Small molecule high throughput screen using AstraZeneca facilities

Small molecule high throughput screen using AstraZeneca facilities is sponsored by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This opportunity provides funding to run a high throughput screen (HTS) using AstraZeneca's compound library and screening robots.

Small molecule high throughput screen using AstraZeneca facilities – UKRI Funding opportunity: Small molecule high throughput screen using AstraZeneca facilities Medical Research Council (MRC) 30 January 2026 9:00am UK time 9 September 2026 4:00pm UK time Last updated: 20 May 2026 - see all updates Apply for funding to run a high throughput screen (HTS) using AstraZeneca’s compound library and screening robots.

To lead a project, you must be based at an eligible organisation. Check if your organisation is eligible . To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity you must show that you will direct the project and be actively engaged in the work.

For applicants who do not have a contract of employment for the duration of the proposed project, by submitting an application the research organisation is confirming, if it is successful: contracts will be extended beyond the end date of the project all necessary support for the project and the applicants will be provided, including mentorship and career development for early career researchers Who is not eligible to apply Research applications that are led by commercial entities are not eligible.

Applications may not include collaborations with additional commercial parties. You are also not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity as a project lead if you are based at an international research organisation. This does not include MRC Unit The Gambia or MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that are eligible to apply as project lead.

Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers. We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances.

This includes: support for people with caring responsibilities alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

The small molecule HTS using AstraZeneca facilities funding opportunity aims to support academic researchers in discovering potential starting points for small molecule medicinal drugs. Academic researchers will benefit from unprecedented access to over two million molecules in AstraZeneca’s compound library, as well as its state-of-the-art high-throughput screening facilities.

Medical Research Council (MRC) will provide funding to support up to four projects per year. As capacity is limited, projects will be prioritised for funding and for time slots within the facility. The timeframe for commencement of the studies will vary, although the expectation is within six months of the funding decision.

AstraZeneca may offer to fund a project in its entirety if, based on the application, it considers that route to be the most appropriate funding mechanism for that individual study. In such cases, these will be taken forward through direct collaboration with the company without any further MRC involvement. Applicants who do not wish to accept this offer may continue to seek MRC support through the initiative.

AstraZeneca will provide technical input to support assay optimisation, investigation of alternative readout technologies and pilot HTS screen, prior to transfer of the assay to the HTS platform. Depending on the results of the optimisation, a compound set of between 100,000 and 1 million of the library will be screened.

Minimum assay development guidelines There are a number of minimum assay development guidelines which when considered as a whole will need to provide evidence that a screen could be conducted. Funds are provided to complete the assay development, so a less well-developed assay is not a barrier to your application being competitive.

The duration of this award is typically 15 months, however the duration can be from 12 (minimum) to a maximum of 18 months. The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £270,000 (£250,000 cost to MRC). We will fund 100% FEC of the work conducted at AstraZeneca.

We will fund 80% FEC of any work conducted at the research organisation or related to staff costs, subsistence and travel. We will fund costs related to the staff and consumable costs incurred at AstraZeneca for the optimisation and execution of the HTS.

These include: £20,000 (100% FEC Exceptions) for optimisation and establishment of an HTS £150,000 (100% FEC Exceptions) for execution of the HTS cost of travel, accommodation and subsistence for a host institution researcher to work at AstraZeneca in Cambridge for three months (80% FEC) costs for elements of the screening cascade that cannot be undertaken at AstraZeneca and must be undertaken at the host organisation (80% FEC) minimal percentage of full time equivalent for the project lead (80% FEC) We will not fund conference attendance.

Supporting skills and talent This funding opportunity highly encourages a researcher from the host institution to embed themselves at the AstraZeneca facilities in Cambridge for a period of up to three months total. This will help with the establishment of the assay and conducting the HTS. The three months can be split into shorter chunks based on requirements of the project.

Any application not requesting funding to support a visit to the AstraZeneca facility should state why it is not viable. However, this will not affect the evaluation of the merits of the project. It is understood that not all researchers can accommodate a prolonged period away from home.

We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment . Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks. See further guidance and information about TR&I , including where applicants can find additional support.

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service, so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system. The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.

If the lead research organisation is an NHS organisation, check it is available in the Funding Service. You are encouraged to check this early as there may be additional steps for the organisation to be set up before you can apply. Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page. Confirm you are the project lead. Answer questions directly in the text boxes.

You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.

Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.

Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI. Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

When including images, you must: provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit) insert each new image on a new line use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words.

The following are not permitted, and your application may be rejected if you include: sentences or paragraphs of text excessive quantities of images A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see: how applicants use the Funding Service how research offices use the Funding Service how reviewers use the Funding Service References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application. Hyperlinks can be used in reference information.

When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that: references are easily identifiable by the assessors references are formatted as appropriate to your research persistent identifiers are used where possible General use of hyperlinks Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information.

You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.

For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment . We must receive your application by 9 September at 4pm UK time. You will not be able to apply after this time.

Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines. Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

MRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications. We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice .

MRC, as part of UKRI, will need to share the application and any personal information that it contains with AstraZeneca so that they can participate in the assessment process. For more information on how AstraZeneca uses personal information, visit AstraZeneca’s privacy notice . If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email highthroughputscreen@mrc.

ukri. org Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].

Typical examples of confidential information include: individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave) additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection the application is an invited resubmission For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice .

Institutional matched funding There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations.

Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged. This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.

MRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at board and panel outcomes . If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research . In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.

We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information.

Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example: the wider research community Guidance for writing a summary Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of: the challenge the project addresses potential applications and benefits List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following: project co-lead (UK) (PcL) professional enabling staff research and innovation associate Only list one individual as project lead.

If you include more than one project lead your application will fail at the checking stage. Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications . What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Explain how your proposed work: is of excellent quality and importance within the field has the potential to generate new knowledge, and discovery within the field is timely given current trends, context, and needs Within the Vision section we also expect you to: describe the unmet need for new therapeutic approaches to the disease of interest describe how the target is involved in the pathology or aetiology of the disease of interest describe how manipulation of the target could produce disease modifying effects Complete the table available in the Funding Service and paste as a figure into the Vision section including the following: target type, for example soluble cytokine, cell surface protein mechanism of action, for example agonist, antagonist proposed therapeutic use, for example disease, subpopulation route of administration and dosing frequency, for example IV or sub-cutaneous with daily or weekly dosing frequency, which are acute or chronic References may be included within this section.

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service. How are you going to deliver your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Explain how you have designed your approach so that it: is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed uses a clearly written and transparent methodology (if applicable) summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed (if applicable) will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work Within the Approach section we also expect you to: demonstrate access to the appropriate services, facilities, infrastructure, or equipment to deliver the elements of the project to be conducted outside the AstraZeneca facilities provide a project plan for the assay cascade beyond the initial HTS run in the form of an embedded schematic You should consider the following (guides not requirements).

cells, including GMO and hazard group reduction or removal of any high-risk reagents commercial reagents and microtitre plates, and any bulk discount options identify the most appropriate assay format, considering practicality and suitability for identifying hits orthogonal or artefact assays post-HTS in place that are suitable for triaging primary output feasibility to produce or purchase enough reagents for HTS stability of reagents in storage and on bench (HTS environment and over run timescale) relevant tool compound if available to validate and to use as control compound 384 or 1,536 well plate compatible minimise number of assay steps or dispenses preferable to use assay ready plates rather than requirement for plate-to-plate transfer Quality control criteria: %CV of a max control plate <10% reproducibility of tool compound (pXC50 +/- 0.

5log) number of compounds to screen, based on cost and assay throughput You do not need data related to all elements of the above, as work can be undertaken as part of the screen set-up work at AstraZeneca to establish that all parameters are appropriate prior to the HTS being run. However, the viability of the approach may be impacted if there is insufficient data to demonstrate that the assay would be viable.

If you are proposing a phenotypic assay, then additional considerations need to be discussed in your application and incorporated into your proposed orthogonal screening components.

These will include: ensuring that sufficient amounts of the proposed cell line can be generated for the screen ensuring that the number of steps and readouts remain amendable to utilisation in a high throughput capacity selecting assay features and primary readouts that can be connected to clinical responses or outcomes avoiding multiple primary readouts and instead identifying the key readouts and adding additional readouts into the confirmatory phase of the screening cascade clearly explaining how the number and diversity of mechanisms that may be active in the primary screen will be handled during the cascade pre-identifying potential known mechanisms, to be included or excluded, so that confirmation assays can be readily executed in order to eliminate key known mechanisms or prioritise novel mechanisms explaining how you will incorporate assays that eliminate technical false positives and undesirable mechanisms explaining any future deconvolution steps to be undertaken post award and framing the strategy for onward new medicine development steps References may be included within this section.

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service. Resources and cost justification What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Justify the application’s more costly resources that relate to work to be conducted outside of AstraZeneca.

Costs incurred at AstraZeneca (do not need to be justified but must be included in your request to MRC) should be: £150,000, 100% exception costs relating to staff and consumables at AstraZeneca (justification is not required for fixed costs) £20,000, 100% exception costs related to AstraZeneca optimising the assay, looking at alternate readouts and running a feasibility panel (justification is not required for fixed costs) These costs should be entered altogether, that is £170,000, under the ‘Exceptions – Other’ heading.

Costs incurred at the research organisation should be: up to £100,000 full economic cost (£80,000 MRC contribution) to costs incurred at the research organisation for follow-up assays (this figure to also include cost of sending a researcher to AstraZeneca for up to three months) Justify the application’s more costly resources, in particular: significant travel for field work or collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences) any equipment that will cost more than £25,000 any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities all facilities and infrastructure costs all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’ You can request costs associated with reasonable adjustments where they increase as a direct result of working on the project.

For further information see Disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders . Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources.

Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work: are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes maximise potential outcomes and impacts Applicant and team capability to deliver Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have: the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver the work and your approach to develop others contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

Further details are provided in the Funding Service. The word limit for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for R4RI modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.

Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.

You are encouraged to include ORCID for individuals where relevant, as this can help to and verify their achievements. Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed. Use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI .

You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills each team member brings: contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships contributions to the wider research and innovation community contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit Provide any further details relevant to your application.

This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them). Complete this as a narrative.

Do not format it like a CV. References may be included within this section. The roles in funding applications policy has descriptions of the different project roles.

Add details of AstraZeneca, as they are a DeFacto project partner on all awards. Also add details of any other project partners involved in your project. Include details of the contributions being provided by each project partner included.

A project partner is a collaborating person or organisation who will have an integral role in your proposed research. This may include direct contributions, for example cash, donated equipment and resources, or staff seconded to the project, or indirect and in-kind contributions for example use of project partner’s equipment, datasets, or facilities.

Project partners may be in industry, academia, third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU. A project partner is not anyone in your core team or anyone from your organisation or any of the other organisations represented by core team members.

Add the following project partner details: the organisation name (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable) the project partner contact name and email address the type of contribution (direct or in-direct) and its monetary value If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.

If there are specific circumstances where project partners do require funding for minor costs such as travel and subsistence, these project partner costs should be claimed and justified within the resources and costs section of your application.

When you are adding a project partner(s) to this section, you must ensure they provide you with a letter or email of support and you upload it to ‘Project partners: letters or emails of support’.

Project partners responsible for carrying out animal work If the project partner is responsible for conducting animal work or providing animals or animal tissue samples, you must ensure that you complete and upload the appropriate forms under the sections ‘Research involving the use of animals. For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Project partners: letters (or emails) of support Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partners’ section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only. What the assessors are looking for in your response We are looking for the following statements.

AstraZeneca is a de facto project partner on all awards. A standard Collaboration Agreement (CA) template (PDF, 269KB) has been agreed between MRC and AstraZeneca, which is compliant with the Industry Collaboration Framework. In addition, if any third-party organisations are involved in the application (unusual on these awards), then they should provide a letter of support based on the guidance below.

They should also confirm that they acknowledge that the agreement with AstraZeneca will only be with the applicant’s research organisation. What supporting statements we are not looking for We do not want any other letters (or emails) of support from people who are not your identified project partner(s), such as those simply expressing general support for your project.

If these are included by you, they will be ignored by us and will not be used in the assessment process. You should only provide letters or emails of support from people you have identified in the project partner section of your application, who will have an integral role in your proposed research.

What each project partner letter or email of support must include Each project partner letter or email you provide should: include the name of the project partner organisation and contact information explain the project partner(s) commitment to the project explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the proposed work, to them describe any additional value they will bring to the project not exceed two sides of A4 per project partner Project partner(s) letters and emails of support are not required to be on headed paper or include handwritten signatures (electronic signatures are acceptable).

The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.

Project partner(s) responsible for recruiting research participants or providing human tissues or samples If the project partner is responsible for the recruitment of people, as research participants or providing human tissue, their letter or email of support should include: agreement that the project partner will recruit the participants or provide tissue confirmation that what is being supplied is suitable for the proposed work confirmation that the quantity of tissue being supplied is suitable, but not excessive for achieving meaningful results (if applicable) Agreement with your project partner(s) Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the ‘Project partners’ section.

For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made. Does your proposed research require the support and use of a facility? What the assessors are looking for in your response If you need to use a facility, follow your proposed facility’s normal access request procedures.

Ensure you have prior agreement so that if you are offered funding, they will support the use of their facility on your project.

For each requested facility you will need to provide the: name of facility, copied and pasted from the facility information list (DOCX, 42KB) proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility information list confirmation you have their agreement where required Facilities should only be named if they are on the facility information list above.

If you do not need to use a facility, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service. Data management and sharing How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed research?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Provide a data management plan which should clearly detail how you will comply with MRC’s published data management and sharing policies , which includes detailed guidance notes. Provide your response in the text box following the headings in the MRC data management plan template . You are not required to upload the document to your application.

The length of your plan will vary depending on the type of study being undertaken: population cohorts, longitudinal studies, genetic, omics and imaging data’ biobanks, and other collections that are potentially a rich resource for the wider research community: maximum of 1,500 words all other research, less complex, the plan may be as short as 500 words Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI) What are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work?

If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why. What the assessors are looking for in your response Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated: the relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations how you will manage these considerations Consider the MRC guidance on ethics and approvals . You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

Further details are provided in the Funding Service. Please refer to the UKRI position statement on funding ethical research and responsible innovation for more information around our expectations on ethical and responsible research and innovation. Genetic and biological risk Does your proposed research involve any genetic or biological risk?

What the assessors are looking for in your response In respect of animals, plants or microbes, are you proposing to: use genetic modification as an experimental tool, like studying gene function in a genetically modified organism release genetically modified organisms ultimately develop commercial and industrial genetically modified outcomes If yes, provide the name of any required approving body and state if approval is already in place.

If it is not, provide an indicative timeframe for obtaining the required approval. Identify the organism or organisms as a plant, animal or microbe and specify the species and which of the three categories the research relates to. Identify the genetic and biological risks resulting from the proposed research, their implications, and any mitigation you plan on taking.

Assessors will