Invest in ME Research Grants Policy

Invest in ME supports high quality, biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

The following paragraphs detail our policy and procedures for applying for funding for such research. The charity welcomes applications for grants for projects of 6 months - 3 years duration.

Anyone wishing to apply for a grant from the charity should use the form below to apply, having first appraised oneself of the conditions for grant applications.

It is emphasised that Invest in ME’s ethos is to initiate high-quality biomedical research into ME as an urgent requirement. Priority will be given to research which maximises the potential to find causality for ME and/or which promises to provide the greatest improvement for people with ME.

Our priorities are steered by the unequivocal belief that ME is of organic origin and requiring a strategy of biomedical research with international collaboration.

Our Research Priorities

1. Medical research into:

• Research associated with Causality

• Translational biomedical research to provide effective treatments for ME

• Accurate and comprehensive diagnosis

• Improved education of healthcare professionals about the disease

• Telemedicine for use with and by ME patients and their physicians

• Raising awareness amongst the public, the media and academia

Collaboration

Collaboration has been one of the central tenets of Invest in ME’s policy since our 2007 international ME conference in London. As a founding member of the European ME Alliance we work with international colleagues (advocates, researchers, research organisations and physicians) to make rapid progress in finding the cause of ME and providing treatments for all.

Funding applications will be considered from outside of the UK though we do prefer to use collaborations with UK and European organisations and researchers.

Our Research Funding Opportunities

Invest in ME Research is committed to funding high-quality biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

This a fundamental part of our strategy for ME which includes creating a UK/European Centre of Excellence for ME (CoE) [1].

The CoE influences our choice of looking for translational biomedical research which can discover causality and provide treatments – in a direct and expeditious way. This therefore means that we are looking for biomedical research applications – covering virology, immunology, endocrinology with particular emphasis on autoimmunity.

Invest in ME Research does not hold large unallocated amounts in a bank for research.

We are not a membership charity as we believe ME patients should have access to free information and we try always to offer our products or services for free or at cost price.

We campaign for the interests of patients and carers to try to ensure that those most vulnerable are not taken advantage of.

We believe it is inappropriate and wasteful to store large amounts of funds which are unused and which just wait for applications.

Instead we believe in identifying valid research which fulfils our strategic aims and then in initiating a funding campaign to attain the required funds.

A list of current opportunities can be seen at this link.

How Funding is Awarded

Due to the way in which Invest in ME promotes research and seeks a strategic approach to research we prefer to request ideas for research projects or to identify them ourselves and then perform fund-raising campaigns to raise the necessary funds.

The way we promote the search for ideas is via our conferences, our researchers meetings [5] and our newsletters.

Academic institutions most likely to perform the sort of translational biomedical research into ME that we require are invited to our research meetings and to our conferences. We also circulate our newsletter to many different academic institutions.

In this way we believe we build awareness of our requirements and opportunities.

With the gut microbiome research [2], which is our foundation project for a centre of excellence for ME, we directly sought support and assistance from University of East Anglia as that university plays an important role in the Norwich Research Park, which is the location for our proposed centre.

Peer Reviewing

The charity has a list of external reviewers whom we will ask to peer review any applications for funding and projects. We will assess all applications based on the relevance and usefulness of the research and in accordance with our research priorities, scientific merit, timescale and cost.

How to Apply

Application Forms are available here –

Word 

PDF   

The award of any research grants will be according to Invest in ME’s terms and conditions and all decisions regarding acceptance or non-acceptance of research applications are the charity’s and will be final.

Medical Ethics

Projects funded by Invest in ME are to be conducted in accordance with the guidelines and principles described by the Declaration of Helsinki [3]. It is expected that the research will be verified and approved by the appropriate research & development and ethics committees related to the research team. 

Dedicated Funds

Invest in ME will maintain ring-fenced funds for those projects which require dedicated campaigns to support the fund-raising activities.

Invest in ME also maintains a general Biomedical Research Fund [4] which is used for many activities associated with biomedical research. 

Use of Animals in Medical Research

The projects currently envisaged or being funded by Invest in ME are not, as far as we are aware, involving animals, and the charity currently has no plans to do so.

Dissemination of results

Results from Invest in ME-funded projects would be expected to be published in  professional scientific journals. Invest in ME will expect frequent reports on progress of the research which would be disseminated though our web site, newsletter and Journal.

References:

CURRENT or PREVIOUS RESEARCH EXAMPLES