Clinical Research Funding Scheme
About this scheme
Key information
We’ve updated our clinical research funding scheme to align with our research strategy, encouraging bold and innovative applications that address critical clinical questions whilst deepening our understanding of cancer biology and treatment. This flexible and scalable modular-based scheme now replaces all existing schemes within the Clinical Research Committee. If you have any questions, please contact the clinical research funding team.
The clinical research funding scheme includes three interconnected modules: clinical trials, experimental medicine and sample collection. We recommend that you apply for all three modules together, but we will also consider standalone and mixed module applications if they are strongly justified. We encourage bold and creative applications for this scheme.
Applications must be:
- from a UK university, research institution, clinical centre or clinical trials unit (CTU)
- investigator-led
- developed with the involvement of an UKCRC registered CTU*
*Exceptions may apply for small-scale and/or non-complex, non-interventional studies where appropriately justified.
We welcome applications from early to established career researchers, as defined in our competency framework. PhD students are not eligible to apply for the scheme at this time. Please see our application guidelines, which will be available in mid-August, for more information.
Early-career researchers, under the develop independence heading, can apply to this scheme with the support of their group leader, supervisor, or mentor as:
1. lead applicant on smaller project-style applications for the experimental medicine and sample collection modules
2. joint-lead applicant or co-investigator on:
- applications for the clinical trial module
- larger programme-style applications to the experimental medicine module
- large and/or complex applications to the sample collection module
Scientific Remit
This scheme has been developed to enable effective delivery of our clinical research strategy to support high-quality clinical research that addresses important clinical questions and enhances our understanding of biological mechanisms. In order to achieve this, we encourage integrated applications incorporating all three modules.
Clinical Trial Module
This module supports interventional cancer treatment trials, including systemic treatment, radiotherapy, and surgery, with the aim of improving patient outcomes. We expect proposals, where possible, to have experimental medicine modules and sample collection modules integrated within the trial.
You can apply for funding or endorsement of a clinical trial module in any one of the following areas:
- pilot/feasibility study
- phase Ia/II dose finding trials testing safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy, including novel combinations of therapies and radiotherapy, and novel indications
- phase Ib/II or phase II trials testing the viability of larger trials, including the ability to recruit and/or explore tolerability or efficacy of treatments
- window of opportunity studies
- phase II/III or phase III trials to investigate the efficacy, effectiveness and tolerability of interventions with the aim of improving survival, or tolerability and patient outcomes
- surgical trials from stages 1-3 in accordance with the IDEAL framework
Sub-studies within the clinical trial module
Within a clinical trial application, you can incorporate sub-studies that add value to the overall study. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:
- equality, diversity and inclusion
- patient and public involvement
- quality of life
- methodology
- sustainability
Experimental Medicine Module
This module supports translational cancer research associated with a clinical trial or well-designed clinical study, which aims to enhance our understanding of biological mechanisms to improve treatment strategies for patients.
We expect the lead applicant(s) to this module to have both clinical and scientific expertise. This could be either an individual with clinical-academic training, or a scientist with a strong translational research focus (one lead applicant), or a collaboration between a clinician and scientist (two or more lead applicants).
We encourage experimental medicine applications to be integrated within a clinical trial proposal but will also consider standalone applications that meet one of the following criteria:
- a non-interventional clinical study recruiting patients, such as prospective cohort studies
- a standalone biomarker validation or qualification study which uses prospectively or retrospectively collected samples and/or data
- a study exploring data or computation-driven approach to clinical research
Proposals investigating the primary effects of cancer on whole-body physiology, where there is a clear impact on patient outcome, such as cachexia, are also supported within this module.
Sample Collection Module
This module supports the hypothesis-driven prospective collection of unique samples or images within a clinical trial or well-designed clinical study. You should apply for this module if you are collecting samples within a clinical trial or experimental medicine proposal.
We encourage the sample collection to be integrated within a clinical trial and/or experimental medicine proposal. We will consider standalone and/or non-hypothesis-driven sample collections, in exceptional and justified circumstances, particularly in priority areas such as cancers of unmet need, children’s and young people’s cancers and rare cancers.
If you are looking to apply for this scheme, please read the application guidelines (coming soon) for more information.
There are no funding limits to the modules, but as a guide, we suggest the following:
- clinical trials: £150,000 per year
- experimental medicine: Project costs of approximately £100,000 per year and programme costs of approximately £300,000 per year
- sample collection: £30-60 per block, £5-40 per blood sample
These are guide costs only, and higher or lower funding requests with appropriate justification will also be considered.
This funding can be used for:
- salaries for researchers and technical staff
- running expenses
- equipment
Staff salaries will usually be covered through existing infrastructure funding for standalone sample collection applications, but some staff support may be considered where appropriate justification is provided.
How to apply to this scheme
There are two funding rounds per year for the Clinical Research Scheme.
Applications follow a two- or three-step process:
1. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form to your Research Grants Manager. Complete and send us your EOI form at least one month and no later than two weeks before the submission deadline. We will confirm whether you are eligible, whether the proposal is within remit, and advise on the application process. You may choose to bypass the outline stage where one of the following applies:
- standalone sample collection applications
- standalone experimental medicine applications that are <£250,000 in total
- experimental medicine applications that have been reviewed as part of a clinical trial outline proposal by the CRC within two years of the associated trial grant start date
- clinical trial applications that do not intend to submit an experimental medicine proposal and are <£500,000 or internationally led
- standalone Clinical Trial endorsement applications
- the study follows seamlessly on from a feasibility study previously funded by us
- Costed amendment or extension to an existing study supported by us
2. Submit your outline application through our FlexiGrant system. The Clinical Research Committee will review it, provide feedback, and recommend whether a full application should be invited. The outline stage is a valuable opportunity to receive feedback from the Clinical Research Committee and enhance the quality of your proposal.
3. Submit your full application through our FlexiGrant system. We expect the full application to be submitted within 18 months of receiving the outcome of your outline application. The review process for full applications is as follows:
- Written Comments: your full application will be sent to the designated members of the Expert Review Panel for comments. The Expert Review Panel will provide written comments, and you will have an opportunity to respond to them.
- Expert Review Panel: the Panel will provide a recommendation to the Clinical Research Committee based on the scientific quality of your application. For particularly complex studies, you may be invited to present to the Panel.
- Clinical Research Committee: the Committee will make the final funding decision, considering the Expert Review Panel's recommendation and the alignment of your application with our research strategy and clinical research statement of intent.
Applications Deadlines
This scheme requires an initial outline submission followed by a full application. If your outline application is shortlisted, your full application will be reviewed in the subsequent funding round.
For review at our May 2025 committee meeting:
Full application deadline: 5 Dec 2024
Outline application deadline: 2 April 2025
For review at our Nov 2025 committee meeting
Full application deadline: 25 June 2025
Outline application deadline: 24 September 2025
You must read:
- Application guidelines
- Research Strategy and Statement of Intent
- Cost guidance to understand what we will and will not fund.
- Improving inclusion of under-served groups in clinical research
- Guidance on making a successful application
We expect patient and public involvement to be embedded across all modules. For advice on this, use our Patient and Public Involvement Toolkit for Researchers. You can also read the guidance on improving the inclusion of under-served groups in clinical research and our guidance on what makes a successful application.
Your proposal must be aligned with our relevant policies, including:
The Clinical Research Committee and its Expert Review Panel will judge all proposals based on the following criteria:
- importance and rationale of the research questions – both clinical and scientific
- alignment with our Research Strategy and Clinical Research Statement of Intent
- expected impact, or potential future impact, on clinical practice and patient outcome
- strength of study design, including statistical design, rationale and the appropriate integration of modules
- adequacy of background information and supporting evidence
- expected interest in patients and adequacy of the recruitment plan and supporting evidence, where appropriate
- expertise of the study team, including meaningful involvement of early career researchers
- likelihood of successful delivery
- appropriate, proactive and meaningful measures in place to improve equity of access to the study and promote more representative patient populations/samples
- appropriate and meaningful patient involvement in the development, delivery, governance and dissemination of the study
- suitable justification of costs, including the appropriate phasing of costings in line with expected milestones
For proposals inclusive of a sample collection and/or data analysis, additional criteria will be used in addition to the above:
- strength of the research hypotheses
- uniqueness of the opportunity to collect samples and/or data
- potential future value of the proposed samples and/or data
- appropriateness of techniques and procedures, including statistical aspects where applicable
- transparency of arrangements for sample discoverability and access for other research groups, including alignment with the FAIR principles
Yes. Academically sponsored studies which receive educational grants and/or free drugs from the pharmaceutical industry can be submitted for Cancer Research UK endorsement of the clinical trial module only. Within a clinical trial endorsement proposal, funding can be requested for associated experimental medicine and/or sample collection modules.
Industry-sponsored trials cannot be reviewed under this scheme.
The clinical research funding team accepts applications for funding extensions or no-cost extensions for all modules under this scheme in exceptional circumstances. Please contact them to discuss this and access the relevant application forms. You must read the extension application guidelines (coming soon) before starting your application, even if you have applied for funding with us before.
Yes. Amendments must be reviewed by the Committee where there is a significant change to the study design, sample size or study drug. Both costed and no-cost amendments are reviewed by the following process:
- contact the Clinical Research Funding team to discuss the need for an amendment and for access to an amendment application form
- read the amendment application guidelines before starting your application, even if you have applied for funding with us before
- submit the amendment application to the advertised deadline for that funding round
- review of amendment application at a Committee meeting
The deadlines for submission of a no-cost amendment application are:
| Amendment applications deadline | Committee review |
| 2 April 2025 | May 2025 |
| 24 September 2025 | November 2025 |
Applications are assessed first by an Expert Review Panel, then final funding recommendations are made by the Clinical Research Committee.
Cancer Research UK contact details
Before you can begin your application, you must complete an expression of interest form and contact your Research Grants Manager to discuss your proposal and any questions you may have:
Alex Fraser
Research Grants Manager
clinicalresearch@cancer.org.uk
If you have any questions, please get in contact with our clinical research funding team.
Application guidelines
Read our clinical funding scheme application guidelines on how to make a successful application.
Frequently Asked Questions
See our FAQ document to better understand the remit of this funding scheme.
Clinical Research Statement of Intent
Our statement of intent outlines how we implement the research strategy to answer key clinical questions and deepen our understanding of cancer biology to improve patient outcomes.