Mental Health Award: Using physical activity and circadian-based interventions to reduce anxiety and depression in young people
Funds multidisciplinary trials to test how physical activity or circadian interventions reduce anxiety and depression in 10–18-year-olds in the UK/Africa, emphasizing mechanistic understanding and real-world impact.
Funder: Wellcome Foundation
Due Dates: July 14, 2026 (Full application deadline, 15:00 BST)
Funding Amounts: £1–4 million per grant | 3–4 years | 5–10 awards expected
Summary: Funds mechanistically informed trials of physical activity and/or circadian-based interventions to reduce anxiety and depression in young people (10–18 years) in the UK and/or Africa.
Key Information: Teams must include relevant expertise (mental health, circadian/physical activity science, clinical trials) and lived experience; applications from diverse, interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.
Description
This funding opportunity supports large-scale, multidisciplinary research trials aiming to develop and rigorously evaluate physical activity and/or circadian-based interventions to reduce anxiety and depression in young people aged 10–18 years, focused on populations in the UK and/or Africa. Projects should integrate mechanistic study design—exploring how and why interventions work—with robust methodologies, clear implementation plans, and meaningful involvement of young people with lived experience. The goal is to generate scalable, evidence-based early interventions ready for real-world application, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, diversity, and inclusion.
