+ More Filters

Reset Filters

Title

Funding Organization

Funding Type

Eligible Country

Deadline

Other (Select all that apply)

Show Expired Programs

Show Verified Programs

Verified

Expired

Transformational Impact Awards

Prostate Cancer UK

Introduction

Call open - Application deadline 23 September 2025

Our Transformational Impact Awards support large-scale research investments covering high-quality discovery science, through to translational and clinical research. These awards will deliver research which cannot be achieved through our other funding schemes (namely our Research Innovation Awards), with the ambition to significantly expand our understanding of the disease, maximise the scale and speed of progress in prostate cancer research and crucially deliver a positive impact on the lives of men with prostate cancer. This may be by:

directly delivering evidence that leads to practice change and patient benefit;
significantly accelerating the progression towards that patient benefit;
delivering a transformational step change in our understanding of the disease

Budget

We anticipate that proposals will be around £1.5m in value and up to 5 years in duration. Proposals up to the value of £2m will still be accepted, however if you wish to apply for more than £1.5m you must discuss your study with us in advance of the submission deadline. Proposals under £750k are likely to be better suited to our Research Innovation Awards scheme.

Leadership and collaboration

Proposals must be led by a designated Lead Applicant who is an established researcher with a strong track record in their field, and who holds a tenured or tenure-track academic appointment, or for clinical applicants they should hold an honorary academic contract, at a recognised academic institution in the UK. Up to 4 additional ‘senior’ Joint Lead Applicants can also be named on the proposal, where each person will play an active role in the management and delivery of the proposed study. These individuals can be based in the UK or internationally. We are very much open to bringing new expertise and ideas into the prostate cancer field and academics not currently working on prostate cancer are welcome to apply to this scheme.

Career Development and Mentorship

We're keen to see these awards provide training and development opportunities for early career researchers. Proposals must include at least one experienced Early Career Researcher as a named Joint Lead Applicant on the grant, who will play an active role in the delivery of the programme/study and who will be responsible for a particular element(s) of it (NB/ this is in addition to the 4 ‘senior’ Joint Lead Applicants mentioned above). We define an experienced Early Career Researcher as someone who has (at 1 January 2026) between 5-10 years post-doctoral experience if a non-clinical researcher, or 0-5 years post-doctoral experience if a clinical researcher. Also, where it supports the delivery of the proposed research, we encourage the inclusion of PhD Studentships or Clinical Fellows working towards a PhD qualification.  

Application Guidance Documents

We strongly advise applicants to read all the accompanying Application and Finance Guidance Notes as these are specific to the funding round you are applying for. They are there to assist you with the completion of the application form. You can also download a template application form here

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. High-Impact, Large-Scale Projects Fuel Real-World Change

A notable example is Professor Ros Eeles and her multidisciplinary team at the Institute of Cancer Research, London. With nearly £1.5 million from PCUK’s Transformational Impact Awards, they're building an AI and genetics platform to predict aggressive prostate cancer early, enabling timely, life-saving interventions.

On the broader scale, PCUK co-leads the £42 million TRANSFORM trial, aiming to revolutionize prostate cancer screening with MRI and genetic testing—potentially reducing mortality by 40%. This trial reflects the capacity for researchers to lead national-level, policy-shaping studies.

2. Track Record of Innovation & Translational Promise

The Research Innovation Awards haven’t just funded speculation; they've backed concrete, translational breakthroughs—for example, projects like the University of Birmingham’s £275,000 diagnostic test development using colored nanoparticles to measure tumor aggressiveness.

Similarly, University of Sheffield teams secured £600,000 for pioneering work on preventing bone metastasis through exercise-based interventions—an inventive and clinically adaptable strategy.

3. Competitive Success Rates Reflect Selectivity & Rigor

The Research Innovation Awards are highly competitive—success rates have varied from 29% in 2022/23 down to 13% in 2024/25. This selectivity underscores the prestige and quality of funded projects.

4. Collaborative Teams & Cross-Disciplinary Expertise

PCUK welcomes proposals that cross traditional boundaries. Many recipients build interdisciplinary and even international teams, often translating breakthroughs from other cancer types or enabling novel diagnostic frameworks. Integration of engineering, AI, or physical sciences into prostate research predicts success.

Summary Table: Predictors of Success with Prostate Cancer UK Funding

Success Factor	What It Signals
Large, ambitious awards (e.g., Transformational Impact)	Capability to lead transformative, high-impact research
Pilot innovation leading to diagnostics or intervention	Readiness for translational research and clinical implementation
Sustained funding for well-defined problem-solving	Strategic clarity and feasibility
Interdisciplinary or multi-institutional proposals	Enhanced innovation and scalability
Competitive success in low-award-rate schemes	High peer-review credibility and excellence

Final Thoughts

Securing a PCUK grant—especially significant ones like the Transformational Impact Awards or Research Innovation Awards—is a substantial indicator of both academic and translational leadership potential in prostate cancer research. It demonstrates the ability to propose, develop, and lead research that directly improves diagnosis, screening practices, or patient outcomes.

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

This scheme is designed to support individual clinical studies, as well as programmes of research (preclinical, clinical or a combination) consisting of highly interconnected workstreams that offer added benefit when delivered collectively. Smaller-scale proposals for more focused, stand-alone research projects will be more suited to our Research Innovation Awards.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Prostate Cancer UK

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Fourth floor, The Counting House, 53 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QN

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity