SCIENTISTS who want money from Britain鈥檚 Medical Research Council in
future had better learn how to work together.
In the biggest shake-up in the MRC鈥檚 funding process for three decades, the
council is abolishing its traditional three-year project grant. These are
awarded to individual scientists, and account for 拢10 million of the MRC鈥檚
annual spending.
In place of the project grants come several new schemes, designed to foster
collaboration between researchers in centres of excellence. 鈥淚t鈥檚 no good
supporting someone who doesn鈥檛 have the best infrastructure and intellectual
environment around them,鈥� says George Radda, the MRC鈥檚 chief executive.
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A new system of 鈥渃ooperative group grants鈥� will provide additional funding to
teams of at least three researchers鈥攑referably from different departments
at the same institution鈥攚ho propose ways of pooling expertise, equipment
and ideas. While two of the researchers have to be existing MRC grant-holders,
additional members can be funded by charities, industry or other research
councils. 鈥淚t looks a good move,鈥� says Colin Campbell, vice-chancellor of the
University of Nottingham.
Researchers at universities that cannot muster a team able to compete for a
cooperative grant will qualify for 鈥渄evelopment grants鈥� to help to bring them up
to scratch.
The council is also planning large 鈥渃entre grants鈥�, which, together with
funding from a university, will be used to establish specialised facilities.
Radda expects to establish about 20 of these centres of excellence. 鈥淭here鈥檚
something in it for anyone who鈥檚 any good,鈥� he says.
Many young scientists who lack permanent jobs rely on the MRC鈥檚 project
grants. To meet their needs, the MRC has earmarked 拢7.2 million a year for
120 grants, lasting for five years, open exclusively to young researchers.