Sources of research funding

Each week this section lists funds available to academic researchers. Items for inclusion should be submitted to research@thes.co.uk

LEVERHULME TRUST www.leverhulme.org.uk Emeritus Fellowships

Applicants should hold, or have recently held, a teaching and/or research post in a university or other institution of comparable status in the UK; have retired during the past three years or be retired by the time of commencing the fellowship and should be aged 59 or above at the time of retirement; have an established record of research, as the awards are primarily to help in the completion, and preparation for publication, of the results of research already begun. Applications will be considered in all subject areas. Forms are available from the address below or from the trust's website. Postal requests for application details must be accompanied by an A4-size self-addressed envelope, stamped for 150 grams for each set of details. No request for application details will be considered after November 20. Deadline: 4pm, November . Application details available from: The Secretary, Research Awards Advisory Committee, The Leverhulme Trust, 1 Pemberton Row, London EC4A 3BG.

NATIONALINSTITUTES OF HEALTH http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/ RFA-DK-01-006.html

Gene Therapy Approaches for Diabetes and its Complications There are many approaches to interfering with the development of type 1 diabetes and to treating the complications resulting from both type 1 and type 2 diabetes that would appear to be amenable to gene therapy technology. The purpose of this request for applications is to encourage development of gene therapy approaches for type 1 diabetes and its complications and to test these in appropriate animal models or small pilot studies. Enquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Catherine McKeon, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Rm. 6103 MSC 5460, Bethesda, MD 20892-5460; USA; tel: (301) 594 8810; fax: (301) 480 3503; email: Catherine_ McKeon@nih.gov. Letter of intent deadline: October 16.

HEREDITARY DISEASE FOUNDATION www.hdfoundation.org Research Grants

The focus of the foundation is on Huntington's disease. Support will be for research projects that will contribute to identifying and understanding the basic defect in Huntington's disease. Areas of interest include trinucleotide expansions, animal models, gene therapy, neurobiology and development of the basal ganglia, cell survival and death, and intercellular signaling in striatal neurons. Next deadline: October 15. To obtain an application, submit a letter of intent (available online) no more than one page long. Queries to: The Hereditary Disease Foundation, Attn: Dr. Allan Tobin, Scientific Director, 11400 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite 855, Los Angeles, CA 90064-1560, USA. The maximum award for research grants is $50,000.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT,TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS www.detr.gov.uk/environment/darwin/fundapp9/index.htm

Darwin Initiativefor the Survivalof Species: call for funding applications (9th round) The Darwin Initiative is designed to bring British expertise to bear on the biodiversity needs of developing countries. Eight rounds of funding have so far been approved for about two hundred projects at a total cost of Pounds 24 million. The DETR is now inviting applications from British institutions, organisations and individuals for support for projects under the Darwin Initiative to commence in April 2001. In the event of difficulty in accessing the information and forms, contact Sarah Collins in the Secretariat; tel: 020 7944 6205; email: sarah.collins@detr.gsi.gov.uk. Deadline: October 25.

ROYAL SOCIETY www.royalsoc.ac.uk Research grants

The scheme provides grants of up to Pounds 10,000 to individuals for research projects of 'timeliness and promise' in any scientific or technological discipline within the remit ofthe Royal Society, iethe natural sciences, including mathematics, engineering science, agricultural andmedical research,the scientific aspectsof archaeology, geography, exper-imental psychology and research in the historyof science. Provision is intended to complement that provided by the host department/institution. Grants will be made through host institutions. Next deadline: November 1. Full details online or contact Susan Moss; email: susan.moss 539; fax: 020 7930 2170.

NATIONAL KIDNEY RESEARCH FUND www.nkrf.org.uk

Senior Fellowships Applications are invited for clinical and non-clinical senior fellowships. Clinical senior fellows should have completed a period of research training as well as initial clinical training. They should be investigators of great promise and have already shown evidence of a capacity for independent research. Non-clinical senior fellows should have extensive post-doctoral experience and have already demonstrated a sustained ability to conduct independent research and a commitment to studying diseases affecting the kidney and urinary tract.

Both types of senior fellowship are awarded for up to five years.

Training Fellowships The purpose of the award is to enable medical or scientific graduates to gain specialised training in renal research. For science applicants, the equivalent will be termed a career development fellowship. Applicants should hold a PhD and have had at least two years post-doctoral experience.

All applicants must be members of EU countries or resident in the UK - and all work must take place in the UK. Application forms can be downloaded from the website. Deadline: November 24. Contact: The National Kidney Research Fund, Kings Chambers, Priestgate, Peterborough PE1 1FG, fax: 01733 704685; email: grants@nkrf.

org.uk.

VOLKSWAGENFOUNDATION www.volkswagenstiftung.de/english/merkblat/merkphys.htm

Physics, Chemistry and Biology with Single Molecules This call addresses scientists who investigate single molecules as individual entities in their nanoscale environments or who intend to develop new methods for the characterisation and manipulation of single molecules. The priority area aims primarily at revealing phenomena that are specific to single molecules, thereby creating the scientific basis for applications, eg in nano-technology. The molecular objects suitable for consideration include biologically relevant macromolecules as well as organic and inorganic molecules synthesised to investigate the properties of interest. The characterisation and manipulation of single molecules can relate to mechanical, electrical, optical, chemical or biological properties. There are no application forms. Next deadline: October 31. In principle, applications receive equal consideration whether they are from abroad or from German institutions. However, the foundation does expect a specific cooperation with a German institution. Further information can be obtained from the website or from the office of the foundation: Dr Ulrike Bischler, phone +49-511-8381-350 or email: bischler@ volkswagenstiftung.de (do not forget to give your postal adress).

FOUNDATION FORTHE FUTURE www.futurefoundation.org

The foundation has developed a research grant programme to provide financial support to scholars undertaking research that is directly related to a better understanding of the factors affecting the quality of life forthe long-term futureof humanity.Individuals and organisations wishing to apply for grants in fields that are of interest to the foundation(see details on the website) are requiredto submit an online preliminary grant application. Next deadline: October 31. Contact: Foundation For the Future, 123-105th Avenue Southeast, Bellevue, WA 98004-6265, USA; tel: 425 451 1333; fax 425 451 1238; email: info@ futurefoundation.org.

NOVARTISFOUNDATION www.novartisfound.org.uk/bursary.htm Symposium Bursary Aims to enable young scientists to attend Novartis Foundation symposia and spend four weeks in the department of one of the symposium participants. Award: (a) travel expenses to symposium and host laboratory (b) board and lodgings for the duration of the bursary. Applicants must be aged between 23-35 years on the closing date for application. It is essential that they be actively engaged in research on the topic covered by the symposium. Contact: The Bursary Scheme Administrator, The Novartis Foundation, 41 Portland Place, London W1B 1BN; fax: 020 7436 2840; email: bursary@novartisfound.org.uk. Include the following information: full name, address and date of birth; title of symposium; qualifications and short resume of university education; career history, including full list of publications; full details of current research; aims of future career; names and addresses of two referees.

Endocrine facets of ageing in the human and experimental animal Jan 30 - Feb 1, 2001 Magnitudes and time courses of endocrine adaptations in the ageing human and experimental animal; influence of external factors on rates of progression of endocrine sequelae of ageing; mechanisms underlying disarray of endocrine axes in ageing. Deadline: November 17.

FIGHT FOR SIGHT www.fightforsight.org

Research Fellowship Applications are invited for the Fight for Sight Research Fellowship to start in 2001 in any area of vision research relevant to the charity's aims of prevention of blindness and treatment of eye disease. It is hoped that this will help the career development of a talented young post-doctoral scientist or a clinician specialising in ophthalmology. Applications will be considered from scientists or clinicians anywhere in the UK. Applicants must be aged 35 or under at the date they propose to start. Scientists must hold a PhD. Applications must be submitted on the research fellowship application form, which is available from the website or by email from: ffs@globalnet. co.uk; or by phoning 020 7608 4000. Deadline: November 3. Applications received after this date will not be considered. A decision should be made within three months. When submitting applications, send the original plus nine copies to Fight for Sight, Institute of Ophthalmology, Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL.

WELLCOME TRUST www.wellcome.ac.uk

Integrative Animal and Human Physiology The Wellcome Trust has launched a new initiative for the development of UK research capacity and training in integrative physiology in animals and humans. The initiative will support research programmes aiming to interpret genomic information in terms of phenotype at the organ, system (including the nervous system), and whole-animal/human level, leading to an increased understanding of the pathophysiology of disease. The major focus of the initiative will be on the establishment of a critical mass of basic and clinical scientists in this area within the UK and Ireland. The trust expects to support three to five applications with a total budget, for the whole scheme, of Pounds 15 million over five years. Preliminary application deadline: October 31. Full details on the web, or email: ppp@ wellcome.ac.uk; tel: 020 7611 7247. A more comprehensive version of this service is available to subscribers on our research microsite at www.thesis.co.uk