Latest NIHR Funding Opportunities

This is a 2-stage, commissioned funding opportunity. To apply for the first stage you should submit an outline application. If invited to the second stage, you will then need to complete a full application.

Research question

What is the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)?

Patient group

Newborn babies undergoing routine newborn blood spot screening.

Intervention

Addition of a PCR screen for SMA to the newborn blood spot standard screening programme. Applicants to define and justify the test to be used. Applicants should consider using laboratories that already have the technology and facilities to carry out this test to enable the rapid start-up of this project.

As part of the NIHR Inequalities Challenge, we are looking to fund a research consortium to prevent cardiovascular disease. This is a 2-stage, commissioned funding opportunity.

To achieve membership of the consortium, organisations will need to have a track-record of world-leading research within an area relevant to tackling cardiovascular inequalities as well as a strong track record of developing research capacity.

To support the evaluation of effective interventions to optimise blood pressure and minimise the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke, specific areas of interest for the NIHR Inequalities Challenge include:

• early detection and optimal management of hypertension and raised cholesterol particularly in higher risk groups specifically the Core20PLUS population groups and younger age groups (dynamically responsive to current and future UK population needs specifically multimorbidity)
• equitable and affordable supported self-management and personalised prevention, leveraging wearables and other digital health technologies to reduce health inequalities including related issues such as data integration, access and digital poverty
• innovative public health messaging and education including supporting sustained behaviour change to improve health outcomes specifically facilitating adherence and continuation of medication    

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The following themed call has opened, ‘Prevention revolution: early action to prevent poor outcomes’, a targeted prevention funding opportunity which is part of a co-ordinated response by NIHR to the DHSC areas of research interest 1 (ARI1).

Current funding opportunities for ARI 1 include:

• Prehospital cardiac troponin testing to rule out NSTEMI
• Improving diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection in older adults
• Early action within primary care
• Product Development Awards (PDA) – April 2025
• Midlife interventions
• Coastal communities
• Uptake of population screening programmes
• NIHR PGfAR DHSC areas of research interest 1 early action to prevent poor health outcomes
• Healthy extended working lives
• Commercial determinants of health