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The Andy Cole Fund Grant Awards

We are offering £250k of funding through the first set of Andy Cole Fund Grant Awards within our 2023 grants round 2.

“I set up the Andy Cole Fund to make a difference. I’m determined that we will find the best ways to support kidney patients’ mental health and improve the transplant experience.

Kidney disease is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with. We’ve got to make it better for others and research is the answer. I’m excited to see what projects we can fund through the Andy Cole Fund Grant Awards to help change the game for kidney patients.” Andy Cole, kidney patient and former England footballer

Transforming treatments for patients

The Andy Cole Fund Grant Awards will be made from applications submitted in grant round 2 that have the potential to:

  • transform transplantation: maximise the number of suitable donated kidneys; research into the causes of kidney transplant failure and the development of monitoring and treatments to better manage and prevent transplant rejection; to address the ‘fear of failure’ through research into the mental health challenges faced by kidney transplant patients; and research on the long-term use of immunosuppressive medication which reduces the life expectancy of kidney transplant recipients.
  • increase our understanding of how living with a long-term condition impacts mental health and how this affects patients with kidney diseases; how to prevent mental health problems; and, to help kidney patients with mental health problems get well and stay well.

Expressions of interest information

We are pleased to invite expressions of interest from teams or individuals whose proposals directly address the outcomes and evidence gaps above, and who seek initial or further support to establish their research career.

We are keen to encourage applications from new investigators who have not previously held competitively awarded project or start-up funding as a principal investigator.

Expression of interest applications will not be eligible for submission where:

  • the lead applicant already holds three or more concurrent active Kidney Research UK awards, excluding PhD Studentships and Start-up awards.
  • the application from the lead applicant would be within twelve months following the submission date of a previous Expression of Interest for that grant type.
  • The lead applicant has already made a submission of that grant type Expression of Interest application in any twelve-month period.

Both scientific and lay summaries will be used to assess each submission. Consideration will be given to how closely the proposal matches to our immediate research priorities and all submissions will be ranked according to their potential to deliver against these.

All applicants must be resident in the United Kingdom and the research must take place in a UK establishment.

Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full application in due course. This invitation is no guarantee of funding which will be competitively awarded. Only applications invited to the second stage will be considered. Applicants will be notified on 26 September 2023 if they are invited for a full application to be submitted by 5pm Wednesday 1 November 2023.

Closing date: 5pm,Friday 1 September 2023

To submit an expression of interest in applying for an Andy Cole Fund Grant Award, select the relevant research project, start-up or career award marked Grant round 2.

Closed for expression of interest

We welcome pre-submissions enquiries. You can find our more information about our grants in our regulations and conditions.

Regulations and conditions for applicants

If you have a question or would like further information contact:

[email protected]

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