Genomics in Context Awards: collaborative research at the intersection of genomics, humanities, social sciences and bioethics

Scheme at a glance Lead applicant career stage: Early-career researcher, Mid-career researcher, Established researcher Administering organisation location: Anywhere in the world (apart from mainland China) Frequency: One-off Funding amount:

Up to £500,000 for each award

Funding duration:

12-24 months

Coapplicants: Required Upcoming application stage Calculating next key date… Application process timeline Who can apply

This award will bring together teams to shape interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary discovery research agendas across genomics and its wider contexts (see what we mean by Discovery Research). Successful teams will facilitate novel collaborations that drive new research agendas with the potential for discovery.

The team Show Lead applicant Show Coapplicants Show Collaborators Show Consultants Show

Read about the different applicant roles at Wellcome.

Who cannot apply

You cannot apply for this award if:

You intend to carry out activities that involve the transfer of funds into mainland China. You are already an applicant on another application for this funding call – applicants are limited to one application overall (as lead applicant or coapplicant). You already have applied for, or hold, the maximum number of Wellcome awards for your career stage. See our guidance on how many grants you can apply for, or hold, at the same time. Is your organisation right for this call?

The administering organisation is where the lead applicant is based. It is responsible for submitting your final application to Wellcome and managing the finances of the grant if it is awarded.

The administering organisation can be based anywhere in the world apart from mainland China. It must be able to sign up to Wellcome’s grant conditions.

The administering organisation can be a:

higher education institution research institute non-academic healthcare organisation not-for-profit or non-governmental organisation

Commercial organisations are not eligible to apply as administering organisations for this call. However, coapplicants and collaborators can be based at commercial organisations.

One organisation can submit multiple different applications.

What’s expected of lead applicant and coapplicant organisations

We expect organisations based in the UK to meet the responsibilities required by the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers for institutions, managers and researchers.

Any organisation with Wellcome funding that is based outside the UK is expected, at a minimum, to follow the principles of the Concordat.

We also expect organisations to:

Guarantee that the space and resources applicants need have been agreed and will be made available to them from start date through to the end date of the award. Give applicants and any staff employed on the grant at least 10 days a year (pro rata if part-time) to undertake training and continuing professional development (CPD) in line with the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. This should include the responsible conduct of research, research leadership, people management, diversity and inclusion, and the promotion of a healthy research culture. Provide a system of onboarding, embedding and planning for you when you join the organisation and/or start the award. Is your proposal right for this award?

These awards will support transdisciplinary teams to catalyse research discoveries at the intersection of genomics, humanities, social sciences and bioethics. Funded projects will be given the time and resources to create new research agendas and explore innovative ways of working.

There is a long history of exploring the social, legal and ethical contexts of genomics. This has made significant inroads into fostering more ethical and equitable practice. However, this has often been too limited and too late. Wider humanities and social science fields are underrepresented; communities or other social partners are often not centred; and these perspectives are often only included after key research decisions have already been made. This not only poses ethical challenges. It means that the discovery research potential of wider and earlier collaboration remains unrealised.

This call is aimed at addressing this issue and supporting novel, transdisciplinary teams to explore this area by enabling:

An increased breadth of collaborative partners – building inter- and transdisciplinary teams across genomics-related life sciences, humanities, social science and wider societal partners to purposefully engage in research at their unique intersections. The earlier integration of partners – bringing new partners together at the conceptual stage of a research agenda (research ideation, design and partnership building), so that research ideas and avenues can be explored and co-developed in new and innovative ways. A focus on Discovery Research – shifting the focus away from specific ethical questions, often applied at the end of a research lifecycle, to an emphasis on co-developing novel discovery research from the outset. A plan for integrated collaboration across the research lifecycle that harmonises and leverages the skills and perspectives of diverse contributors. What your proposal must include

Following the assessment criteria, proposals must include descriptions of:

1. The Team Show 2. Research agenda Show 3. Activities and outputs Show How applications are assessed

In line with the ‘What your proposal must include’ section, we will review your team, research agenda and activities and outputs. The assessment weightings will be used at the decision meeting stage.

1. Your team (35%) The novelty of your team composition, how well it integrates the perspectives of different disciplines and stakeholders, and how well it aligns with the wider ambitions of the proposal, including the focus of the proposed research agenda. The quality and feasibility of your plan to build and manage the team to work effectively and equitably, particularly across knowledge, power and logistical barriers. The quality and feasibility of your plan to test and implement equitable and engaged models of co-leadership during the award and to learn from the process of collaboration.

See the ‘Who can apply?’, ‘What your proposal must include’, ‘Equity, diversity and inclusion’ and ‘Engaged research’ sections for more details.

2. Your research agenda (35%) An outline of what specific area(s) of discovery research will be explored. The creativity or innovation of your plan for what new knowledge, concepts, methods or techniques, and/or field opening opportunities could potentially be generated. A clear explanation of why the proposed approach is ambitious, novel and feasible.

See the ‘Is your proposal right for this award?’ section for more details.

3. Your activities and outputs (30%) The creativity or innovation of your planned activities and outputs and how well they align with the aims of the award. The feasibility of your plan for who will benefit from these activities and outputs and how.

See the ‘Activities and outputs’ and ‘Equity, diversity and inclusion’ sections for more details.

Portfolio and cohort approach

A key goal of the scheme is to evidence the benefits of broader and earlier collaboration across different areas of research in genomics and its contexts, and to showcase the diverse contribution of different disciplines and key stakeholders. We therefore intend on taking a portfolio approach to funding decisions. This means that we reserve the right to fund a range of projects that demonstrate the value and potential of this kind of engaged collaborative research across different disciplines, sectors, stakeholders and areas of research.

Because of the value we place on collaboration and learning across awards, we also plan to bring the successful applicants together using a cohort-based approach. To do this, we will:

Offer matchmaking opportunities for prospective applicants to network and build new teams. Prospective applicants can sign up to take part in this matchmaking process. Support and gather information from across the cohort through shared activities, for example through workshops bringing the cohort together, contributing to cross-cohort evaluation work and to the development of shared toolkits or resources. The aim is to draw out key insights and learnings on research agendas and on the process of collaboration within the funded teams. Explore potential post-award opportunities to take forward outputs and ideas from across the cohort.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

Taking into account the context in which the research is conducted, applicants should be able to show that they have made substantive efforts to ensure that project research teams are appropriately diverse and inclusive.

For research conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), researchers based in the relevant region(s) should have a substantive role in age