Applications Invited for UK-Malaysia Joint Partnership on Non-Communicable Diseases

The UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MoE) have launched an initiative through the Newton-Ungku Omar Fund to provide funding for UK-Malaysian collaborative research projects focused on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Malaysia. MoE and MRC welcome proposals across the spectrum of NCDs and have highlighted the following areas of interest as particular priorities:

Obesity-related research.

Cardiovascular disease, especially young myocardial infarctions.

Proposals are welcomed across a full range of research activities, including, but not limited to, basic discovery research, epidemiology, understanding the mechanisms of disease, novel detection and diagnosis, development of therapeutics/interventions. Proposals must fall within the remits of both funders.

As proposals must meet Newton Fund requirements (eg compliance with Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding rules), it is crucial that applications are of specific relevance to the Malaysian population. For example, this may include understanding the cause of disease or epidemiology in the Malaysian population, or the development or implementation of interventions for resource-poor communities.

UK Principal Investigators (PI) must be based at one of the following:

Higher education institutions.

Independent research organisations.

Government funded organisations (other than MRC funded units and institutes).

MRC units/institutes.

University units (former MRC units).

Applications with industry engagement are welcomed, although funding is not provided to industrial partners.

Up to £3 million of MRC funding is available, and up to £2 million from MoE. MRC provides funding for UK-based applicants under standard arrangements and at 80% FEC. The size of grants will vary according to the needs of projects but it is expected projects will cost up to a maximum of £400,000 (max. £350,000 from MRC) and therefore around ten projects of up to two years in duration will be funded.

Projects must start in both the UK and Malaysia by December 2019. Projects may be up to two years in length and must have completed by 31 December 2021.

Researchers should initially indicate their intention to submit a proposal by completing an online expression of interest form by the 3 May 2019 deadline.

Full applications must be submitted by UK PIs on behalf of both UK and Malaysia PIs to MRC by the 29 May 2019 deadline.

More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.