Kingston University achieves Medical Research Council funding consortium success to support postdoctoral clinical research careers

A consortium involving Kingston University to help support postdoctoral clinicians has received major investment from the Medical Research Council (MRC).

The London Launchpad Regional Accounts for Clinical Researchers (RACR) consortium has been awarded £700,000 for the first two years of the four-year pilot to provide flexible, targeted support for postdoctoral clinical academics who are preparing for a career transition or returning to research after a break. It is one of 10 RACRs bringing together more than 50 research and 60 NHS organisations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as part of a £9.7 million investment.

The MRC London Launchpad RACR consortium, led by University College London will see Kingston University join forces with King’s College London, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London South Bank University, Queen Mary University of London and NHS Trusts, hospital charities and NIHR Biomedical Research Centres in the region.

The London Launchpad RACR scheme is designed to support post‑PhD clinicians across medicine, dentistry and the nursing, midwifery and allied health professions who:

• Are within three years of completing their PhD and at risk of leaving academia due to lack of protected research time
• Are returning to research after a break, having previously spent at least two years in research‑focused roles 

Across both groups, priority will be given to clinicians from under‑represented backgrounds, those working less than full time, and those in specialties or professions where academic participation is in decline. 

Support offered will include protected research time, bridging funding, mentoring, skills development, access to facilities and networks and help for clinicians returning to research after time away. The scheme will help address clinicians overcome some of the barriers to building research careers, including time and funding pressures and access to mentorship and training.

The Kingston University leads for this prestigious award are Director of the Health, Education and Society Knowledge Exchange and Research Institute at Kingston University, Professor Adam Le Gresley, and Head of the Graduate Research School and Researcher Development at Kingston University, Professor of Occupational Therapy, Professor Cilla Harries.

Professor Le Gresley, said: “This new investment is incredibly exciting, and we believe the London Launchpad RACR consortium will deliver high-value research opportunities for underrepresented clinical groups, closing the gap between scientific discovery and patient care.”

Professor Harries said the programme would address the lack of post-doctoral funding opportunities including for those from nursing, midwifery and the allied health professions. “We do not have a shortage of research talent in our underrepresented professions, just a lack of funding opportunities to build research capacity and capability. These RACR awards will support the post-doctoral pipeline for our wider health and care workforce. This is vitally needed to develop our researchers, build a stronger evidence base for our practice, reach our underserved communities and tackle current health inequalities.”

• Find out more about research at Kingston University.
• Find out more about the Medical Research Council's pilot programme.