UK Obesity Research Institute: full application
Limited submission
UK Obesity Research Institute: full application supports a director-led research team investigating the biological drivers of obesity and related diseases to advance targeted prevention and treatment.
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Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: December 3, 2026, 4:00pm UK time (Full application)
Funding Amounts: Up to £72 million for seven years; potential for renewal; one award expected
Summary: Supports a director-led national institute investigating mechanistic biomedical drivers of obesity and related diseases to advance targeted prevention and treatment.
Key Information: Each eligible research organisation may lead only one application, but may co-lead or collaborate on others.
Description
The Medical Research Council (MRC), part of UKRI, and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) seek to establish an internationally leading UK Obesity Research Institute. A director-led, single-site research hub and partner sites will operate as a unified national institute, addressing major biological knowledge gaps and accelerating effective treatments and long-term prevention strategies.
Research should integrate fundamental biomedical science, medicine and technological innovation. Priorities include molecular and cellular mechanisms, the behaviour–biology interface, obesity-related chronic disease, weight-loss drug risks, experimental medicine and data-driven discovery. The BHF-funded component must have a distinct, ambitious cardiovascular focus. The institute should translate discoveries into real-world impact, develop multidisciplinary research capacity and embed meaningful public involvement and engagement.
