MQ Mental Health Research Schizophrenia Fellowships

MQ Mental Health Research Schizophrenia Fellowships is sponsored by MQ Mental Health Research. Supports researchers whose work focuses on schizophrenia. This Fellowship grant round is specifically focused on impactful research into Schizophrenia and is open to researchers in any scientific discipline anywhere in the world.

Schizophrenia Research Fellowship 2026 Schizophrenia Research Fellowship MQ Mental Health Research is inviting applications for research that improves understanding, prevention, diagnosis and or treatment of schizophrenia. Applications are now closed Why Schizophrenia Research? Schizophrenia affects around 1% of the population and is associated with high levels of disability, reduced life expectancy, and significant unmet clinical need.

Despite this, progress in developing new treatments and improving outcomes has been limited. Current therapies are often insufficient, particularly for cognitive and negative symptoms, and many individuals may not fully respond to existing treatments.

At the same time, research approaches have limitations, including under-representation of key populations and a focus on short-term symptom outcomes rather than long-term recovery and quality of life.

This call for application for an MQ Fellowship, funded by Nikki Fa Fond hosted by Fondation Philanthropia, responds to a clear and urgent need: despite its profound impact on individuals and society, schizophrenia remains underfunded, not fully understood in terms of its causes and ways of prevention and inadequately treated.

The MQ Fellows Award supports brilliant early-career scientists globally, encouraging them to ask challenging questions to advance mental health research. The aim is to retain top talent and increase diversity within the field. An MQ Fellowship offers grants of up to £250,000 over three years.

Applications for the MQ Fellows programme are overseen by an international committee of academic experts from diverse disciplinary backgrounds relevant to schizophrenia research, as well as lived experience experts. The committee is chaired by Professor Matthew Broome and co-chaired by Professor Srividya Iyer. These three MQ Fellowships are funded by Nikki Fa Fond hosted by Fondation Philanthropia.

Applications are now closed Expressions of interest should be submitted on FlexiGrant. Demonstrate scientific excellence Be focused and feasible within a three-year fellowship Address clinically meaningful outcomes Include appropriate patient and public involvement Consider diversity, inclusion, and generalisability Show a credible pathway to translation and impact Open to global applications.

Must have a minimum of 3 and no more than 7 years of postdoctoral research experience. Need to be based at a university, hospital, or research institution. Demonstrate a strong research track record and plans for an independent career.

The fellowship requires a 50-100% time commitment over three years starting 1st May 2027. You cannot hold other substantial research funding (over £100,000/year). Download the guidance for applications.

Download the Frequently Asked Questions This call aims to support outstanding early-career researchers (3 to 7 years postdoc) to deliver high-quality, focused projects that advance understanding and improve outcomes in schizophrenia, with a clear pathway to short- to medium-term impact.

MQ is particularly interested in research that: Builds on advances in biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to development and treatment of schizophrenia to inform intervention, prediction, or care; Is methodologically innovative and rigorous; Demonstrates a clear route to improving outcomes for people diagnosed with Schizophrenia, including clinical outcomes, everyday functioning, and quality of life, or to improving approaches to early detection and prevention in at-risk populations; Addresses areas of high unmet need, including cognitive and negative symptoms, inadequate response to existing treatments, and early intervention; Leverages existing data, infrastructure, or interventions to maximise feasibility within the award timeframe; Is patient-centred and genuinely engaged with people with lived experience throughout – from identifying the research question through to designing and delivering the study and disseminating the results; Please note: Early-stage drug discovery requiring long development timelines is out of scope.

This call is designed to support ambitious but realistic projects that can be delivered within a three-year fellowship and act as a springboard for larger-scale research and impact. Applications must be submitted online via Flexi-Grant® . Register, then go to My Account → MQ Schizophrenia Fellows 2026/2027 Expression of Interest Application (link available when applications open).

You will be asked to complete sections on: Applicant details & personal statement Project overview & scientific abstract Patient & public involvement Grants, awards & publications Before submitting your application, you will be asked to read and accept the following documents: MQ’s Animal Research Policy MQ’s Standard Grant Conditions The MQ Fellows Award offers up to £250,000 over three years.

This funding can be used for: The applicant's salary and staff costs. Direct research expenses like equipment, consumables, and publication fees. Animal costs, if applicable.

Travel and training expenses. Note: Your host institution is required to cover all indirect and overhead costs. For questions about the application process or project suitability for this call for applications, please email [email protected] .

Start your application today, submit your expression of interest here: Expression of Interest submissions Full application submission deadline The MQ grants team shared more information about this funding opportunity in a live webinar on the day of the call's launch. You can watch the webinar here or if you prefer head over to MQ;s YouTube channel.

Researcher: Dr Rebecca Etkin Area of Focus: Testing a novel parent-based treatment for adolescent anxiety disorders. Methodology: This project will work with families to co-design a method for parents to better support their anxious children and will test its effectiveness with a clinical trial.

Goal: If successful, this could be a game-changer for families struggling with adolescent anxiety, especially when traditional therapy isn’t working. Researcher: Dr Brenda Cabrera-Mendoza Area of Focus: Stratification of suicide risk through integration of genetic and clinical factors. Methodology: This project will analyse clinical and genetic data from over 950,000 people to build a risk prediction model for suicide.

Goal: If successful, this will create a tool to identify at-risk individuals and get them the help they need. To find out more about the innovative research our fellows are conducting, click here . URL This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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