Submit Applications for Humane Research Grants Program (UK)

Trust funds projects spanning a broad range of medical sciences, including rare diseases and other under-represented research fields. They provide funding opportunities to support researchers across the UK to develop cutting-edge humane research.

The Humane Research Trust CIO (THRT or the Trust) is a registered charity that funds projects to replace the use of animals and animal-derived products in medical research.

The Trust and its supporters believe that ‘human models for human diseases’ is the most effective approach to research. The Trust wishes to fund the development and use of techniques that will quantitively replace animals and animal-derived products in medical research and nurture the next generation of leaders in animal-free research methods.

Funding Information

• Grant amount: £90,000 – £200,000

Eligible Activities

• Research that advances human health and understanding of disease whilst also promoting the replacement of animals in research.
• Research to further develop or test existing in vitro, ex vivo and in silico methods models, techniques and products that were developed to replace the use of animals or animal-derived products in research.
• The development and application of novel in vitro, ex vivo and in silico models and techniques aiming to quantitatively replace the use of animals and animal-derived products in medical research.
• The bespoke development of non-animal derived antibodies, animal free growth factors and serum substitutes for use in medical research.
• Joint applications with other like-minded funding bodies or charities that share their ethos and that do not fund research using animals.
• Applications towards larger projects where other funding bodies are involved, provided those bodies share our ethos and do not fund research using animals.
• In all cases, applicants must confirm that ethical approval from a relevant body has been acquired, is being sought or is not required.

Eligible Costs

• The full costs of a post-doc or PhD-led project, including stipend/salary, tuition fees and consumables. An annual inflationary rate of 3% should be added to the stipend/salary from year 2 onwards. At its discretion the Trust will vary this rate in line with market forces:
  • Typically, they support a PhD studentship of up to 4 years, and 2- year postdoctoral positions with the possibility of extension for a further year.
  • Part-time positions may be considered.
• Follow-on funding that draws substantially on previous THRT funding where the route to practical application can be demonstrated. Follow-on funding is typically for up to two years.
• Wider costs of research:
  • Research facility costs: Recharge costs for scanners etc.
  • Technician support: Where essential, reasonable costs of a research assistant or technician’s time on the project.
  • Attendance at conferences: The Trust recognises conferences are an important opportunity for PhDs and post-docs to network whilst spreading the word about the Trust. A PhD/post-doc will be funded to attend:
    • A maximum of 2 national conferences
    • A maximum of 1 international conference
    • The Trust will fund registration fees, travel, hotels and subsistence, provided these are fully costed in the grant application. Costs for a PI to attend one of the conferences may also be considered. Travel should be costed at standard or advanced ticket prices.
  • Equipment: Funding for equipment such as a laptop, specialist software etc.
  • Publication costs: The costs to publish in open-source journals.

Ineligible Costs

• The Humane Research Trust does not allow the use of animals or any animal-derived products to be funded through its grants. This includes the use of animal-derived growth serums etc as positive controls.
• Indirect costs such as university overheads.
• The salaries of PIs, collaborators or co-investigators.
• Costs to recruit to the funded post.
• Part contributions to course fees, living expenses, applications for just equipment or consumables.

Eligibility Criteria

• Principal Investigators (PIs) can apply for funding for a PhD or early career post-doctoral researcher to lead a research project under their supervision. PhD and post-doctoral researchers cannot apply for their own funding and must be under the supervision of a PI. A PI cannot apply for funding for their own salary.
• Existing and previous THRT grant holders.
• PIs will be asked to declare if they hold a Home Office license to experiment on live animals and will be asked to provide:
  • The license issue and expiry dates
  • Details of recent and current grants that involve experiments on live animals, with start and end dates
  • Future publications expected to arise from their research involving live animals
  • Future research intentions with regards to experimentation on live animals
• Applicants must be registered at a UK university or a connected UK research institution such as a hospital.

For more information, visit The Humane Research Trust.