Sources for research funding

Each fortnight this section will list funds available for academic researchers.

Details should be submitted to research@thesis.co.uk Office of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry Foresight Link Awards

A second round of Foresight LINK Awards, with Pounds 10 million funding available, aims to support innovative, high quality, pre-competitive research in areas of commercial potential.

Applications for awards should address Foresight priority areas not covered by currently open LINK programmes - which the awards are intended to complement. All such applications proposing high quality collaborative research will be welcomed and given full consideration. Awards funding of up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs is available.

Applications must involve one or more universities or other research base organisations, and one or more companies. Small and medium-sized enterprises are particularly encouraged to play an active part in applications, as are businesses in sectors which do not have an established track record of working with the research base. Applications which address particular Foresight themes are also encouraged.

There will be an outline and a full bid stage for applications.

Closing date for outline applications is April 7.

Guidance for applicants, an application form and a list of Foresight priorities, as well as sources of further information can be accessed via the Foresight LINK Awards web site www.dti.gov.uk/ost/ link/award.htm, or obtained as a pack from: Foresight LINK Awards; LINK Directorate; Office of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, 1 Victoria Street (UG85), LONDON SW1H 0ET; Tel: 0171 215 0369; Fax: 0171 215 0054; e-mail: link.ost@gtnet.gov.uk These contact numbers can also be used to raise queries about the awards.

The Biochemical Society

www.biochemsoc. org.uk

The Krebs Memorial Scholarship The scholarship is primarily intended to help candidates who wish to study for a PhD in biochemistry or in an allied biomedical science, but whose careers have been interrupted for non-academic reasons beyond their own control and/or who are unlikely to qualify for an award from public funds. It will cover a maintenance grant and all necessary fees. The scholarship will be awarded for one year in the first instance but may be renewed up to a maximum tenure of three years. Where the scholarship is renewed to the current holder, it will not be available to new applicants until that tenure has come to an end.

Applicants will be expected to have made prior arrangements with the university at which they intend to hold the award. The application should be forwarded through the head of department concerned who must be able to place the applicant in the top 5 per cent of PhD candidates.

While the scholarship is primarily aimed at PhD students, the award of a post-doctoral fellowship might be considered for a candidate whose circumstances merit such consideration. The next scholarship will be from October 1.

Deadline: April 30.

Further information from: The Biochemical Society, 59 Portland Place, London W1N 3AJ; Tel: 0171-580 5530; Fax: 0171 637 3626; Email: genadmin@ biochemsoc.org.uk DEBRA www.debra.org DEBRA co-ordinates efforts to help change the lives of people affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa. DEBRA's main activities are medical and scientific research to improve diagnosis and develop lasting and effective treatments.

Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Grants Applications are invited from suitably qualified researchers for funding to investigate any aspect of Epidermolysis Bullosa. Applications will be competitive and peer reviewed.

Deadline: April 1 and October 1 each year.

Further information and application forms, from: John Dart, Director, DEBRA, DEBRA House, 13 Wellington Business Park, Dukes Ride, Crowthorne, Berks RG45 6LS, UK Tel: 0044 (0)1344 771961 Fax: 0044 (0)1344 762661 Email: admin@ debra.org.uk Or refer to the DEBRA website.

SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

www.spie.org/web/ courses/schol/html PO Box 10 Bellingham WA 982-0010 USA Phone: +1 360 676 3290. Fax: +1 360 647 1445. Email: spie@spie.org Web: www.spie.org or www.optics.org 1999 Grants in Optical Engineering SPIE will award grants to education institutions on a worldwide basis this year. Awards will range in size from $1,000 to $10,000. In a typical year, 10-15 per cent of applicants receive awards. Applications will be judged by the SPIE scholarship sommittee on the basis of the long range contribution which the granting of the award will make to optics and optical science and engineering, including photonics, electro-optics and optoelectronics. Applications may be made for funding of any activity in the field of optics.

Applicants need only submit one typed application form. Forms are downloadable in PDF format. If necessary, contact (Pascale Barnett email: pascale @spie.org) for a faxed or mailed version. Questions regarding administration of scholarships and grants and the application process may be directed to Pascale Barnett as above.

Deadline: April 2 British Ecological Society

www.demon.co.uk/bes The society funds grants with the aim of promoting ecological research and training as widely as possible. For this reason, the individual awards are generally of relatively small value, although many awards are made. Electronic versions of application forms are available on the website. All files available were written on WordPerfect version 6.1.

Small Ecological Project Grants SEPGs are given to promote all aspects of ecological research and ecological survey. The grant had been extended to enable ecologists to travel from the United Kingdom or Eire to a third country, or vice versa, for the purposes of research where alternative sources of funding are inadequate. They are given to people and not to organisations. Support will not normally be given to projects forming part of an expedition proposal as these are covered by expedition grants.

Although threatened habitats provided the impetus for the SEPG scheme, the scheme has now been widened to include any ecological project. The Public Affairs Committee is keen to support small pilot projects, in which cases the grants are viewed as pump priming, hopefully being instrumental in obtaining larger grants from other organisations. Special consideration is given to amateurs and to those with no alternative sources of funding. Value of the award: up to Pounds 1,000 for travel and up to Pounds 1,000 for other costs.

Deadlines: January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1.

For further information contact: British Ecological Society, 26 Blades Court, Deodar Road, Putney, London SW15 2NU, UK Tel: +(44) (0)181 871 9797 Fax: +(44) (0)181 871 9779 Email: general@ ecology.demon.co.uk Arthritis Research Campaign

www.arc.org.uk Project Grants The ARC will consider support of clinical projects, relating to pathogenesis, diagnosis or treatment, as well as projects of a more fundamental scientific nature, provided that they offer promise of advancement in the understanding of the rheumatic diseases.

Deadline: March 29.

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships These fellowships aim to attract and retain talented postdoctoral scientists in research relevant to rheumatology and to provide outstanding candidates with the opportunity to develop an independent research career and progress towards higher level appointments. Applicants should normally be within their first or second postdoctoral appointment and should be associated with established researchers/sponsors, preferably within a multidisciplinary research group in a UK university department or similar research institute.

Postdoctoral fellowships are advertised twice a year (September and February) Deadlines: April 12 and November.

Applications should be made jointly by the candidate and his or her sponsor and should outline the proposed programme of research. All applications must be made on the appropriate forms which are obtainable from the Research and Education Secretary, The Arthritis Research Campaign, Copeman House, St Mary's Court, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S41 7TD. Tel: 01246 558033, Fax: 01246 558007, Email: r&e@arc. org.uk.

The Fulbright Commission

www.fulbright.co.uk The US-UK Fulbright Commission encourages and supports educational exchange between the United Kingdom and the United States. Applicants must be British citizens who are ordinarily resident in the United kingdom Fulbright Fellowship in Cancer Research An award of Pounds 15,000 (inclusive of travel) will be offered to enable a postdoctoral scientist or clinician to spend a minimum of 6 months in the United States.

The successful candidate will carry out research or follow a course of study in the cancer field or combine the two. More information and application form on web.

Deadine: April 1.

Fulbright Louise Buchanan Fellowship for Research into Cancers of the Lymph Glands An award of Pounds 4,000 plus round-trip travel will be offered to a scientist or clinician to carry out research into Cancers of the Lymph Glands for a minimum of three months in the United States. More information and application form on web.

Closing date: April 1.

Application forms for the above awards are available as downloadable Word 6.0 documents. Further details from the Programme Director, Fulbright Commission, 62 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LS. Completed forms should be returned to the above address but not by email or attachment.

The Linnean Society of London Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1V 0LQ. www.linnean.org.uk

Tel: 0171 434 4479. Fax: 0171 287 9364. The society covers biology as a whole, but its main focus is on the study of diversity - in evolution, ecology and systematics. There are a limited number of small grants available to a total of ca. Pounds 30000 each year.

Deadline: March 31.

Details available on the web page or contact the society for further information.

Sarah Knowles0171 782 3225Email: sarah. knowles@ newsint.co.uk.