The Wellcome Trust is inviting applications for its new four-year PhD Programmes for basic scientists from academic institutions in the UK or Republic of Ireland. Do you have a plan for a new PhD programme that reaches across the traditional boundaries of medical research? Could you train scientists in a clinical context; bring maths, chemistry, physics or engineering to bear on a biomedical problem; or link academic with commercial or health policy research?

The Wellcome Trust wants to support up to four new four-year PhD Programmes to give scientists the training and experience needed to drive discovery and translation in research areas inspired by the following strategic areas: Maximising the health benefits of genetics and genomics; Understanding the brain; Combating infectious disease; Investigating development, ageing and chronic disease; Connecting environment, nutrition and health.

These new programmes are intended for the support of basic scientists rather than clinicians, and will join the programmes already funded by the Wellcome Trust across the UK. The principal applicant should be the proposed director of the programme, and a recognised international leader in his or her field. Preliminary applications should be submitted by 11 May 2010. Full applications, if invited, will be required by 13 September 2010, and decisions will be announced in December 2010.

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