Medical Research Council: every grant open right now (March 2026)
£2.5M+ available: Complete list of open MRC grants for March 2026. University researchers & health tech SMEs - find your funding match now.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the UK's main public funder of medical and health research. They back everything from basic laboratory studies to clinical trials, with most grants going to universities and research institutes. However, some opportunities exist for innovative SMEs working in health technology or biotech.
Here's what's currently open:
| Grant Name | What it funds | Funding | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental medicine stage one | Research with human interventions | Up to £10,000,000 | 15 April 2026 |
| Pre-clinical translational models hub | UK hub for human cell models | Up to £25,000,000 | 21 May 2026 |
| Small molecule screening (AstraZeneca) | Access to drug screening facilities | Up to £270,000 | 9 September 2026 |
| Future Leaders Fellowships | Early career researchers and innovators | Up to £110,000,000 | Rolling |
| UKRI Translation: Proof of Concept | Turning research into products | Up to £9,000,000 | Rolling |
| Metascience research grants | Research into research effectiveness | Up to £6,000,000 | Rolling |
Grants worth your attention
Experimental medicine stage one
This £10 million grant funds research that includes interventions in humans, such as clinical trials or studies testing new treatments. You need a strong research team and must demonstrate how your work will improve human health. The 15 April 2026 deadline is firm.
Small molecule screening with AstraZeneca
This gives you access to AstraZeneca's compound library and high-tech screening robots for up to £270,000. Perfect for biotech companies developing new drugs who need to test thousands of compounds quickly. You'll work at AstraZeneca's facilities but keep your intellectual property rights.
Future Leaders Fellowships
These fellowships support ambitious researchers and innovators across all fields, not just traditional medical research. You can get up to £110,000,000 over several years to establish your own research programme. The scheme welcomes applications from industry researchers and entrepreneurs with innovative ideas.
UKRI Translation: Proof of Concept
This £9 million fund helps turn research discoveries into commercial products or services. You need existing research results that show commercial potential. The grant covers prototype development, market research, and intellectual property protection.
University-focused grants
Most other MRC grants target academic researchers at universities and research institutes. The Pre-clinical translational models hub seeks to establish a £25 million national facility, but requires existing research infrastructure. The various fellowship programmes support PhD students and early-career academics rather than business applications.
Before you apply
MRC applications need robust scientific evidence and clear health benefits. They want to see preliminary data proving your concept works, not just theoretical proposals. Your research team must include people with relevant track records in medical research or drug development.
Budget carefully and justify every cost. MRC reviewers scrutinise expenses closely and reject applications with unrealistic or poorly explained budgets. Include equipment, staff time, and consumables with specific quotes where possible.
Demonstrate patient and public involvement in your research design. MRC increasingly requires evidence that patients or healthcare professionals have helped shape your research questions and methods. This isn't a tick-box exercise but genuine collaboration.
Connect your work to existing MRC priorities like antimicrobial resistance, mental health, or healthy ageing. Applications that align with their strategic themes score better than standalone projects, however innovative.
Set up grant alerts for medical research grants to catch new MRC opportunities as they open.