Grant opportunity
Collaborate with the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative
MRC and the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative are funding academic-industry partnership awards for feasibility, pilot and initial studies in functional genomics.
- Funder
- Medical Research Council (MRC) / UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative
- Applications close 1 November 2026 at 11:59pm UK time
- Applications close 1 November 2026 at 11:59pm UK time: Nov 1, 2026
- Award
- GBP 15,000 to GBP 100,000
- Applicant
- Researchers based at UK research organisations eligible for MRC funding, with academic-industry collaboration linked to the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative.
- Discipline
- Health and Biomedical Sciences
- Region
- United Kingdom
- Posted
- Jul 22, 2026
Call summary
Overview
This opportunity supports academic and industry collaboration around the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative, helping researchers generate preliminary evidence and build partnerships for longer-term proposals.
Who can apply
Applicants must be researchers eligible for MRC funding and based at an eligible UK research organisation. Industrial partners are expected to provide matched funding in cash, in kind, or both.
What it supports
- Feasibility, pilot or initial studies that build collaborations across the functional genomics initiative.
- Novel functional genomic annotations, perturbation methods, disease systems, models, data science or computational approaches.
- Technology-priming projects that support initiative clusters, laboratories or industry-academic links.
Funding and duration
- Awards range from GBP 15,000 to GBP 100,000.
- The award can support direct project costs, staff time, travel, subsistence and networking activity costs.
Applications close 1 November 2026 at 11:59pm UK time
Applications close 1 November 2026 at 11:59pm UK time: Nov 1, 2026
How to apply
Complete the application form through the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative route and follow the UKRI guidance before the deadline.
Call details
Source-based overview
The Innovation and Collaboration Fund enables researchers to develop links with industrial partners and generate initial functional genomics data that can support future collaborative grant proposals.
Eligibility
Applicants must be researchers eligible for MRC funding and based at an eligible UK research organisation. Industrial partners are expected to provide matched funding in cash, in kind, or both.
Funding and benefits
Awards range from GBP 15,000 to GBP 100,000.
The award can support direct project costs, staff time, travel, subsistence and networking activity costs.
Themes and supported activities
Feasibility, pilot or initial studies that build collaborations across the functional genomics initiative.
Novel functional genomic annotations, perturbation methods, disease systems, models, data science or computational approaches.
Technology-priming projects that support initiative clusters, laboratories or industry-academic links.
Deadline and timeline
Applications close 1 November 2026 at 11:59pm UK time: Applications close 1 November 2026 at 11:59pm UK time: Nov 1, 2026.
Applicants should confirm the exact deadline time, time zone, required documents, portal steps and any institutional approvals on the official call page before submitting.
How to apply
Complete the application form through the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative route and follow the UKRI guidance before the deadline.
Before applying, check eligibility rules, budgets, attachments, page limits, partner requirements, cost-share conditions and whether the opportunity uses an expression of interest, full proposal, registration or nomination stage.