Medical Research Foundation Emerging Leaders Prize 2018 (Up to £200,000)

Deadline: July 27, 2018

Applications for the Emerging Leaders Prize 2018: Adolescent Mental Health are now open. The Medical Research Foundation’s Emerging Leaders Prize is to recognise outstanding researchers in the early stages of independent research who have already had an impact in their field and have demonstrated their potential to be the research leaders of the future. What would you use a £100,000 flexible adolescent mental health research prize for?

This prize is intended to celebrate the achievements of outstanding researchers who have made an impact in their field and demonstrated their potential to be a research leader of the future. The statements within the application should be used to describe the contributions that the applicant has made to their field as well as their expected future contributions.

Prizes are awarded annually with a focus on a different field of scientific research each year. The Emerging Leaders prizes are intended to have a high impact on the winners.  The prize is not a project grant and winners will be able to use the prize money flexibly to support their research and their professional research career development.

2018 Scientific theme

The 2018 Emerging Leaders prize will be awarded to recognise the work of up to five emerging research leaders who have made significant contributions to research on adolescent mental health. Those researchers who have progressed understanding of the risk and resilience factors and underlying aetiology of mental disorders in adolescence, the development of effective interventions, prevention strategies, and promotion of mental health are particularly welcomed.

For the purpose of the 2018 Emerging Leaders prize, the Medical Research Foundation is interested in receiving applications from eligible researchers working directly on research relevant to adolescent mental health and may include, but is not restricted to, eating disorders, self-harm, anxiety and mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, schizophrenia, mental health and wellbeing.

Prize

Up to £200,000 is available to recognise the work of up to five emerging research leaders who have made significant contributions to research on adolescent mental health. These prizes are possible thanks to the generous support of the late Mrs Johanne Menage.

A top prize of £100,000 will be awarded and smaller prizes of various amounts for second place and runners-up.

Eligibility

• The prize is open to anyone doing research on adolescent mental health e.g. clinicians, lab based scientists, psychologists, allied health professionals etc.
• Applicants must be UK-based researchers at eligible institutions (UK HEIs, Research Council research institutes, hospitals, GP practices and other clinics and other independent research organisations).
• Applicants must hold a PhD, DPhil or MD and be able to demonstrate a track record of nationally competitive research, managing their own independent research group and have clear plans to develop into an internationally recognised leader in the field.
• Applicants must be conducting their research at an eligible institution.
• Applicants may be a citizen of any country, but must already have a confirmed position at a University or research institute within the UK with an employment contract that covers the duration of the prize award.

They are interested in receiving applications from eligible researchers working directly on research relevant to adolescent mental health and may include, but is not restricted to, eating disorders, self-harm, anxiety and mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, schizophrenia, mental health and wellbeing.

Those researchers who have progressed understanding of risk and resilience factors and underlying aetiology of mental disorders in adolescence, the development of effective interventions, prevention strategies, and promotion of mental health in adolescents are particularly welcomed.

Application

To apply, applicants must provide the following information:

1. A completed application form that includes a summary statement of no more than two pages of A4, describing their research accomplishment(s) and the significance and/or impact of their research on: i) understanding of the risk and resilience factors and underlying aetiology of mental disorders in adolescence: ii) the development of effective interventions, prevention strategies, promotion of mental health; or, other aspects of adolescent mental health.
2. Summary outlining their plan for the use of the prize money focusing on the impact the funding will have on progressing their professional research career development and research.
3. Two letters of support, one from a senior member of the employing institution (e.g. supervisor or Head of Department) and one from a person external to the employing institute, (e.g. an expert in the field or mentor)
4. A CV, including a list of most relevant publications (up to a maximum of 10).

A completed application form must be submitted to research@medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk by 12:00 Friday 27 July 2018. (email subject: Emerging Leaders Prize 2018)

You will receive an acknowledgement within two working days of submitting your application. If you do not hear from us, please email or phone 020 7250 8216 to confirm that we have received your application.

Download the application Form