Navigating your way into research may be daunting and difficult to initiate if you don't have much experience. Here are some resources and potential opportunities below. Thinking about building up your research profile during your career is recommended but obviously much easier said that done. Applying for an academic fellow trainee post is a great way to kick-start a research career and allows you an option to translate this into robust funding pathways for higher degrees.
Contacting research leads in departments and asking to get involved is definitely welcomed. Below is a list of active researchers. Asking them to get involved in various projects keeps you in mind for further research/funding opportunities.
The Associate Principal Investigator scheme is a six month in-work training opportunity, providing practical experience for healthcare professionals starting their research career.
People who would not normally have the opportunity to take part in clinical research in their day-to-day role have the chance to experience what it means to work on and deliver an NIHR portfolio trial under the mentorship of an enthusiastic Local PI. Certification is provided which is endorse by the NIHR and Royal Colleges.
Active Researcher List:
There are also several research fellowships available. It is recommended to make contact with the relevant supervisors beforehand to establish your interest. Below are a some options:
Clinical Fellow + Research Posts
Graham Roper Clinical Fellowship (Guys Hospital)
65% research and 35% clinical; Post would ideally support a higher degree with KCL; Three fellows: i. Frailty and Renal ii. Transplantation iii. Nephrology
Imperial Clinical Research Fellowship (Hammersmith Hospital)
65% research and 35% clinical; To support a higher degree. Historically advertised around September and March
Other Hospitals
Historically St. Georges and St. Helier both have research fellows. Contacting leads in the department might be useful to find out their dates and possibilities in any given year.
Funded PHDs
i. Chain Florey Fellowships
Chain-Florey Clinical Research Fellowships are for medical graduates pursuing a career as an academic clinician. Emphasis is placed on the development of well-rounded researchers equally strong in both clinical research and basic science. Fellows are expected to carry out their research in one of the LMS’s world-leading research groups. Fellows have three years to complete their PhD and on completion, they return to their postgraduate clinical training. More information here
ii. Crick PhD
Students accepted onto the Crick PhD programme register with a partner universities (KCL, Imperial). This is usually a 4 year course with some funding for salary. It is often more science based topic with some extending into a more clinical merit.
More information here
Deadline : March annually
For those with a supervisor and potential project here are some funding opportunities:
Royal Society - https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/
BHF - https://www.bhf.org.uk/for-professionals/information-for-researchers/what-we-fund/phd-studentships
CRUK - https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/funding-for-researchers/our-funding-schemes
Lister Institute Research Prizes - https://lister-institute.org.uk/how-to-apply/
BRC 1 year fellowship - NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre, NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre (NOT AT KINGS)
MRes 1-2 years - https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/courses/clinical-research-mres
Industry partnerships