Pump Priming Award 2023

We know that it is often a struggle to get that first big research grant. To help a university lecturer, postdoctoral researcher/postdoctoral research fellow/postdoctoral research associate working in human nutrition to undertake the pilot work needed to generate data that can be used as the basis of a more substantial grant application, the British Nutrition Foundation is providing the opportunity to apply for a grant of £5000 in 2023. 

These grants have been made possible over the years through the British Nutrition Foundation’s management of the Drummond Memorial Fund, established in memory of the work and contribution of Sir Jack Drummond.

The 2022 British Nutrition Foundation Drummond Pump Priming award winner was Dr Aygul Dagbasi, Post-doctoral Researcher at Imperial College London. Details of Dr Dagbasi’s project can be found here.

The award

Should the grant be awarded, the successful applicant will be invited to our British Nutrition Foundation Annual Day (including formal lunch and annual lecture) in November 2023 where they will be presented with a certificate (attendance is optional). The award winner would also be invited to write an article for the British Nutrition Foundation’s peer reviewed journal Nutrition Bulletin at a later date, detailing how the award supported their research.

Eligibility criteria

The applicant must be a UK-based postdoctoral researcher/postdoctoral research fellow/postdoctoral research associate or lecturer working in the field of human nutrition and within 5 years of their first academic appointment following completion of their PhD. Those who are beyond 5 years of their first academic appointment following completion of their PhD but took formal time out during this period for personal reasons (e.g. maternity/paternity/adoption leave; long-term ill-heath) may still be eligible. Such instances will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and you should contact Edith Mhango e.mhango@nutrition.org.uk to discuss eligibility.

As the award is for early-stage researchers, individuals who have been a principal investigator or co-principal investigator on a successful UK Research Council or EU funded grant are not eligible to apply.

The public health relevance of the proposed work will be considered, and preference will be given to studies involving humans (in vivo and ex vivo work) and those focussing on whole foods or diets rather than just supplements. It is a requirement that the funding should be used to obtain pilot data that will lead to the applicant’s first major grant application. The source of funding (British Nutrition Foundation Drummond Memorial Fund) should be acknowledged in the subsequent grant application and in any publications arising from the work.

The British Nutrition Foundation Drummond Pump Priming grant may be used to fund equipment and consumables required for laboratory work and human studies including test foods, scientific or clinical assays/reagents/equipment (providing quotes for these alongside your application is useful), travel (where this is necessary for data collection) or human subject honoraria.

Applications requesting funding towards salaries, generic IT equipment (e.g. laptops, statistical software) or conference attendance will not be considered.

Funding must not have already been received from elsewhere for the proposed work. In the event that a funding application has been submitted elsewhere (for a UK Research Council, EU funded grant or other funding source) for the proposed work, please state this within the application along with an estimated date by which you will know the outcome.

Selection process

Applications will be reviewed both internally by the British Nutrition Foundation and externally by selected members of our Trustees and Committees (applications will be blinded for judging).

To apply

Please complete the application form below which requires the following information to be detailed: a summary and justification of the planned work, including the background (scientific rationale and public health relevance), study aims and objectives, a description of study methods, timeline, a cost breakdown and an explanation of how the work would feed into a major grant application (maximum 1500 words). Applications should be adequately referenced. Alongside this please submit a short CV (maximum 1 page) which will be reviewed for verification of eligibility only. Proposals will be judged on their potential impact, so applicants must explain how the work will feed into a major grant application and include information on the proposed funding agency and the grant type. Please also provide a letter of support from your Head of Department.

Completed applications should be sent to Edith Mhango e.mhango@nutrition.org.uk.

Timeline

The closing date for applications is midnight on 7 May 2023.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome by the end of July 2023.

The award will be presented at an awards ceremony at British Nutrition Foundation Annual Day on 7 November 2023 in central London.

We are no longer accepting applications for the Pump Priming Award 2023.