UK: Campaigns for other illnesses where funders encouraged researchers to apply for funding?

Can anyone think of any examples where the UK research funding bodies have, collectively or individually, either initiated or taken part in an awareness campaign which encouraged researchers to apply for funding from them for particular illnesses?

 

I would search the UKRI website for highlight notices / opportunities (https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/ — be sure to include 'Closed' in your search criteria). Here is one for ME/CFS: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/researching-me-cfs-highlight-notice/

And then do the same on the NIHR website if there's a good search facility.

 

Thanks. Interesting to note that this is the existing one, dating back to 2003, updated. It looks good but manages not to talk about PEM at all.

What I'm hoping to find though is evidence for the funders being more proactive than this in other diseases. Despite the claim, "Building our portfolio of ME/CFS research has been a high priority for MRC for a number of years.", the last 20 years has seen them fail, so it would be good to find examples where they have succeeded by doing things differently.

 

I think there was a big campaign to fund Alzheimer's research about tenders ago but I don't know details - involving MRC.

 

The MRC funds the Dementias Platform, https://www.dementiasplatform.uk/

and are listed as one of the founding partners for the Accord Collaboration, "The national ACORD collaboration was formed in 2021 to encourage and support the development, running and reporting of Multi-arm, Multi-stage Platform Trials (with their associated scientific and infrastructure projects) in four major neurodegenerative diseases: MND, Progressive MS, Parkinson’s Disease and ultimately Dementia.", https://www.mrcctu.ucl.ac.uk/our-research/neurodegenerative-diseases/acord-collaboration/

 

£50m to accelerate Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research

"The NIHR will play a critical role in new government action speeding up research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND) across the UK, with immediate investment so patients can benefit from cutting edge treatment and medicines sooner.
Last year, £50 million was committed to MND research over the next five years by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, reinforcing progress being made by the UK’s world-leading scientists.

The government is now accelerating £29.5 million of the committed funding into specialist research centres and partnerships with leading researchers to reduce bureaucracy and help researchers access funding as quickly as possible."

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/50m-to-accelerate-motor-neurone-disease-mnd-research/32226

 

£8m to speed up research into new treatments for Motor Neurone Disease (MND)

"NIHR is announcing its next major step in new government action to speed up research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND). This is part of a £50 million commitment to MND research over 5 years - by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Subject to contracts being signed, NIHR will be investing almost £8 million into early phase clinical research for MND. This will seek to speed up innovative new treatments for patients."

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/8m-to-s...reatments-for-motor-neurone-disease-mnd/33749