BTS support for research bids

The British Thoracic Society supports high quality respiratory research through a number of activities, not least through the BTS Winter Meeting, the foremost showcase for UK and international research in the country.

BTS is pleased to offer support for research applications for respiratory research projects from UK researchers which meet the required criteria.

Criteria for support

Bids that are eligible for BTS support will meet one or more of the following criteria:

• requests for BTS support will be for competitive research applications awarded from recognised and reputable organisations such as charitable bodies, UK-RI or other national and international bodies.  This will explicitly exclude industry-led funding applications.
• supported research will reflect national or global priorities such as those outlined in the NHS long term plan, World Health Organisation or those generated through patient and public priority setting partnerships.
• supported research will reflect areas of unmet clinical need.
• supported research will be
  • individual Fellowship applications from UK-RI/NIHR or charitable funders
  • programme grant applications funded by UK-RI or charitable funders
  • multi-centred NIHR applications which will help build research capability/capacity across the UK

In addition research applications must also meet one or both of the following:

• supported research will include meaningful public and patient involvement and engagement
• supported research will be in accordance with the BTS mission statement, governance documents and policies

Successful applications which have received BTS support will be listed on the BTS website. A letter of support addressed to the research funder will be sent to the applicant for inclusion in the application.

Process

Submissions should be sent to BTS no later than four weeks before the grant submission deadline and include:

• A cover letter which outlines the funding application against the stated strategy (above).
• Your cover letter will also need to state which of the above criteria the application meets.
• A copy of the grant application (which could be in near final draft)

These documents will be reviewed by the BTS Science and Research Committee Chair and (selected) Committee members (in confidence) against the given strategy and a decision returned to the applicant.

Applications should be sent to bts@brit-thoracic.org.uk with the subject line: BTS support for research bids.