The Translational Award
We are excited to announce the opening of the second year of The Translational Award. This scheme aims to fund projects that bridge the gap between the research happening in the lab and getting new treatments/diagnostics/devices to the clinic.
The Translational Award will provide funding of up to £400,000 to support the development of potential new diagnostics, therapeutics, drug delivery mechanisms or devices. This award is unlike any other we offer. It is an opportunity to link strong academic work with industry standard drug development.
The application process has two stages, and The Charity is looking to work iteratively with all applicants, throughout the process, to develop the strongest proposals. The first stage is a light-touch outline application designed to encourage the broadest range of applications at the optimal point on the translational pathway. Successful applicants invited to the second stage (the full application) will receive guidance and support with their applications prior to submission. This guidance aims to develop the optimal translation path, ensure the most suitable models are used and provide ongoing support to move projects closer to patient care.
Key Dates
The Translational Award 2025
Stage 1 Outline application open: 4 June 2025
Stage 1 Outline application deadline: 16 July 2025 at 1pm (BST)
Stage 2 full applications invited: 8 October 2025
Stage 2 full applications close: 19 November 2025
Funding decisions: March 2026
Purpose and scope
We are looking to fund key ex vivo/in vivo Proof of Concept studies, with up to £400,000 per project available over 12 – 18 months to support the development of potential new diagnostics, therapeutics, devices and drug delivery mechanisms
Projects should have a clear pathway to patient benefit and can cover any modality for any primary brain tumour.
Projects should have strong target validation, with strong preliminary data in clinically-relevant models. Therapeutic applications should ideally show evidence of efficacy, indication of blood brain barrier penetration (BBB) and have a lead candidate identified. This scheme is intended to generate the robust data packages required to secure further funding to move into the clinic. We intend to work with applicants to develop the optimal translation path, ensure the most suitable models are used and provide ongoing support to move projects closer to the clinic. We acknowledge that drug delivery systems and some advanced therapies, such as CAR-T cells, deviate from more traditional translational drug development routes. Therefore, please contact The Charity to discuss how these may fit the scheme, as we are keen to drive all innovation closer to the clinic.
In addition to academic proposals, we will consider applications from biotechnology companies on a case-by-case basis. This scheme is also open to international researchers and companies.
Public and patient involvement
To obtain input from those affected by brain tumours, we strongly recommend that applicants access our Involvement Network (IN) for public and patient involvement. To receive feedback from the IN, please allow for a minimum of 3 weeks turnaround time.
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- The award is open to international researchers
- Applications from biotechnology companies will be considered on a case-by-case basis
- A researcher may serve as principal applicant on only one proposal per grant round
- The collaborating teams should have the relevant expertise to demonstrate how discoveries will be translated and taken forward to patient benefit
- The whole translational journey should be considered before applying, including the route to first-in-human studies, starting to build the Target Product Profile and the choice of models.
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- Scientific excellence:
- Is the proposed target expressed by tumour cells?
- Is the proposed target/intervention significantly validated?
- Is the proposed therapeutic intervention feasible?
- If successful, will the data package generated be sufficient to secure onward funding for FiH studies?
- Credible onward plans for both further funding and route to FiH.
- Evidence the team have the necessary knowledge and support (TRO/TTO/Consultants) to run a truly translational programme.
- Is the study designed to maximise chance of definitive outcome, progress towards clinic or fail faster?
- Have the team considered what this intervention will look like as a patient treatment?
- The Brain Tumour Charity is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and adheres to its principles of peer review. All applications will be considered by our Translational Advisory Board alongside lay representatives of people affected by brain tumours.
- Scientific excellence:
Guidance for applicants
Please read the following documents before applying for funding
TTA LOI Application Guidance Document 2025 –
Please take note of, and allow sufficient time for, the approval steps required to complete the submission process. We cannot guarantee late submissions will be accepted.
TTA Full Application Guidance Document 2024 –
Applicants who have been invited to full please refer to this document when submitting your full application.
Further essential reading
There are other documents you must read before applying to our grant rounds. These include, but are not limited to Grant Conditions and Finance Guidelines. These documents can be found by following the link below.
How to apply
All applications should be made through our grant management portal.
If you need help creating or accessing your account please contact the Research Team on research@thebraintumourcharity.org
Further information
If you would like to discuss project ideas or require any additional information, please contact the Research Team.