FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Explore our funding opportunities and learn about previously funded calls and their impact. Be sure to check out our SULSA Activity Planner to plan for the year ahead.
01
SULSA Network Support
SULSA wish to support new and existing Life Sciences Networks with our SULSA Network Support by providing funds towards the running of a network event. The Network must fall within the SULSA Life Sciences remit which includes everything from human health to animals, plants, and microbes. Networks must be led by a Scottish University(ies) but can include members from across the UK and internationally.
The funds must be used towards the costs associated with running a network event.
Funds Available: Networks are invited to apply for up to £1,000 with a maximum of 3 networks being awarded per round
Open to: All levels but the lead applicant must work within the Life Sciences
Status: Call now open and will close 5th February 2024
Comments: This call will re-open in September 2023 and close in February 2024 with the event taking place by 31st July 2024. Round two will open in March 2024 and close in July 2024 with the event taking place by 31st January 2025.
02
Forging Futures Scheme
SULSA, in collaboration with Interface, SkillFluence and MyFuture Plan have created the Forging Futures scheme to support and develop a cohort of researchers by enabling them to explore the opportunities available to them in academia and industry and equipping them with the tools to work effectively between the two. After training, recipients of this scheme will become SULSA Ambassadors for Industry Engagement.
Be sure to register for our Information Session to learn more on 6th September 2023.
Date: This scheme is open for applications and will close 9th October 2023
Target Audience: Post Docs and PhD Researchers
03
SULSA Early Career Development
This funding aims to support researchers in their endeavours to develop their own independent academic research track. The funds can be used for a variety of activities such as travel, training in new techniques/skills, consumable costs, and facility access.
Projects should aim to build a new collaboration, upskill the applicant or generate pilot data/develop a pathway to commercialisation.
Funds Available: Applicants are invited to apply for up to £4,000 and we hope to award a minimum of 5 projects
Open to: Postdoctoral Researchers, Research Assistants, Technical Staff Member or Teaching Fellow actively pursuing an independent academic career trajectory and employed within a SULSA university or institute
Status: Call will re-open 22nd January 2024
Comments: This call is likely to run again in the future
04
SULSA Postdoctoral Prize
SULSA wish to award outstanding Postdoctoral Researchers whose work shows excellent potential to make an impact in the field of life sciences.
This prize allows exceptional Postdoctoral Researchers to raise their profile in Scotland and have a prestigious award on their CV. It includes a fully funded tour (worth £1,000) of three Scottish universities where the awardee will deliver a seminar and meet with staff to raise their profile around Scotland and develop their independent networks. In addition, the awardee will receive £1,000 of flexible funding to be used at their discretion for attending conferences, buying consumables, attending training courses or visiting collaborators etc.
There will be a winner for each of the following key life sciences areas: Human, Plant, Animal, Microbe
Funds Available: £2,000 will be awarded to a maximum of four ECRs
Open to: Postdoctoral Researchers in the Life Sciences holding a PhD
Status: Call currently closed and will re-open 19th February 2024
Comments: This call is likely to run again
05
SULSA Innovation Seed
This funding is run in collaboration with IBioIC and CENSIS and aims to support researchers in the development of their independent research and their affiliation with the industry sector. Proposed projects should aim to foster new projects and collaborations across the academic and industry sector and drive novel and exciting research and innovation.
Fund Available: Between £5,000 – £20,000 which must be match funded by an industrial partner or show a strong case for commercialisation of your research
Open to: Early lecturers/PIs
Status: Call closed May 2023
Comments: This call is not guaranteed to run again in the future. However, a similar call will likely be announced in April 2024.
06
SULSA - Rheinland-Pfalz Research Collaboration Funding
This funding aims to support the development of PhD and Postdoctoral Researchers with building their international networks, research outputs and technical skills and knowledge. This fund has been jointly created by Scottish Government, the State Government of Rheinland-Pfalz, and SULSA to support research collaborations between Scotland and the Rheinland-Pfalz (RLP) state of Germany.
Why not start making some connections now via our International Coffee Break @ SULSA
Funds Available: Maximum of €10,000
Open to: Lead applicant must be a PhD student or Postdoctoral Researcher at a SULSA University or Institute
Status: Call now closed and will re-open Monday 6th May 2024
07
Scotland-Germany Research Collaborations
Visit this page to learn more about the funding opportunities available for Scotland-Germany research collaborations from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German Research Foundation (DFG) and SULSA.
Open to: Postgraduate Students, Postdoctoral Researchers and Academic Staff
Status: Ongoing
08
Placements from The Data Lab
SULSA has teamed up with The Data Lab to bring more life sciences students and companies who are working toward a Data-related problem into their fully-funded placement program.
We are looking for Life Sciences PhD Students (who have data and/or AI experience) and Life Sciences Companies who have a potential data-related project that could benefit.
The programme provides PhD students with an invaluable opportunity to apply their academic skills in an industrial setting, whilst developing essential skills required in the workplace including communication, team working, identifying and solving business problems.
Open to: PhD Students with Data and/or AI Experience
Funds Status: Call is open for applications and running until 2024 (subject to available funding)
previously funded calls
01
Previously Funded Calls
SULSA have invested in our researchers via numerous funding calls. These include:
- SULSA – Rheinland-Pfalz Research Collaboration Funding
- Our Future Health Innovation Seed
- Saltire Emerging Researcher Scheme
- Microscopy Facility Funding
- Innovation Seed Funding
- ECR Development Funding
- Optical Imaging Funding
- Dementia Seed Funding
- Natural Products in the Bio-economy Funding
- Technology Seed Funding
- Antimicrobial Resistance Seed Funding
Click below to learn more about these awards and the projects funded.
02
Researcher Exchange Scheme
The Postdoctoral and Early Career Researcher Exchange Scheme (PECRE) is one of SULSA’s most popular funding awards. It supports postgraduate or early career researcher exchanges with academia and industry in Europe, North America, China and India.
Click below to check out some of the previously funded PECRE projects.
03
EU Partnership Building
The EU Partnership Building grant aims to boost life sciences participation in European projects. For example through establishing network connections, showcasing skills and capabilities, and participating in specific networking activities both for policy influencing and project preparation.
Click below to check out some of the previously funded PEER projects.
