Discovery research remit
We support bold and creative discovery research that has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing.
We support bold and creative discovery research that has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing.
This includes research into the:
- fundamental processes that underpin biology, to understand more about how life works
- complexities of human health and disease, including clinical and population-based approaches
- development of methodologies, conceptual frameworks, technologies, tools or techniques that could benefit health-related research
- needs, values and priorities of the people and communities affected by disease and health disparities
- social, cultural, political and historical contexts of human health and disease.
Research can involve experimental or theoretical approaches. It can be carried out in the laboratory, office, clinic or field.
Inclusivity is at the heart of our approach and we fund people at all career stages, from a broad range of disciplines.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
- humanities and social science
- clinical/allied health sciences
- experimental medicine
- public health.
We fund individuals and teams of researchers.
Our schemes are open to applicants based in the UK, the Republic of Ireland and low- and middle-income countries, and coapplicants from the rest of the world if applying as part of a team.
We particularly welcome applications that bring together different disciplines to tackle problems creatively and with new perspectives.
Find out more about our discovery research schemes, including eligibility and what we offer.
Under our discovery research remit, we don’t support purely translational research including:
- research in the pursuit of developing, testing or validating interventions and therapeutics
- implementation science
- large-scale population-level interventions and trials.
Research doesn’t have to be related to our three health challenge programmes: mental health, climate, and infectious disease. Each programme will fund research and other activities according to its goals and defined set of outcomes. This may be through directed funding or through one-off open calls from time to time. We'll provide more information as our strategy for each programme develops.
Most of our previous funding schemes will close during 2021.
For science and humanities and social science schemes, our previous remits will still apply. Check the relevant scheme page for details.
Contact our Funding Information Team if you have a question about funding.