Objective:
- Enable researchers to spend time in different research or user environments to build new connections relevant to health technologies.
- Support novel engineering and physical sciences (EPS) research contributing to the EPSRC health technologies strategy.
- Develop new skills, collaborations, and pilot projects addressing unmet health needs and advancing health technologies.
- Address the strategic enabler of supporting knowledge and skills in health technologies to build capacity for future skills across health technology challenges.
Target Beneficiaries:
- Researchers based at UK research organizations eligible for EPSRC funding.
- Individuals or teams from EPSRC core research fields or other disciplines aiming to develop health technologies research.
- International researchers can participate as project co-leads under specific international agreements.
- Host organizations can be academic, industry, clinical, or public sector entities in the UK or abroad.
Key Features:
- Funding up to £500,000 (full economic cost), with EPSRC funding 80% of the cost.
- Award duration up to 36 months with flexible work patterns (full-time abroad, part-time at home institution, etc.).
- Funding covers salaries, travel, training, consumables, equipment (£25,000 to £400,000 per item), and impact activities.
- Emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, understanding healthcare challenges, and translation of research.
- Encourages diversity, equality, and inclusion, supporting flexible working and career breaks.
- Mandatory "Intention to Submit" declaration before full application.
- Applications submitted via the UKRI Funding Service (not Je-S).
- Assessment based on vision, added value, team capability, career development, resources, ethics, and organizational support.
- Applicants must align projects with one or more of the three EPSRC health technologies challenges, with a focus on population health and prevention.
- Supports career development and skills acquisition in health technologies.
- Collaboration with multiple host organizations allowed.
- Includes guidance on ethical and responsible research, trusted research and innovation principles, and COVID-19 disruption considerations.
Application Process:
- Open from 19 June 2025 to 2 October 2025.
- Mandatory intention to submit by 18 September 2025.
- Applications completed and submitted through the UKRI Funding Service.
- Requires detailed responses on vision, approach, added value, team capability, career development, and resources.
- Includes submission of project partner details and letters of support if applicable.
- Applications undergo expert panel review with feedback provided.
- Applicants encouraged to watch the webinar and review FAQs for guidance.
This funding opportunity aims to foster innovative, interdisciplinary health technology research by enabling researchers to gain new skills and collaborations in diverse environments, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes and technology translation.
