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Birkbeck Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF)

Birkbeck has been awarded a second Wellcome Trust ISSF award (ISSF2) of £1.5m over five years from 1 October 2016, which is being matched by College funds, to enable us to develop our public engagement activities. 

Staff and PhD researchers can apply for ISSF funding for a range of public engagement activities within the scientific or medical humanities remit of the Wellcome Trust. See below for details on the funding available. 

BAME summer student internships

In addition to the awards below, this year the Wellcome Trust are funding four BAME Summer Student Internships for summer 2022. The deadline is 3 May 2022. 

The aim of this initiative is to give BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) undergraduate students in biomedicine or medical humanities financial support for a summer placement in an academic research environment.  Increasingly this kind of experience is looked for to obtain funded PhD places.  The aim of this scheme is to remove blocks to under-represented groups moving into an academic career.

award details

  • The awards are for up to six weeks with a salary of £386.75 a week (London Living Wage) and up to £250 for lab expenses to the host lab. 
  • These awards can be made to Birkbeck undergraduates to be held at any institution or for students at another institution to come to Birkbeck. 
  • Up to four awards will be made for summer 2022 only. 

Eligibility criteria

  • The following ethnic groups are considered eligible:
  • Asian or Asian British
    • Indian
    • Pakistani
    • Bangladeshi
    • Chinese
    • Any other Asian background
  • Black, Black British, Caribbean or African
    • Caribbean
    • African
    • Any other Black, Black British or Caribbean background
  • Mixed or multiple ethic groups
    • White and Black Caribbean
    • White and Black African
    • White and Asian
    • Any other mixed or multiple ethnic background
  • Other ethnic group
    • Arab
    • Gypsy or Irish traveller
    • Any other Black or Minority Ethnic Group

How to apply

deadlines for 2016/17 applications 

  • The allocation of ISSF funds is overseen by a steering group, chaired by the Master and including the five Executive Deans of our schools, the Pro-Vice Master for Research, and the Head of the Research Grants and Contract Office. 
  • The ISSF panel meets twice a year, in March and June, to consider applications for funding: 
    • Submission deadline of 7 March 2017, for consideration at the ISSF panel on 22 March. 
    • Submission deadline of 12 June 2017, for consideration at the ISSF panel on 27 June.  

funding available

Initially, all activities funded by the ISSF2 award must be completed by 30 September 2019, as the funding for years 4 and 5 is subject to a review of progress at that time. 

Public engagement activities led by Birkbeck

  • Awards of up to £2500 are available for staging public engagement activities in the biomedical sciences or medical humanities.
  • How to apply:
  • You will have to complete a report on how the funding was spent at the end of the activities. 

Public Engagement Internship

  • Further details will be posted here in due course.

Opportunities for PhD students at Birkbeck

  • PhD researchers completing their thesis: you can apply for funding to enable you to complete publications or develop public engagement or dissemination activities. The funding covers salary costs up to six months beyond the end of your formal period of study (on the starting point of the Researcher 1 pay scale). 
  • Current PhD researchers: you can apply for funding of up to £5000 to carry out public engagement or interdisciplinary activities for a period of up to three months. (Note: this period will represent a formal break in your studies, if your PhD funder allows it.) 
  • How to apply:
  • You will have to complete a report on how the funding was spent at the end of the activities. 

Fellowships for early-career researchers 

  • We are recruiting for three Career Development Fellowships, which are open to promising early career researchers to develop research projects in biomedical sciences, medical humanities and the social sciences. Read the full Career Development Fellow job description. 
  • The fellowships are full- or part-time posts for three years FTE or until Sept 2021 -  whichever is sooner. 
  • There are also opportunities for people with fellowship applications well advanced for support for up to a year. Contact your Head of Department, who should then contact Professor Nicholas Keep. These applications will be considered at any meeting of the panel, but must come through the sponsoring Head of Department.  
  • Closing date: 19th March 2017, with interviews on 10th-11th May 2017. 

Career Development Awards

  • Academic staff can apply for funding to support career development activities or training. Examples could include attendance on practical or public engagement courses, or training related to your academic field (either a course or a visit to another institution to learn a new technique or develop a new collaboration). 
  • Funding: applications are invited termly for awards for up to £2000 and once a year in the Spring term for applications up to £20,000.  
  • How to apply:
  • You will have to complete a report on how the funding was spent at the end of the activities. 

funding for early-career researchers and academics returning from a career break 

  • Early-career researchers and academics returning from a career break can apply for start-up funding of up to £40,000 for research projects in biomedicine or medical humanities. 
  • Early-career researcher: you must be within five years of your first academic appointment (at the date of your application), which includes academic employment at another institution(s). 
  • Academics returning from a career break: this include leave for maternity, extended paternity, adoption or other caring responsibilities. 
  • How to apply:
  • You will have to complete a report on how the funding was spent at the end of the activities. 

Conference and symposia funding 

  • You can apply for up to £5000 to stage interdisciplinary or inter-institutional activities in the biomedical sciences or medical humanities. 
    • Projects where partial funding has been obtained elsewhere will be favoured.
  • How to apply:
  • You will have to complete a report on how the funding was spent at the end of the activities. 

funding to 'Translate' your research 

  • Awards of up to £5000 are available for translational activities in the medical humanities and biomedical sciences - that is, translating research findings into meaningful outcomes. Examples of this type of activity include hiring a consultant to advise on commercialising a piece of research, or directed work with clinicians or patients.
  • Projects where partial funding has been obtained elsewhere will be favoured. 
  • How to apply
  • You will have to complete a report on how the funding was spent at the end of the activities.