Application to the MRC Confidence in Concept Schemeround 6

The University of Sheffield

Research Services

Application to the MRC Confidence in Concept SchemeRound 6

Please refer to the scheme guidance document and adhere to the word count limits to ensure your application is considered by the external review panel.

Applicant Details

Add more co-applicant rows as required.
Primary Investigator (PI):
Affiliation (TUoS/ STH/ SHU/ SCH):
Department/Directorate:
Phone number:
Email:
Co-Investigator:
Affiliation:
Co-Investigator:
Affiliation:
Co-Investigator:
Affiliation:

PI Institutional reference and/or TUoS ICE/COD System Details

TUoS Commercialisation/ Business Manager:
TUoS ICE/COD number:
TUoS Project reference (Costing Tool number):
SCH reference:
SCH Research Coordinator/Business Manager:
SHU reference:
SHU Business Manager:
STH reference:
STH Research Coordinator:

Project Details

Do not cross-refer to web addresses or add annexes.
Project Title:
Project start date:
Project end date:
In one sentence please state clearly the concept that is to be taken forward during the project
Non-Confidential Summary
Please provide a short non-confidential summary of the project – this will be placed on external websites if the application is successful.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY & PROPOSED CiC PROJECT

General summary of project proposal (maximum 300 words)

Describe briefly: (1) The medical need and brief research background to the proposal, distinguishing clearly between the previous basic research that underpins the project and the concept to be developed with CiC funding; (2) the alignment of the work to the MRC strategy (see scheme guidance document)
Your solution and unique advantages of your approach (maximum 150 words)
Describe briefly (1) your solution and current development (TRL1-9) stage, referring to the scheme guidance document; (2) the unique selling points/advantages of your approach indicating whether your solution is a completely new approach to address the indicated medical need or an enhanced methodology similar to other solutions already available; (3) Any discussions with practising clinicians regarding the importance of the medical need and your solution proposed here.
Details of your proposed MRC CiC project (maximum 300 words)
Outline your project plan clearly describing (1) workpackages, timelines, associated tasks, resources needed and milestones or go/no-go decision points, (2) illustrate the proposed project in a Gantt type format and (3) detail the overall anticipated outcome of the project and describe how this outcome(s) confirm the validity of the concept.
RESEARCH TEAM
Please introduce the research team (maximum 150 words)
Describe briefly (1) the expertise brought by the PI, co-investigators and early career researchers; (2) significant grants obtained by the PI and/or co-investigators to further research; (3) the expertise available across the team relating to the work proposed in this MRC CiC application indicating if you will need to recruit to deliver the CiC project if awarded; (4) identify gaps in expertise and indicate the strategy to access the required knowledge; (5) detail the teams experience/ interest in translational research and developing solutions to address patient needs
ROUTE TO MARKET

Immediate Follow-on Plan post CiC funding (maximum 200 words)

The aim of CiC funding is to generate the data package needed for more substantive translational funding applications and/or approach to industrial partners. (1) What is the next package of work to be pursued following completion of the CiC project and anticipated cost (2) what translational funding schemes (from Research Councils/Innovate UK/Department of Health/charities/commercial organisations) will you target to fund the next stage? (Please name actual schemes and anticipated application dates).
Translational Path (maximum 150 words)
(1) What is the overall development route and timeframe to take your CiC proposed concept to the market and making a tangible societal impact and addressing the unmet healthcare needs you have identified? (2) Specify how you intend to progress each of these steps with anticipated timeframes to realise the potential of your solution?
Industrial partners (maximum 100 words)
Please detail (1) any industrial partners (and their contribution) to the CiC project or bringing the development to market. (2) Are any formal agreements in place? If there are no industrial partners currently, please (3) explain why this is the case and (4) when you plan to engage with external partners.
MARKET AND COMPETITION

Competition (maximum 200 words)

Please outline (1) What competitors and products, if any, already exist? (2) How will your concept/solution be differentiated from these and what additional advantages does your concept/solution offer?

Commercial and Market Potential (maximum 200 words)
Describe (1) how your CiC solution fits into the overall market opportunity, what aspect of the market will your solution address, (2) the size of the market for your specific solution, whether it is an established or new market; (3) Detail any relevant information from discussions with key opinion leaders, industry experts and/or users regarding your solution.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & PROPOSED COMMERCIALISATION PATH

Publications, prior art and project novelty (maximum 150 words)

(1) Have there been publications already made relating to the proposed project (meeting abstract, poster, paper etc)? If so please reference. (2) What existing IP or prior art has been identified via searches of patent and publication databases? Provide details of the search terms used and reference the prior art identified. (3) Based on the above, indicate how your proposed CiC project is novel?
Freedom to operate, generation and protection of IP (maximum 150 words)
(1) Based on the prior art searches, does the project have freedom to operate? If FTO will be required, explain why you believe freedom to operate will be obtainable on reasonable terms? (2) What proprietary intellectual property and knowhow will your CiC project generate? (3) Do you believe that the data and intellectual property developed in the project can be protected? (4) Do you plan to maintain the CiC generated data confidentially until such time that it is deemed registrable (or not)? (5) If you do not foresee protectable IP being generated and/or you plan to publish, please indicate how you will bring your concept to market and patient benefit.
RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT
Describe key risks and uncertainties associated with your proposed project and mitigation strategies.
1: Describe risks that may be associated with management, staffing, technical, local environment, partners, regulatory, IP and freedom to operate, commercialisation or other aspects of the project.2: Describe any mitigation strategies in place against risks that you have identified (maximum 200 words).
Historic context of the project: is this an ongoing or new translational project?
(maximum 100 words)
(1) Is this a new opportunity or has it already been registered with Medipex (STH; SCH), Sheffield Hallam or University of Sheffield commercial systems? (2) If the concept has been awarded “internal” monies previously (from any of the CiC consortium partners), please indicate the scheme, amount and briefly indicate the project supported. (3) Has this project been submitted for MRC CiC funding previously? If so, please indicate the year and round of the application and specify how is this application different.
Note: Generally, projects that have received CiC monies previously should not be seeking further support from CiC. If this is the case, please refer to the scheme guidance document and speak with a TUOS business/commercial manager for clarification.
Financial Exit Strategy (maximum 100 words)
(1) Outline how you anticipate your concept will be transferred from research development in your environment at TUoS/ SHU/ STH/ SCH to product development with a (potential or actual) external partner and on to the market and patient benefit (consultancy/ licencing/ spin-out?). Specify whether (2) this relies on protectable IP; (3) you have an idea of the predicted financial return and; (4) how confident you are that the exploitation route will ultimately be successful?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If there is any additional relevant information relating to this project, please provide it here. (maximum 100 words)
Relevance to Global Challenge Research and GCR Funding.
Please describe (1) whether and (2) how your MRC CiC proposal described in this application has the potential to impact on global health challenges relevant to low and middle-income countries (LMIC)? Please note this is for information only and will not have any bearing on the assessment of your application.
(100 Words max)
Justification of costs

Please provide an outline of the requested funds and describe why these are required to deliver the project and the timescales in which they will be required. Please note the eligible/ineligible costs described in the scheme guidance document.

Partner Contributions - SCH and STH
If the project involves SCH or STH please detail the 10% contribution each organisation is providing to the project liaising with Dr Dipak Patel (CRIO, STH) or Dr Gillian Gatenby (SCH) as appropriate (see scheme guidance document) to confirm the likely contribution which may also include host department/directorate approval.
There will be a financial or in-kind contribution of 10% from the NHS Trust partners involved in any particular project. Examples of in-kind contributions can be, but are not limited to, clinician research time or access to specialised equipment. (SHU and TUoS have already contributed financially to the programme at source.)
Project costs

Please note:

●Only directly incurred costs (DI) will be funded by a CiC award.

●A list of eligible/ineligible costs are described in the scheme guidance document.

As TUoS is the institutional holder of the award of CiC funds from the MRC, partner costs for the project will need to be entered into the TUoS Costing Tool. Non-TUoS staff will therefore need to provide the costs for their part of the project to TUoS staff (PI or support staff) as per standard arrangements for other collaborative grants between the partners.

Add more rows as required.

Institution

Details

Amount

Staff costs

Travel & subsistence

Consumables
Equipment
Other costs

Total Funding requested (Directly Incurred Costs only)

5 – Signatures

Electronic signatures are accepted.

I confirm that I wish to apply for funding from the MRC Confidence in Concept scheme. I confirm that the information presented in the application is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Signature of Principal Investigator:
Date:
I confirm that I agree to this application to the MRC Confidence in Concept scheme.
Signature of PI’s Head of Department/Head of Directorate:
Affiliation:
Print name:
Date:
Signature of TUoS Business/ Commercial Manager:
Date:
Signature of SHU Business/Commercial Manager working with the PI (if SHU is involved in the proposed project):
Date:
Signature of Dr Dipak Patel, Research Manager, Clinical Research & Innovation Office (if STH is involved in the proposed project):
Date:
Signature of Dr Gillian Gatenby, Associate Director of Research & Innovation, Sheffield Children’s Hospital (if SCH is involved in the proposed project)
Date:
Return

Please email a signed PDF AND an unsigned Word version of the application form to .

Deadline for receipt 9am Tuesday8May 2018

Applications will not be considered unless signed by the Head of Department/ Directorate.

Application to the MRC Confidence in Concept Schemeround 6