Dr Oliver BrainResearch Fellow

WIMM Oxford

Presentation at BSG 13/03/08Amended for BSG trainees website

FirstlyBad news: There is no magic bullet

Good news: If I can do it, so can you

Securing Funding2 main components

You

The research – the ‘Golden Rules’Right projectRight supervisorRight place

Process1) Create opportunity

2) Assess the worth of the project on offer

3) Apply for funding

4) Prepare for the interview

5) Reassess +/- reapply if unsuccessful

1. Create opportunitiesPerhaps the most difficult part of the process to

defineAchieved in many different ways depending on your

background

What I did:Combination of:

Being the best you can be at workTurning up to teachingCompleting smaller projectsTalking to your Professor/ Consultants in researchTalking to the SpR’s who have done researchVisiting the local institutions

2. Assess the worth of the project on offerVisit the lab in question – who will be in the lab

with you? What are the facilities like?

Find out about your potential supervisor – are they supportive?

Discuss the project with others – eg colleagues/ consultants you trust and who have experience of research. They may be able to give a valued second opinion on the projects worth/ direction.

3. Application FormThis can take weeks (?months) to prepare

Meetings with supervisor – to firm up the nature of your experiments.

Writing the application form – you are likely to need a lot of guidance from your supervisor

Costings – both of your salary and of your laboratory costs

4. Preparation: ‘You’The interview is a cross between a standard viva

and the ‘Dragon’s Den’. You need to approach this like an exam but remember that there is an element of a sales pitch to this. You want them to fund your project.

a) Reading – about and around your subject. The volume required should not be underestimated. If you can take study leave it would be helpful.

Preparation (cont)b) Go to the laboratory – start learning the

techniques and getting to grips with the environment. (Apart from being helpful you will sound more convincing at the interview)

c) Interview practice – A must. You need practice answering questions in a less familiar field.

d) Research the interviewers – helps to know their interests.

5. Reassess/ ReapplyDon’t be downhearted if unsuccessful

Reassess the project – what didn’t they like about it?

Is it unfeasible/ bad science/ wrong place/ wrong supervisor? etc

ReapplyReapply – there are plenty of places that offer

funding.

Some (eg MRC, Wellcome, NIHR, CORE) may have enough to fund the whole of your research.

Some smaller charities (eg AMR, ECCO, Broad foundation, IA, CCC) will likely offer you part funding. They are often a good way to get started and will make you more competitive for the larger awards.

ConclusionRemember the golden rules

Achievable – just takes planning and application

Funding is available from many bodies

ThanksCORE

Professor JewelAlison Simmons

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