The John Vane Academy
The Sir David Jack Therapeutic Innovation Fellowship Scheme
About the Scheme
This new annual scheme is intended to support early-career researchers* with funding towards training, courses and/or conference attendance. This will allow the opportunity to develop and build on vital scientific exchange with centres of pharmacological excellence, with the ultimate aim of advancing therapeutic innovation.
The scheme will fund vital scientific exchange and training opportunities for early career scientists within QMUL’s Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, which will stimulate intellectual exchange and enrich their lives at a crucial formative stage. The scheme will be run by the WHRI within QMUL and will be used towards training the next generation of basic and clinical scientists in translational research into therapeutic innovation. The selection process will run under the auspices of the John Vane Academy, within the William Harvey Research Foundation (WHRF), currently Chaired by Professor Clive Page, King’s College London.
See below for more details, including the kinds of opportunities which are supported and the amounts of funding available for each.
Deadline: 12 noon, Tuesday 20th January 2026
Eligibility
To apply, you must:
- be an early-career researcher*
- study or work at one of the institutes within the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London AND
- be primarily involved in medical research (all fields will be considered but preference will be given to applicants whose research focuses on one or more of the following areas: cardiovascular disease, inflammation and endocrine disorders).
* For the purposes of this scheme, ‘early-career researchers’ are defined as PhD students and postdoctoral scientists within five years of the award of their PhD or within eight years of their primary medical degree (exclusive of significant career breaks).
Application Process
Complete one or more of the submission forms using the links below. Only one entry per category will be accepted (training, courses and/or conferences).
All entries will be anonymised and reviewed by members of the John Vane Academy Management Committee for shortlisting. Applications for training will go through a second round of shortlisting, involving in-person interviews.
Additional Information
Successful applicants will be asked to provide a written account of their experience within three months of their chosen training or event. This feedback will enable the JVA and QMUL to share success stories with the funders and help shape future opportunities.
This is a Sir David Jack Therapeutic Innovation Award, made possible by a generous donation, and awarded by the John Vane Academy & Queen Mary University of London.
Read more about Sir David Jack here
You may also be interested in the John Vane Bursary Scheme, which is currently accepting applications as well.
Learn more about this opportunity here
Questions about this award can be sent to the WHRF Programmes Manager, Mrs Amanda Craddock (a.craddock@qmul.ac.uk) or Institute Research Manager, Dr Agatha Ojugo (a.ojugo@qmul.ac.uk).
Training Awards
Funding available: up to £10,000 per successful applicant
Details: support towards travel and accommodation costs to undertake training in a new method or work with a dataset which is not available at QMUL, either within the UK or internationally.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview to discuss the details of the training and demonstrate their motivation and suitability for the funding. The panel will then select up to three successful applicants to attend their selected training course. These in-person interviews will be held at the Charterhouse Square campus in London on a date to be confirmed (currently scheduled for Wed 18th February 2026).
Proposals in which applicants are requesting top-up funding will be prioritised.
Course Attendance
Funding available: up to £4,000 per successful applicant
Details: funding towards attending training courses and workshops in cutting-edge techniques and analytical methods directly relevant to the pharmacology research project carried out by the applicant.
Up to five applicants will be selected to attend their proposed course.
Conferences & Learned Society Attendance
Funding available: up to £2,000 per successful applicant
Details: opportunities to present work and experience scientific exchange.
Up to five applicants will be selected to attend their proposed conference.
