Launch of new pre-doctoral early career fellowships for respiratory HCPs

BTS and A+LUK are offering up to £40,000 for up to six months (or pro-rated for longer periods) to support the development of a follow-on funding application. Examples of activities that this grant could support include:

• Developing research ideas and project plans that will lead to an application/s to a National funding body.
• Conducting pilot or feasibility studies to collect initial data to inform an application/s to a National funding body.
• Performing desk research required to evidence for a National funding body application and/or justify unmet patient need.
• Identifying collaborators/mentors to allow the submission of a National funding body application.
• Putting together a robust patient and public involvement approach, as may be required to allow the submission of a research application to a National funding body application.

The award is open to any healthcare professional, including Allied Healthcare Professionals, and it is hoped these funds will help support the next generation of clinical researchers.

BTS President, Professor Nick Maskell, says:

“At a time when there is a real decline in clinical academic research capacity across the UK, BTS and A+LUK have teamed up to try and support the next generation of respiratory academics.

We are all aware that obtaining PhD funding via a National body (eg MRC or NIHR) is extremely competitive. This funding stream is designed to give healthcare professionals the resources to step away from their busy day job and fully commit the time needed to produce a PhD application to be proud of. This award could be the start of an amazing future research career! Good luck, the respiratory community is counting on you!”

For more details and how to apply, please use the Flexi-Grant portal on the A+LUK website.

Closing date for applications: Friday 13 February 2026 at 3pm.