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Small molecule high throughput screen using AstraZeneca facilities

UK Research & Innovation

Opportunity status:

Open

Funders:

Medical Research Council (MRC)

Funding type:

Grant

Total fund:

£1,000,000

Maximum award:

£270,000

Publication date:

10 September 2025

Opening date:

10 September 2025 9:00am UK time

Closing date:

29 January 2026 4:00pm UK time

Apply for funding to run a high throughput screen (HTS) using AstraZeneca’s compound library and screening robots.

There are two funding opportunities per year, which remain open to all targets. The thematic focus of this round is mental health or dementia (including Parkinson’s and Huntington’s), and applications in either of these areas will be given a strategic uplift at ranking.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Strong alignment with UKRI priority themes

High correlation with funded applications:

Health & life sciences

Data, AI, trust & security

Climate, sustainability, net-zero

Digital transformation

Manufacturing & advanced materials

Aging & care systems

Social and economic resilience

Applications that explicitly show alignment outperform generic science.

2. Clear articulation of real-world impact

Strong predictors:

End-user benefit pathways

Societal or policy relevance

Economic productivity gains

Clinical or industrial translation

UKRI sees “impact blindness” as a failure mode.

3. Demonstrated feasibility

Includes:

preliminary data

pilot cohorts

prototype demonstrations

technology readiness pathway

Feasibility is often weighted higher than sheer innovation.

4. Interdisciplinary collaboration

UKRI favors:

multi-disciplinary partnerships

academic–industry consortia

integration of technical + social science

Single-discipline work = weaker.

5. External stakeholder engagement

Patterns show increased success when applicants involve:

NHS partners

Local authorities

Charities

SMEs

Policymakers

Patient/public involvement (PPI)

6. Strong project management

Funded proposals consistently provide:

Gantt charts

Milestone-deliverable tables

Contingency plans

Risk registers

UKRI is sensitive to deliverability.

7. Value for money

Panels scrutinize:

salary distribution

equipment justification

subcontracting

consumable efficiency

Budget clarity is a predictor.

8. Applicant track record and trajectory

For early-career applicants:

coherent publication theme

progression toward independence

previous small grants/awards

leadership indicators

Trajectory > citation counts.

9. Institutional support

Winning applications often include:

protected research time

access to core facilities

data management help

administrative support

Letters committing resources are influential.

🔬 Methodologies Scoring Well

Historically strong:

machine learning/AI

multi-omics integration

advanced imaging & diagnostics

computational modeling

data-driven policy evaluation

prototype engineering

🧠 Reviewer Behavior Patterns

UKRI reviewers look for:

hypothesis clarity

logical progression through aims

replicability

risk mitigation

ethics & data governance

Vagueness is punished.

💥 Common Causes of Failure

Observed repeatedly:

“too broad” work packages

excessive technical ambition

unclear end-user benefit

lack of policy/practice adoption pathway

weak data management plan

📍 UK-Specific Evaluative Dimensions

Unique predictors include:

Economic impact narrative

Public engagement strategy

Skills development for UK workforce

Alignment with national R&D investment priorities

🧵 For Future Leaders Fellowships

Specific predictors:

clearly documented independence trajectory

international visibility

institutional commitment (lab space, time)

strategic leadership potential

🏭 For Innovate UK (Industry-aligned)

Predictors include:

commercially viable pathway

IP positioning

Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)

freedom-to-operate awareness

tangible adoption milestones

🌍 Cross-Cutting Strengths

Across UKRI, successful proposals often:

promote interdisciplinary culture

contribute to skills pipelines

consider equality, diversity & inclusion (EDI)

commit to open research practices

plan FAIR data handling

Neglecting these is penalized.

📉 Red Flags

✘ insufficient preliminary evidence
✘ generic “impact” claims
✘ unrealistic recruitment timelines
✘ missing risk controls
✘ lack of stakeholder buy-in
✘ low novelty or duplication

🧭 Meta-Pattern of Funded Proposals

UKRI favors projects that are:

✅ Significant to society/economy
✅ Scientifically rigorous & feasible
✅ Innovative AND translatable
✅ Well-managed with defined milestones
✅ Supported by strong institutional infrastructure

If you are missing even one, margins shrink.

✅ Summary

You’re more competitive if your application:

Addresses UK strategic priorities

Demonstrates feasibility with preliminary data

Uses interdisciplinary methodology

Has end-user utility and adoption pathway

Shows clear milestones and risk mitigation

Includes EDI, open research, data governance plans

Articulates economic, societal, or policy impact

Specialties

Clinical Trials

Eligibility Requirements

To lead a project, you must be based at an eligible organisation. Check if your organisation is eligible.

For applicants who do not have a contract of employment for the duration of the proposed project, by submitting an application the research organisation is confirming, if it is successful:

contracts will be extended beyond the end date of the project
all necessary support for the project and the applicants will be provided, including mentorship and career development for early career researchers

Who is not eligible to apply

Research applications that are led by commercial entities are not eligible. Applications may not include collaborations with additional commercial parties.
You are also not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity as a project lead if you are based at an international research organisation. This does not include MRC Unit The Gambia or MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that are eligible to apply as project lead.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

career breaks
support for people with caring responsibilities
flexible working
alternative working patterns

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: UK Research & Innovation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1FL

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