New UK wide funding call for longer-term coronavirus research

The National Institute for Health Research has launched a new call inviting applications to better understand and manage the health and social care consequences of the global coronavirus pandemic beyond the acute phase, to help mitigate the impact of subsequent phases of the pandemic and its aftermath.

The current joint UKRI/NIHR rolling research call funds ‘urgent’ coronavirus related research which will have an impact within 12 months. Funding and delivering urgent coronavirus research remains our priority. This new call will sit alongside the rolling call, with a specific focus on research to inform policy and the recovery of the health, care and public health systems from the pandemic, with outcomes typically within 24 months.

The NIHR is welcoming applications which involve investigators spanning a range of specialties and scientific disciplines that are in the remit of one or more of the participating research programmes. Researchers who have previously submitted through the portal for urgent public health research and whose research does not meet the 12 month urgency criteria may wish to submit under the new call, where outcomes are typically expected within 24 months. They should review the criteria and consider whether it is appropriate to resubmit.

Andrew Farmer, co-chair of the NIHR Recovery and Learning Committee, said: “As we keep moving forward in the fight against Covid-19, I am pleased that the NIHR can support research in this important area. As research continues into the acute phase, it is vital that we look forward and start to consider how we can improve things in the future for us all.”