New £300,000 Fund For Ultra-Rare Sarcomas Research

Sarcoma UK has launched a dedicated fund as part of its annual grants round to support research into ultra-rare sarcomas.

The annual Sarcoma UK Call for Proposals includes funding for Research Grants and PhD Studentships to support research to investigate the mechanisms of all forms of sarcoma (bone and soft tissue cancers) and develop effective treatments.

For the 2023 Call for Applications, Sarcoma UK has announced a fund of £800,000 for its Open Grants Call, and £300,000 for research into ultra-rare sarcomas. Proposals are invited for Research Grants (small grants and large grants) and PhD Studentships:

  • Small Grants (up to £50,000) – to pump prime ideas for small, innovative studies and provide proof of concept or fund additional research for a larger project already underway.
  • Large Grants (up to £150,000) – to conduct substantive projects, which must include a member of staff (researcher) as a directly incurred cost.
  • PhD Studentships (up to £120,000) – to support high-calibre candidates carrying out PhD projects in sarcoma research and to assist them in developing a career in sarcoma research.

The Open Grants Call for Research Grants is for basic and translational projects in any area of sarcoma research, including laboratory and clinical research, with the potential to benefit patients during their diagnosis, treatment and care.

Areas of exploration that could be considered for funding include, but are not limited to, improving understanding of disease biology, improving diagnosis, developing new or better treatments, and improving quality of life. The scope for support is intended to be flexible and broad, and will consider applications across a number of scientific and clinical fields.

The Research Grants are aimed at Principal Investigators who hold a permanent post at a UK Higher Education Institution, research institute or clinical/NHS institution. The PI must demonstrate a strong research record, with experience to drive and lead a research project (ie evidence of successful grant applications, publications and ability to lead teams).

The Open Grants Call for PhD Studentship is for laboratory-based science projects to be based at a host institution (Higher Education Institution, research institute or clinical institution) in the UK. The application should be submitted by the main supervisor/PI. The host institution must commit to facilitate the proposed research and provide a basic level of facilities.

In addition to the Open Grants Call, Sarcoma UK has allocated a dedicated £300,000 fund for its Ultra-Rare Sarcomas Research Call. Ultra-rare sarcomas have been identified as a particular area of un-met need and are characterised as being particularly challenging for research, especially in terms of diagnosis, understanding disease biology and generating clinical evidence to support drug development Proposals are invited for Research Grants and PhD Studentships focussing on at least one ultra-rare sarcoma sub-type. Ultra-rare types of sarcoma are those with an incidence of approximately ≤1 per 1,000,000, comprising a list of 56 soft tissue sarcomas and 21 bone sarcomas.

Call deadlines include:

  • 2023 Ultra-Rare Sarcomas Call:
    • Proposals should be submitted by the deadline on 13 July 2023 (midday BST)
  • 2023 Open Grants Call – opens for applications in April 2023.
    • Proposals should be submitted by the deadline on 29 September 2023 (midday BST)

(This report was the subject of a RESEARCHconnect Newsflash.)