British Skin Foundation Research Awards 2018-19
Young Investigator Award Application Guidelines

The British Skin Foundation is a unique charity committed to raising funds for skin disease research. Since its re-launch in 1996, it has raised and distributed more than £12 million in research grants to over 350 projects throughout the U.K and R.O.I. The BSF relies completely on non-statutory funding, usually donated by industry, trusts, the BAD and members of the public.

The British Skin Foundation annually distributes funds to U.K based skin disease research. The BSF Trustees call upon the services of a panel of specialists called the Grants Advisory Committee (GAC) whose task it is to judge the quality and standard of the applications. The committee is made up of 20 members representing the British Skin Foundation, British Association of Dermatologists and the British Society for Investigative Dermatology. The committee in turn call upon the expertise of referees from the relevant areas of study.

Application forms are available from April with a closing date of Friday 24th August 2018 at 23:59. Completed applications are forwarded on to the Grants Advisory Committee and referees in September. Grants will be awarded in early December and applicants are advised by the end of the year.

Completing the Application Form

Applicants are reminded that project proposals will only be accepted via the BSF online application portal. Applicants should also note that the Grants Advisory Committee considers clarity and accuracy, especially with regard to spelling, to be very important.

A BSF Young Investigator Award is available to anybody wishing to carry out U.K or R.O.I based research into skin disease.

No more than one application can be submitted by a Principal Investigator per application round. Applications will not be accepted from a PI who currently holds a Large Grant as a PI.

Applicants are expected to demonstrate the value of the project to dermatology.

The maximum amount of funds available is £90,000 (£45,000 per year) No ‘top-ups’ or extensions are available for any reason.

The maximum duration of the BSF Young Investigator Award is 2 years (although this may be extended by negotiation where there are issues around flexible working or career breaks/maternity leave).

The Principal Investigator must be a Scientist or Clinical Academic no more than 10 years into their post-doctoral research career.

The aim of the award is to support high quality research likely to lead to long term, large scale funding from a major medical research sponsor such as funding council or medical charity.

The Principal Investigator must demonstrate that he/she is the driving force behind the project and has a significant publication track record in the area.

The Principal Investigator must provide evidence of how the project may be able to drive a long term programme of research in the specific area.

The Project award will not cover the salary of the Principal Investigator.

The BSF Young Investigator Award must be activated within 12 months of the award letter.

The BSF Young Investigator Award funding is claimed by authorised finance departments submitting invoices at quarterly intervals.

A scientific and a lay report are to submitted both mid-term and upon completion.

The British Skin Foundation’s support to be mentioned in any relevant papers or presentations and copies to be forwarded to the BSF office.

As of 2017 the British Skin Foundation will no longer be able to provide feedback for unsuccessful grant applications.

Title of Project
This is best kept as brief and clear as possible. Applicants are asked to consider that the BSF use these titles for fundraising work among potential donors that do not necessarily have a scientific background.

Abstract of Research
Concise, clear and kept within the 250 word limit – there is more than enough space to go into further detail later.

Principal Investigator
The Principal Investigator must be the supervisor of the project and have overall responsibility for it.

Please explain the justification of the Principal Investigator by their qualification, expertise and role in the team.

Applications will not be accepted from a Principal Investigator who currently holds a BSF Large Grant as a PI. We encourage successful applicants to use BSF funding to enable them to apply for further funding to large funding bodies. If the PI on an application has held a BSF Large Grant as a PI in the previous 5 years, this will disadvantage the application to a relatively small, but definite, extent. If the PI on an application currently holds a BSF Large Grant as a co-applicant, this will disadvantage the application to a very minimal, but definite, extent.

Co-Applicants
Space is provided for up to 4 co-applicants. If you have more than 4 co-applicants, please email [email protected] with the details.

Financial Summary
Detail the equipment, consumables or other expenses (this can include salaries). Explain what each item will be used for and its cost.

It is important when calculating costs that provision for future pay awards are made. The BSF accept the difficulties there are with this equation and suggest that an average of previous year’s increases be used. Remember that the amount of a successful award is final!

Other Research Support
If the Principal Investigator has been a participant in a grant from the BSF within the last 5 years (from the date of the first invoice from your finance department received by the BSF office) please complete the section at the end of the page.

Value to Dermatology
Please explain the value of the project to dermatology briefly but concisely.

Proposed Project
Please outline the proposed project using the headings shown. Tables, figures etc. may be uploaded on this page of the application if needed (maximum of 2 pages, no references please).

Certification
It is vitally important that this section is competed. Applications lacking the relevant signatures will not be accepted. If those signing are not present to sign the same form, please upload a second signature page in this section. Electronic signatures will be accepted.

For queries, please contact: [email protected].