Funding Opportunity: Artificial Intelligence, Engineering Biology and Quantum Technologies (UK)

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for MRC funding. You can get funding through any grants from MRC responsive mode or translation funding opportunities. You should apply through the existing funding opportunity that is most relevant to your science area and career stage.

Aim

• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) recognises the strategic importance to the UK of five critical technologies:
  • future telecommunications
  • semiconductors
  • AI
  • engineering biology
  • quantum technologies
• These have been selected for their ability to build strategic advantage, create opportunities for growth, and capitalise on existing UK strengths.

Themes

• The cross cutting-themes are:
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • experimental medicine
  • health and biomedical data science
  • obesity research
  • population and public health sciences
  • regenerative medicine and stem cells

Scope

• Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • AI is considered here to be machines that perform tasks normally performed by human intelligence, especially when the machines learn from data how to do those tasks.
• Engineering biology
  • The design and fabrication of biological components and systems, from modifications of natural systems through to artificial biology, in order to enhance our understanding of human health and disease or in the development of novel diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines
• Quantum technologies
  • Applications focused on utilisation of quantum sensing technologies aimed at improving diagnostics for early detection of disease, biomarker identification and increasing understanding of physiological systems in diseased states.

Funding Information

• They will usually fund up to 80% of your project’s full economic cost.

Eligibility Criteria

• Higher education providers
  • Higher education providers can apply for competitive research grants and funding for postgraduate training and other associated activities. Specific criteria apply for each opportunity.
• Research institutes
  • Research institutes are organisations in which UKRI has made a long-term funding investment. They are eligible for many of our research grant funding opportunities.
• NHS bodies
  • UKRI research grants are open to NHS bodies with research capacity. This includes:
    • the NHS board
    • NHS Clinical Commissioning Group
    • NHS Foundation Trust
    • NHS Special Authority
    • NHS Trust
    • NHS Local Health Board
  • Grants can be used for research and development activities only, not treatment or support costs.
• Public sector research establishments
  • A public sector research establishment is classified as an organisation that:
    • is sponsored directly by a government department or UKRI
    • has research and development capacity
    • has met UKRI criteria for public sector research establishments and is registered as being eligible for funding
• Independent research organisations
  • Organisations might conduct research and development activities and still not fit into one of the other categories for UKRI funding. These organisations can apply to become an independent research organisation and may become eligible this way.
  • Independent research organisations need to demonstrate:
    • existing in-house capacity to carry out research that extends and enhances other research happening in the UK
    • the capability and skills to independently undertake and lead a research programme
• Research and technology organisations
  • The UK’s network of Catapult centres are classified as research and technology organisations. There are nine Catapult centres. No other organisation meets the definition for a research and technology organisation and you cannot apply to become one.
  • Some funding opportunities with Innovate UK are open to Catapult centres to get grant funding. Catapult centres can also be involved as collaborators on other council applications, for example, as named contractors within a research grant.
  • Catapult centres can also apply to become eligible for research grants on some UKRI funding opportunities.

For more information, visit UKRI.