Sources of research funding

Each week we list funds available for researchers. Items for inclusion should be submitted to research@thes.co.uk

BRITISH COUNCIL, ITALY www.britishcouncil.it British-Italian Joint Research Programme 2000-2001 The British Council in Italy invites proposals to promote the development of British-Italian scientific cooperation between universities and public sector research institutes in Italy and the UK. It provides a contribution towards travel and living expenses, but does not cover research costs. Preference will be given to projects encouraging the exchange of younger researchers. Applications are invited in the following fields: changing the European demographic profile; food safety and preservation; efficient management and use of natural resources; distance learning. Deadline: October 31. Application forms can be obtained from the British Council website. Further information: claudia. criscuolo @britishcouncil.it.

WELLCOME TRUST www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/1/biosfgssssho.html Sir Henry Wellcome Commemorative Awards for Innovative Research 2001 (Showcase awards) These awards provide support of up to Pounds 85,000 for up to 18 months, for innovative and speculative research projects. Applicants are invited to submit adventurous and novel proposals. Applications from new postdoctoral researchers are encouraged. Applicants should be researchers based in universities or other institutes of higher education in the UK or Ireland. Individuals whose salaries derive from research councils, cancer charities or the commercial sector are not eligible. Preliminary applications should be made online. Full applications will be invited from those that, in the view of a specially convened panel are the most innovative. Preliminary deadline: October 6. Contact: Dr Gavin Malloch (SHoWCASe), Wellcome Trust, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE; email: showcase@wellcome.ac.uk.

ASSOCIATION FOR THE CURE OF CANCER OF THE PROSTATE (CaP CURE) www.capcure.org Competitive Awards CaP CURE distributes the bulk of its research grants in the form of competitive awards that provide one-year funding to scientists searching for cures and controls for advanced prostate cancer. The awards are made in a variety of areas, including genomics, molecular biology, angiogenesis, nutrition, alternative therapies and clinical medicine. Funding covers one year of research, but there are no restrictions on the number of times a scientist can apply. Grants cannot be used to pay for institutional overhead or other indirect costs. Contact: Cindy Berkson, Science Programs Manager, CaP CURE 1250, Fourth Street, Suite 360, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA; tel: 310 458 2873; fax: 310 458 8074. Application forms are downloadable. Deadline: October 15.

CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS Management Accounting and e-Business CIMA invites research proposals in the general area of e-business and its implications for management accounting and management accountants. Research proposals are requiredthat combine original investigation with practitioner relevance.

Several areas could be considered: management accounting in a real-time environment; protectionof intellectual property rights; management of management accountingin internet-based/web agent-based value chains; transactions authentication and fraud prevention; costing totally digital products; the challengesof an e-business setting;and valuing "com" businesses.

Deadline: October 31. Application forms can be obtained from Kelly Bint, PA/Administrator on 020 7917 9220. Questions should be directed to: Danka Starovic, Acting Research and Development Manager on 020 7969 3342.

Biotechnology and biological sciences research council www.bbsrc.ac.uk New Awards & Fast-Track Re-Run Activities of up to Pounds 2000 National Science Week provides a focus for researchers to promote public awareness and appreciation of science.It also offers an opportunity to obtain publicity for exhibitions, schools activities, open days, interactive experiments, media events, public meetings and lectures or any other ideas. All applications should: address public interests; explore underlying concepts and issues, rather than the straightforward provision of information; be interactive, and so enhance public access to science, scientists and the processes of science; be suitable for use and/or adaptation by other scientists. The scheme is open to: BBSRC grantholders and researchers funded on BBSRC grants; BBSRC postgraduate students; scientists and postgraduate students in the eight BBSRC funded institutes and Horticulture Research International. Application forms can be downloaded from the website. Deadline October 13. Applicants wishing to discuss their ideas can telephone Monica Winstanley or Natasha Martineau of BBSRC Public Affairs Branch on 01793 413204 or 413301. BBSRC, Polaris House, Swindon SN2 1UH.

NATIONAL OSTEOPOROSIS SOCIETY www.nos.org.uk Fellowship Grants Grants of approximately Pounds 15,000 per annum are available for up to three years for postgraduate applicants to learn new techniques and methodology and to improve their scientific knowledge of osteoporosis. Applicants are normally medical graduates however, nurses and other health professionals are considered. The successful candidate typically may register for a higher degree (eg PhD, MD) or for postdoctoral studies.

Project Grants The NOS funds specific project grants that are of clinical relevance to osteoporosis. Limited funds are available and part funding should be considered. For an application form and further information contact Sarah Emmett, Research Fundraising Assistant email: s.emmett@ nos.org.uk.

Deadline: October 31.

BP CONSERVATION PROGRAMME AWARDS www.bp.com/conservation Student teams from around the world are invited to enter the 2001 BP Conservation Programme Awards to secure funding, training and support for the field research projects that they are planning. All projects must address a recognised conservation issue of international importance, must involve local people and have clearance from the host government and the majority of team members should be under or post-graduates. Deadline: October 31. Entry forms can be submitted electronically via the programme website. For more information contact: Marianne Dunn, Programme Manager, The BP Conservation Programme, BirdLife International; tel: 01223 7 318; email: bp-conservation-programme@birdlife.org.uk.

34 researchThe Times HigherJseptember 29J2000 The Times HigherJseptember 29J2000 35 Compiled by Sarah Knowles. A more comprehensive version of this service is available to subscribers on our research microsite at www.thesis.co.uk