MRC has announced the reopening of its applicant‑led funding opportunities from 7 April 2026 and experimental medicine funding opportunities from 30 April 2026, alongside a redesigned framework for decision-making.
A NEW APPROACH TO FUNDING PROCESSES
A refreshed structure and assessment process geared towards supporting cross-disciplinary biomedical and health research has been designed to:
- support ambitious, impactful research that spans medical disciplines without any artificial boundaries, whether technical or clinical
- enable quicker decisions for many applicants
- increase opportunities for researchers to participate in the panel assessment stage
Among other developments aimed at strengthening decision-making, shortlisted applicants will now be invited to an in-person panel interview, giving them the best possible opportunity to make their case.
TRANSLATIONAL AND COMMERCIALISATION FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The following schemes will reopen in July 2026:
Proof of Concept: stage one (formerly the Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme)
Opening date: 2 July 2026
Deadline: 18 November 2026
Opening date: 19 November 2026
Deadline: 17 March 2027
Impact Acceleration Awards (formerly the Gap Fund)
Opening date: 16 July 2026
Deadline: 1 November 2026
Opening date: 12 November 2026
Deadline: 10 March 2027
OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES OPENING IN 2026
Note that in line with the rest of UKRI, applicant-led funding opportunities will remain open with no deadline.
Pre-clinical translational models hub
Opening date: 17 March 2026
Deadline: 21 May 2026
Applicant-led research, new investigator and partnership grants
Opening date: 7 April 2026
No Deadline
NHS patient flow dementia challenge
Opening date: 24 April 2026
Deadline: 4 June 2026
Experimental medicine: stage one
Opening date: 30 April 2026
Deadline: 7 October 2026
Experimental medicine stage two
Opening date: 30 April 2026
Deadline: 2 September 2026
MRC CoRE round four full application
Opening date: 14 May 2026
Deadline: 10 September 2026
Capacity building: clinical research training fellowship
Opening date: 10 June 2026
Deadline: 2 September 2026
Professional doctorate: clinical research training fellowship
Opening date: 10 June 2026
Deadline: 2 September 2026
Early independence: clinician scientist fellowship
Opening date: 10 June 2026
Deadline: 2 September 2026
Early independence: career development fellowship
Opening date: 23 June 2026
Deadline: 15 September 2026
UKRI Translation: MRC Proof of Concept (formerly DPFS) stage one
Opening date: 2 July 2026
Deadline: 18 November 2026
UKRI Translation: MRC Proof of Concept (formerly DPFS) stage two
Opening date: 9 July 2026
Deadline: 4 November 2026
UKRI Translation: MRC Impact Acceleration Awards (formerly Gap Fund)
Opening date: 16 July 2026
Deadline: 11 November 2026
Equipment: purchase mid-range equipment for biomedical research
Opening date: 13 August 2026
Deadline: 5 November 2026
Small molecule high throughput screen using AstraZeneca facilities
Opening date: 10 September 2026
Deadline: 28 January 2027
MRC CoRE round five outline
Opening date: 7 October 2026
Deadline: 3 February 2027
Experimental medicine: stage one
Opening date: 8 October 2026
Deadline: 14 April 2027
Experimental medicine: stage two
Opening date: 8 October 2026
Deadline: 24 February 2027
Capacity building: clinical research training fellowship
Opening date: 21 October 2026
Deadline: 13 January 2027
Professional doctorate: clinical research training fellowship
Opening date: 21 October 2026
Deadline: 13 January 2027
Early independence: clinician scientist fellowship
Opening date: 21 October 2026
Deadline: 13 January 2027
UKRI Translation: MRC Impact Acceleration Awards (formerly Gap Fund)
Opening date: 12 November 2026
Deadline: 10 March 2027
UKRI Translation: MRC Proof of Concept (formerly DPFS) stage one
Opening date: 19 November 2026
Deadline: 17 March 2027
UKRI Translation: MRC Proof of Concept (formerly DPFS) stage two
Opening date: 5 November 2026 Deadline: 3 March 2027
View the full announcement: https://www.ukri.org/news/mrc-curiosity-driven-research-reopens-with-new-approach/