MRC Funding to Develop and Evaluate Innovative Methods to Study Adolescent Health

Funding available to develop and evaluate innovative tools and methods for health and wellbeing research in older children and adolescents between eight and 18 years old in support of the new MRC Adolescent Health Study (AHS).

The Medical Research Council (MRC) is offering funding to support research projects lasting 18-24 months that will develop and evaluate tools and methods specifically for working with older children and adolescents in longitudinal population studies. Proposals could identify innovative new approaches or aim to improve, adapt or validate existing research methods or tools.

The tools and methods developed will need to be delivered for testing during the pilot phase of the MRC Adolescent Health Study (AHS), a new, large-scale MRC longitudinal population study to accelerate research to understand health trajectories and outcomes in adolescents. The aim is to develop and evaluate tools and methods that will help to enhance AHS and will give it the best possible chance of success.

Applications are welcomed for methods and tools relevant for use in the age range of eight to 18 years, as well as those that will develop and evaluate tools and methods for use in specific, narrower age ranges within the eight to 18 year range. The outputs should aid and enhance engagement, recruitment, retention and assessment.

Projects can have general health relevance or can be tailored to specific health research areas and may span relevant interests of more than one UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) research council. Projects should involve adolescents and other stakeholders as relevant, including schools and parents or guardians, noting that AHS will be a schools-based study.

Applicants must be researchers employed at an eligible research organisation and have at least a postgraduate degree, although a PhD or medical degree is preferred.

Applications are welcomed from collaborative and interdisciplinary teams. Applications may span relevant interests of several UKRI research councils.

£600,000 is available to support approximately six proposals. The full economic cost of an individual project can be between £62,500 and £187,500. MRC will fund 80% of the full economic cost, meaning the MRC contribution can range between £50,000 and £150,000.

Funds may be requested to support costs attributable to the study, including:

  • Investigator and research staff time.
  • Consumables.
  • Data management.
  • Equipment.
  • Reasonable adjustment costs for researchers with additional needs.
  • Travel.

Applications should be submitted by the 27 October 2022 (16:00) deadline.

(This report was the subject of a ResearchConnect Newsflash.)