Transition Consultancies support scientists in transitioning away from animal-derived prodcuts. Here we provide expert guidance and funding to advance progress.
Grant Details
- Funding: up to £25,000
- Duration: from 6 months to 2 years
- Eligible Costs: personal support for a Primary Scientist (capped at 50% of the total project cost), consumables, and small equipment items
- We are open to receiving applications with matched funding
Consultancy Requirements
- Projects should support the testing and validation of animal-free alternatives that can replace animal-derived products used in existing approaches.
- Projects should be directly relevant to biomedical research and human health.
- Transition projects allow for the use of animal-derived products when a clear humanisation plan is in place. The cost of these animal-derived products will not be covered by the Centre.
Eligibility
- Researchers from universities, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, contract research organisations, and other research organisations are eligible to apply.
- Applicants must be developing human-focused approaches. Relevant approaches may include, but are not limited to, in vitro assays such as 2D cell culture, organ-on-chip models, organoids, or spheroids; ex vivo tissue models; omics technologies; or in silico analysis.
- The Primary Applicant must be mid-career level (i.e postdoc or Senior Scientist) or above.
- Applications from mid-career researchers must include a senior researcher (Principal Investigator, Department Head, or equivalent) as a Secondary Grant Holder.
- Early-career scientists (i.e PhD or Scientist level) are not eligible to apply for this grant but can be named as Primary Scientist on the grant if they are to be completing the work.
Application Process
- The Transition Consultancy application process differs depending on the amount of funding requested.
For funding requests over £5,000 (Large Transition Consultancy).
- Stage One
Applicants are invited to submit a brief 500 word preliminary application outlining their research and the area where they are looking at replacing the animal-derived products. Applications will be reviewed internally by the Centre. This review process may take up to four weeks. - Stage Two
Applicants shortlisted at Stage One will be invited to discuss their project remotely with a member of the Centre for Human Specific Research’s Science Team. Project information will be considered internally by the Centre. This review process may take up to four weeks. - Stage Three
Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full application. Full applications will be reviewed internally by the Centre and by members of its Scientific Advisory Panel. Where appropriate, additional external expert reviewers may be consulted. This review process may take up to two months.
For funding requests under £5,000 (Small Transition Consultancy).
- Stage One
Applicants are invited to submit a brief 500 word preliminary application outlining the significance of their research and the impact of replacing the animal-derived products. Applications will be reviewed internally by the Centre. This review process may take up to four weeks. - Stage Two
Applicants shortlisted at Stage One will be invited to discuss their project remotely with a member of the Centre for Human Specific Research’s Science Team. Project information will be considered internally by the Centre. This review process may take up to four weeks.
Consultancy Selection Criteria
- Alignment to Centre for Human Specific Research strategic goals
- Scientific merit and innovation
- Consultancy holder and project group expertise and experience
- Feasibility and implementation plan, resources, budgeting, and output
- Merit of proposed research to the broader scientific community and dissemination plan
How to Apply
Carefully read our Terms and Conditions
Complete the Transition Consultancy Preliminary Application Form
Contact us at grants@humanspecificresearch.org if you have any questions.