BIA Early Career Research Grant

BIA Early Career Research Grant is sponsored by British Infection Association (BIA). This grant flexibly provides consumables and/or salary costs for trainees undertaking an infection-related research project in an academic centre in the UK or Ireland.

Grants | British Infection Association (BIA) View BIA's past grant winner - Previous Grant Winners | British Infection Association (BIA) Supporting registration and travel to major national or international meetings to present original research.

These awards support registration and travel (if appropriate) to major national or international meetings (either in person or on-line), in particular, ASM, ICAAC, IDSA, and ECCMID to present original research, where the abstract is already accepted. Accommodation costs may also be included up to the grant limit.

You can make applications for retrospective expenses if the timing of the conference, or abstract notification, did not align with the application deadlines. Travel grants are assessed by the Scientific and Research Committee and awarded according to pre-determined criteria that include: UK or Ireland-based salaried trainees who are not in a consultant-level post, working on infection-related research.

This includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, trainee clinical scientists, high specialist scientist trainees, and other healthcare-focused careers. UK or Ireland-based undergraduates working on infection-related research. Acceptance of an abstract for an oral or poster presentation at the conference.

Benefit to the applicant from attending the conference. All applicants will be required to be members of the British Infection Association. Individuals can join at the time of submitting their applications.

Membership is free of charge for all undergraduate students, medically-qualified doctors-in-training in the UK and Ireland, as well as non-medically qualified personnel including nurses, pharmacists and laboratory scientists. Applicants should consider sustainable travel options when planning conference attendance. The BIA encourages the use of lower-carbon travel methods where practical and appropriate.

To apply, please forward to admin@Britishinfection. org Applications can be made at any time throughout the year, and will be assessed after the 31st January, 30th June and 30th September . Each award is for a maximum of £1000.

Four awards will be made in each round, with one ring-fenced for undergraduate students. A cover letter/email summarising the potential impact and case for support *3 rd round applications to conferences other than FIS will be prioritised, given the availability of separate FIS bursaries, please see below for more information.

Alice Scharmeli, Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust Harsita Patel, Queen Mary University of London / Royal London Hospital Sathyavani Subbarao, Specialist Registrar in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Jee Whang Kim, University of leicester Anna Bote-Casamitjana, University College of London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Cate Goldwater Breheny, Imperial College London Daisy Woolham, Visiting Researcher, Brighton and Sussex Medical School Katie Jones, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust Megan Owens, Newcastle University Nienke Schouten, St Georges Hospital Rachel Southern-Thomas, Imperial College London Sanjita Brito Mutunayagam, Oxford Vaccine Group, University of Oxford Sarah Jawad, University of London Daniela Kirwan, St Georges, University of London Hugh Adler, Liverpool University Hospital Vanesa Anton-Vazquez, St Georges Hospital Jee Kim, University of Leicester Sharenja Ratnakumar, St Georges Hospital Manik Kohli, St Georges Hospital Sophie Skarbek, ST3 ID/Virlogy Shakeela Brown, 4th Year Medical Student Maria Krutikov, Clinical Lecturer Sunya Aslam, F3/MSc Student Joanne Byrne, University College Dublin Arabella Stuart, University of Oxford Manik Kohli, Central and North West London NHS FT Rohma Ghani, Imperial College London Daniel O'Connor, University of Oxford, Oxford Vaccine Group Kyriaki Giorgakoudi, University of Cambridge Disease Dynamics Unit CMTB at the University of Nottingham - Infectious disease modelling and public health policy Thomas C Darton, Sheffield Teaching Hospital Trust 9th International Conference on Typhoid and Invasive NTS Disease Louise Frances Hill, London School of Hygiene & Trop Med 33rd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID) Sara Brilha, Imperial College London Poster Presentation Final yr of PhD.

ECI in Vienna Elvire Berthenet, Swansea University Speaker Award winner for CHRO meeting in NZ Stephen Tuffs, Roslin Institute Oral presentation at Staph mtg in Gordon conference Tuscany Fadil Bidmo, Imperial College London Poster at European Meningococcal disease Society Amsterdam Clark Russell, University of Edinburgh Defres Sylviane, University of Liverpool Enrique Castro Sanchez, Imperial College London Clare Turner, Imperial College London Megan Osbourne, Queen's University Belfast Frontiers of Immunology in Health & Disease, Sept 2014 Sabrina Roberts, Kingston University London XIXth International Pathogenic Neisseria Conf (IPNC), October 2014 Madeleine Malina, Royal Free Hospital London Jennifer Roe, University College London Jamie Whitehorn, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Federation of Infection Societies (FIS) Conference Bursary Bursary places to support registration and travel to the FIS Conference for eligible applicants whose abstract are already accepted.

Applications open: 1st July 2026 Closing date: 30th September 2026 BIA are providing up to 8 bursary places to support registration and travel to the FIS Conference for eligible applicants whose abstract are already accepted. One bursary will be ring-fenced for undergraduate applicants. Accommodation costs may also be included, up to £1000 grant limit.

FIS Bursaries will be assessed by the Scientific and Research Committee and awarded according to pre-determined criteria that include: UK or Ireland-based salaried trainees who are not in a consultant-level post, working on infection-related research. This includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, trainee clinical scientists, higher specialist scientist trainees, and other healthcare-focused careers.

UK or Ireland-based undergraduates working on infection-related research. Acceptance of an abstract for an oral or poster presentation at the conference. Benefit to the applicant from attending the conference.

All applicants will be required to be members of the British Infection Association. Individuals can join at the time of submitting their applications. Membership is free of charge for all undergraduate students, medically qualified doctors-in-training in the UK and Ireland, as well as non-medically qualified personnel including nurses, pharmacists and laboratory scientists.

To apply, please forward by e-mail to admin@Britishinfection.

org A cover letter/email summarising the potential impact and case for support APPLICATIONS WILL OPEN 1st JULY 2026 Humaira Ahmed, University of Plymouth Alistair Yeoh, Liverpool University Hospitals Ruby Hadfield Kilner, Sheffield Children's Hospital Alyssa Hudson, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Opeyemi Makanjuola, University Hospitals Sussex Olivia Plumpton, Newcastle University Jenni Shuttleworth, North Bristol NHS Trust Vanessa Tobert, Oxford University Hospitals Annalise Unsworth, Oxford University Hospital Wankumbu Chisala, Sheffield Teaching Hospital Lara Payne, University College London Timothy Jones, University of Oxford Mo Chung Kwok, West Middlesex University Hospital Junko Takata, Oxford University Hospital Sanjita Therese Brito-Mutunayagam, Oxford Vaccine Group Fergus Hamilton, University of Bristol Barnett Christie Lecture at FIS Apply for this prestigious lecture at Federation of Infection Society (FIS).

Applications open: 1st May 2026 Closing date: Midnight, 30th June 2026 Each year the BIA invites applications to deliver this highly prestigious lecture at the conference of the Federation of Infection Societies. The successful applicant will be invited to give a lecture at the annual meeting of the Federation of Infection Societies (FIS) held each autumn.

Award: In addition to presenting this BIA lecture, your attendance at the conference is funded to include, FIS Conference. Registration, accommodation and travel. The award winner will also receive £1,500 cash award.

UK and Ireland based clinically-qualified trainees in infection or infection-related specialties who are not in a Consultant-level post. UK and Ireland based non-clinical post-doctoral scientists within 4 years of PhD and not in a tenured academic or top-grade scientist post.

If you are beyond 4 years since awarding of PhD, but have had career breaks (e.g. for maternity, paternity or other reasons), you could still be eligible and should explain the situation in a covering email or letter with the application. A two-sided A4 outline of a proposed lecture plus a short curriculum vitae, listing all publications and other relevant scientific achievements should be sent by e-mail to the admin@Britishinfection.

org All applications will be reviewed by the Scientific and Research Committee and scored according to their body of independent research, its quality, novelty and impact, the quality of the lecture proposal and career trajectory. Dr Daniel Pan, University of Leicester Can we develop better tests to measure individual infectiousness in respiratory virus infections?

Dr Xin Hui Chan, University of Oxford Drugs for Tropical Infections: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Infectious Disease Physician Dr Fergus Hamilton, University of Bristol Inflammation in infection: should we target the IL-6/CRP axis, and can genetics help us?

Alexander Mentzer, University of Oxford Opportunities and challenges with studying human genetic susceptibility to infectious disease Dr Rishi Gupta, University College London Precision targeting of preventative therapy for tuberculosis Dr Ankur Gupta-Wright, University College London Tuberculosis diagnostics to reduce HIV-associated mortality Dr Tom Parks, University College London Genetics, complement and immunoglobulin genes, and why people get group A streptococcal disease Dr Bernadette Young, University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Passengers and pathogens: how can bacterial genomes help us understand Staphylococcus aureus infections?

Dr Timothy Rawson, Imperial College London What is the role of biosensors and artificial intelligence in achieving individualised antimicrobial therapy? Dr James Price, Brighton & Sussex University The staphylococcus aureus controversy: hospital hygiene or bad bugs? Dr Tim Walker, University of Oxford Whole genome sequencing of M tuberculosis : how big a revolution?

Dr David Eyre, University of Oxford Whole genome sequencing in your lab - opportunity or distraction? Dr Dimitria Peppa, Mortimer Market Centre, CNWL NHS Foundation Trust Killer cells in chronic Natural hepatitis B virus infection: Friend or foe?

Dr Manish Pareek, University of Leicester Immigrant screening for tuberculosis: a missed opportunity to improve tuberculosis control in the United Kingdom Novel Strategies for Treatment and Prevention of HIV-associated Cryptococcal Meningitis Dr Susanna Dunnachie, Oxford Malaria Vaccines - The Limits and the Possibilities BIA Early Career Research Grant Supports researchers in developing innovative projects and building a strong foundation for a future career in infection research.

Applications open: 1st October 2026 Closing date: 31st January 2027 These awards flexibly provide consumables and/or salary costs for trainees undertaking an infection-related research project in an academic centre in the UK or Ireland. Trainees will usually be working in an infection-related speciality and pre-PhD but other applicants from related specialities will be considered.

The BIA recognises that not all trainees have the benefit of protected research time as part of an Academic Clinical Fellowship or similar scheme but may be interested in furthering an academic career. The Early Career Research Grant will therefore prioritise those without research salary support to generate preliminary data with the intention of taking the work forward towards a higher degree.

It is expected that this would enable the successful candidate to take time out of their training, for example as a block of up to 3 months or spread part-time over part/all of the award period in preparation for a fellowship application. Type of Award: One award would be made of £30,000 to be taken up over one to three years as required for the proposed research, to cover salary and/or non-salary costs of research.

UK or Ireland-based salaried trainees undertaking an infection-related research project who are not in a consultant-level post. This includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, trainee clinical scientists, high specialist scientist trainees, and other healthcare-focused careers. All applicants must be supported by a named supervisor(s) at the place of intended research.

Applicants who do not have salaried research time in their job plan and who do not yet have a PhD will be prioritised, but other applicants will be considered. All applicants will be required to be members of the British Infection Association. Individuals can join at the time of submitting their applications.

Membership is free of charge for medically qualified doctors-in-training in the UK and Ireland, as well as non-medically qualified personnel including nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists. Complete the BIA Research Grant Application Form and return to admin@Britishinfection.

org All applications will be reviewed by the Scientific and Research Committee and scored according to importance, clarity of aims, appropriateness of research methodology, feasibility and potential impact. Tenure: 1-2 years, Grants must be taken up within 12 months of award.

Latent tuberculosis infection: evaluating the transcription responses to treatment James Price, University of Sussex Does cryptic carriage explain apparent acquisition of Staphylococcus aureus?

Matrix Degradation Products (MDPs) for TB diagnosis Paul Collini, University of Sheffield Brendan Payne, University of Newcastle Daniel Neill, University of Liverpool Philippa Matthews, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust Chris Duncan, Newcastle University Provides funding for focused research, audit, quality improvement, or educational projects that advance the understanding and management of infections.

Applications open: 1st October 2026 Closing date: 31st January 2027 These awards provide consumables costs for trainees undertaking an infection-related research project in an academic centre in the UK or Ireland. Funds are intended to support the generation of preliminary data with the intention of developing the work through a research fellowship or as an adjunct to existing but as yet unfunded projects.

Type of Award: Up to four awards will be made of up to £10,000 for 12 months, to cover non-salary costs of research only. One award will be ring fenced for applicants who are allied health professionals who are not medically qualified. UK or Ireland-based salaried trainees undertaking an infection-related research project who are not in a consultant-level post.

This includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, trainee clinical scientists, high specialist scientist trainees, and other healthcare-focused careers. All applicants must be supported by a named supervisor(s) at the place of intended research. Applicants may be pre- or post-doctoral, with applications from these different career stages assessed separately.

All applicants will be required to be members of the British Infection Association. Individuals can join at the time of submitting their applications. Membership is free of charge for medically qualified doctors-in-training in the UK and Ireland, as well as non-medically qualified personnel including nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists.

Complete the BIA Small Project Grant Application Form and return to admin@Britishinfection. org All applications will be reviewed by the Scientific and Research Committee and scored according to importance, clarity of aims, appropriateness of research methodology, feasibility and potential impact. The Scientific Advisory Committee will endeavour to make awards to both pre-and post-doctoral researchers at every grant round.

Tenure: 1 year. Grants must be taken up within 12 months of award. Rachael Dean, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Tom Knight, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Kelvin Chang, University of Edinburgh Privjyot Jheeta, University of Edinburgh Orla Hilton, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Timothy Snow, University College London James Sheperd.

University of Glasgow Rachel Wake, St Georges University Manik Kohli, University College London BIA/ESCMID Young Scientist Member Travel Award Supports eligible trainee BIA members and ESCMID Young Scientist Members with ECCMID attendance costs, helping them present high-quality research at a leading international infection meeting.

Applications open: Early 2027 Closing date: CLOSED FOR 2026 The BIA/ESCMID Young Scientist member travel award provides registration and € 500 travel/accommodation allowance. BIA welcomes applications from those who have submitted abstracts for ECCMID.

Young Scientist Member of ESCMID Trainee Member of the BIA Abstract accepted to ECCMID 2027 This award is highly competitive and therefore individual case presentations or retrospective series are unlikely to be successful. Provides funding for NITCAR-led audit, research, or collaborative projects and supports early-career infection trainees in carrying out projects.

Application opens: 1 st October 2026 Closing date: 31 st January 2027 Up to £10,000 total Funding duration: up to 12 months Multiple awards may be made, subject to quality and available funds Data collection and management support Dissemination (e.g. conference presentation, publication fees) Salary support for the lead applicant Susequent quality improvement work (e.g. guideline writing) Funds may not be used for: Purchases unrelated to the audit Activities outside the scope of the approved proposal