Experimental medicine stage one
Supports human experimental medicine studies to uncover disease mechanisms and inform future clinical advances, focusing on mechanistic hypotheses and safe interventions across all disease areas.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: October 7, 2026 (Stage one) | February 24, 2027 (Stage two, invited) | September 1, 2027 (Stage two, deferred)
Funding Amounts: No upper limit; 80% of full economic cost funded (100% for certain exceptions); project length is flexible and justified by scope.
Summary: Supports academically-led experimental medicine projects in humans to uncover disease mechanisms and enable future clinical advances.
Key Information: Stage one is required before invitation to stage two; all projects must involve an experimental intervention in humans.
Description
This opportunity funds academically-led experimental medicine studies in humans, focused on investigating the mechanisms, progression, and treatment of human disease. Projects must be based on a mechanistic hypothesis and include an experimental intervention or challenge in humans with an established safety profile. The goal is to generate new mechanistic insights into disease, identify opportunities to modify disease pathways, and lay the groundwork for novel therapeutic or diagnostic approaches. All disease areas and types of intervention are welcome, provided the project addresses a clear gap in understanding human pathophysiology and has a path to clinical impact.
Projects should use novel technologies or repurpose interventions with established safety profiles. The scheme does not support pre-clinical or animal studies, biomarker discovery, late-phase clinical trials, or the development of new therapeutics or diagnostics.
