autumn.
For more information on the MRC-Asthma UK Centre’s research, click here
Asthma UK/MRC PhD Studentships
Asthma UK is also pleased to announce the joint funding of three PhD studentships with the Medical Research Council, two of which are scheduled to start in autumn 2007 and will be administered by the MRC/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation research and at the MRC-Asthma UK Centre in King’s College London.
A third studentship is scheduled to start in the autumn of 2008.
Applying for funding
Asthma UK supports studentships through funding provided to research institutions. Studentship grants are administered by the research institutions to which they are awarded and recruitment for PhD posts is undertaken directly by the research institution. Graduates interested in pursuing a career in asthma research should contact the institutions at which they wish to study, to see if there is funding available.
More information on our studentships will feature in the near future.
Researchers
In an exciting new initiative, Asthma UK is funding capacity building studentships, which are designed to support post graduate training in the field of asthma research. 
