NERC: NEOF Pilot Project Grants Competition – Early Career Researchers

30/11/2023

01/03/2024

To help scientists working within the NERC remit to take advantage of these opportunities, NERC is providing funding for small pilot/development projects that wish to access the latest genome sequencing technologies. This provides access to omics capabilities (Genomics, Metabolomics and Proteomics) to the UK environmental research community. Each successful project will include access to staff, equipment and consumables costs, to a total value of up to £15,000 plus some bioinformatics support. Successful applicants will be required to report publications or other outputs arising from work conducted at the facility in line with NEOF standard terms and conditions.

Pilot/development projects should be directed at generating preliminary data or proof of concept in advance of full research grant or fellowship proposals, particularly when it is necessary to demonstrate the applicability or the technical feasibility of new techniques or approaches to NERC-relevant research problems. Examples could include proposals wishing to demonstrate, within a NERC context, ‘digital’ transcriptomics using next-generation sequencing, deep metagenomics of environmental samples, de-novo genome assembly from long-read data, or the use of high-throughput sequencing as a genetic tool in natural populations. Proposals can also include a request for support with bioinformatic analysis.

Career stages Early Career and Emerging in Field; Mid-Career to Established in Field Eligibility Note This call is specifically for early career researchers (ECR) within NERC’s remit. Applicants should make clear the relevance of the work to NERC’s strategic remit and how the proposal would promote their transition towards being an independent researcher, develop their career or provide pilot data that will lead to further work and/or proposals for full funding.