Published: 8 June 2026

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is awarding £37 million in funding to medical research charities to support early career researchers. 

The scheme, in partnership with the AMRC, will help medical research charities continue to play a vital role in igniting research careers, building research capacity and sustaining the talent pipeline.

Where the funding will go

The funding will be awarded to 89 charities covering a wide range of health conditions. The majority of the investment will be used to support over 800 charity-funded researchers with their research, learning, and career development. 

Charities will also be encouraged to use funding to embed research across the health, social care, and public health system. This will include engaging with the health and care workforce to raise awareness of research in under-represented professions and settings.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR, said: “This year, NIHR is celebrating 20 years of investing in research and the development of our research workforce. Our partnerships with medical research charities have been integral to this from the start. Working together we have built research expertise and empowered experts to tackle the biggest challenges in health and care, ensuring that breakthroughs in key areas continue to reach the people who need them most.

“Through this £37 million investment, we will support hundreds of early-career researchers across England, creating our research leaders of the future."

Health Minister Preet Gill said: "The UK is a global life sciences superpower, and medical research charities play a vital role in developing life-saving treatments.

“This £37 million government investment will strengthen our workforce by supporting early-career researchers to become the science leaders of the future, helping to drive the breakthroughs of tomorrow.

“This is our 10 Year Health Plan in action, backing the next generation of researchers to build an NHS that is fit for the future.”

Nicola Perrin, Chief Executive of AMRC, said: “AMRC warmly welcomes this funding and the government’s recognition of the vital role medical research charities play in supporting the next generation of researchers.

Charities do more than invest - they connect researchers with patients and communities, grounding research in real-world needs and inspiring long-term careers.

We are proud to have helped bring this forward and hope it will strengthen the clinical research workforce by retaining talent, accelerating innovation and improving outcomes for patients.”

Supporting research across a wide range of health conditions

The funding will support charities across a number of key areas, including cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and neurological conditions. It will also impact charities covering a wide geographical spread. 

Alastair Richards, CEO of North West Cancer Research, said: “North West Cancer Research is delighted to receive generous funding from the early career researcher scheme. Early career researchers are a vital part of the research environment and critical in advancing our knowledge around cancer and the impact it has in our region. If we are to tackle the inequalities which exist in north-west England then funding such as this is essential.”

Aoife Regan, Director of Impact and Charitable Programmes at Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity), said: “We welcome the government’s continued support for early career researchers, who bring fresh thinking and the drive to tackle some of the most complex challenges in rare disease. By backing the next generation of child health researchers at a critical stage, together we can accelerate progress towards earlier diagnoses, better treatments and improved outcomes for seriously ill children and their families, to give them the best chance and best childhood possible.” 

Liberty Harrison, interim CEO, BRACE Dementia Research said: "This funding allows BRACE to support more early-career researchers, driving innovative dementia research forward across the South West of England. With real momentum building around earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments, we can continue investing in our research pipeline, bringing hope of a brighter future to all affected by dementia."

Professor James Leiper, Director of Research at the British Heart Foundation, said: "To continue making lifesaving progress for the millions affected by cardiovascular disease, we need to ensure strong support for scientists as they start their careers. Only this will allow us to tackle the biggest research challenges long into the future.

"We welcome this support from NIHR to help fund our most promising early career researchers. This will enable us to continue in our goal of supporting a broad, diverse and world-leading cardiovascular research community in the UK, from PhD students to our foremost professors."