Focusing on Drug Discovery

Monthly Archives: July 2014

The Minister for Economy, Science & Transport, Mrs Hart opens the Life Sciences Hub.

Representatives from the Life Sciences Research Network Wales attended the launch of the Life Science Hub on the 17th of July. 

The Hub is based in Cardiff Bay and aims to bring together academics, businesses, clinicians, professional services and funding organisations to drive economic growth within the Welsh life science sector.  Along with the £100m Life Sciences Investment Fund, the Hub aims to attract inward investment as well as nurture and accelerate the growth of life science businesses within Wales.

Pictured above is Dr Andrea Brancale from Cardiff University’s School of Pharmacy demonstrating an advanced modeling technology to the Minister for Economy, Science & Transport, Mrs Edwina Hart that can be used in development of the next generation of drugs.

The Life Sciences Research Network Wales are pleased to announce their latest calls for Projects and Platform Grants.

Round 2 Project Grants
Project Grants are specifically aimed at allowing academics to undertake highly speculative risky research with the ultimate goal of providing exemplification data to submit  major research applications.  These seedcorn projects  are highly flexible and the Network expects that the majority of projects will be less than 12 months in duration but will consider proposals of up to 24 months in exceptional circumstances.  Match funding is not a pre-requisite and applicants can apply for up to £50k for projects less than 12 months in duration or £100k for projects up to 24 months.
Click here for information on applying and application forms: Project Grants
Platform Grants
The Network seeks to support a number of assays or platform technologies in areas of drug development which would benefit researchers from across Wales.  Applicants are expected to  collaborate with other academics  and offer free access to a limited number of samples generated by researchers from across Wales.   Applicants can apply for up to £50k and whilst match-funding is not a pre-requisite, it may be important if the call is over-subscribed.
Click here for information on applying and application forms: Platform Grants
The closing date for both applications is the 17th of September 2014
The current 2 rounds for Research Projects and Platforms grants have now closed. We have received 45 applications for funding and will be making awards in early October.