Inflammatory Arthritis Research Consortium 2025

Deadline: 16:00 Wednesday 25th September 2024
Costs: Up to £3 million
Duration: Up to 60 months
Funding Decision: February/March 2025
Contact: awards@versusarthritis.org

Focus

Versus Arthritis seeks to support team science working ‘across and together’ to bring integrated thought and ambition toward unlocking a problem area at pace - creating a community of shared expertise and knowledge to deliver a cohesive series of research to achieve the aims. 

We are inviting Consortium-based research that contributes to people with inflammatory arthritis having access to more personalised and effective treatment at all stages of their condition in order to halt or reverse disease progression; this includes understanding the biological mechanisms of these diseases to spot the signs of arthritis and understand people's risk factors in these specific diseases.

What are we looking for?

Consortium funding should aim to unlock area(s) of problematic understanding and blockers to delivery of precision medicine approaches in inflammatory conditions. Consortium funding that encompasses understanding of the mechanisms of these diseases, the holistic influence of lifestyle factors such as diet as well as comorbidities, seeks to gain distinct:

  • Understanding of the causes of these conditions to manage people's risk factors and aid earlier detection and prediction of disease occurrence. 
  • Availability of further, novel, personalised and effective interventions that provide confidence in understanding treatment responses and disease progression.
  • Understanding around management of treatment tapering and disease flares.

Who can apply?

  • The lead applicant must be based at an eligible UK institution.
  • One applicant must have a tenured position within the lead institute.

The Consortium leadership should adopt a team science approach. However, financial and administrative system limitations and contractual and governance arrangements require there to be a defined Consortium Lead and administrative point of reference. Individuals are not allowed to Lead more than one Consortium. Individuals are allowed to be members of multiple Consortia. 

There is no defined minimum or maximum number of Consortium members, it’s about bringing the best people together; we are not generally expecting single site applications. International members bringing expertise or facilities that are not available in the UK are welcomed.

What you can apply for?

  • Costs for salaries, expenses and small items of essential equipment can be requested.
  • Awards of up to 60 months duration, up to £3 million. 

A proportion of the Consortium funding can be allocated to support the core facilitatory resources and assets required for the research delivery. 

We plan to invest up to £3 million in a single award.

How to apply

There is a one-stage application process, with a gathering of interests step. 

Please submit an Expression of Interest by 16:00 on Wednesday 10th July 2024. 

This should be an email to awards@versusarthritis.org with a PDF document outlining:

  • summary of the proposed consortium in plain English (500 words)
  • a list of consortium members (name, institution and role)

You should not wait for an invitation to submit an application in Grant Tracker following submission of your expression of interest.

  • Additional Consortium members can be added after the expression of interest submission, they should be noted to the office by email.

Applicants are invited to submit applications through Grant Tracker, where the form is available.

Applicants must carefully read the Call document, the application form and guidance document before starting an application.

Please ensure that the most appropriate language is being used in each section of the form and that the correct sections are completed.

The deadline for the receipt of applications is 16:00 on Wednesday 25th September 2024. Please allow time for management of appropriate reviewers and signatories to access the Grant Tracker system and provide their approvals. Submissions after 16:00 will not be accepted.

If you have any questions about the call, please email: awards@versusarthritis.org