Purchase mid-range equipment for biomedical research: MRC Equip

What the assessor looks for

• is timely, given current trends and context
• delivers an unmet need
• meets national needs by establishing or maintaining a unique, world leading activity or both
• meets community demand and need from a diverse and inclusive user base
• enhances and complements existing research capability at a local, regional, or national scale
• meets the strategic aims of UKRI or the government
• will help deliver MRC’s mission
• host organisation strategies for this equipment
• host organisation commitment to the equipment landscape
• a summary of existing facilities beyond the host organisation, including identification of similar instruments overseas or in industry, outlining reasons why they cannot be utilised for the intended research

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• enable high quality, novel or transformative research
• offer training opportunities for the wider community
• if applicable, have measurable impact beyond the immediate team, including on world-leading research, society, the economy, or the environment
• has the potential to advance current understanding and generate new knowledge, thinking or discovery including mechanistic understanding of human disease
• is relevant to identified stakeholders, including users
• identifies the potential local, regional and or national impacts, both direct and indirect, and who the beneficiaries might be
• enhances the UK’s research and innovation capabilities through local and or regional activity
• be of international importance (if applicable)

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• is feasible, identifying any risks to delivery and citing appropriate mitigation
• provides details of access and usage estimates, particularly where a culture of equipment sharing may extend use to external users
• provides long-term technical support which will be available for the requested equipment
• provides training and development of technical staff
• describes how the research environment (in terms of the place, its location, complementary expertise, facilities and relevance to the proposal) will contribute to the successful utilisation of the equipment
• has been designed so that it will generate local, regional or national impacts

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• is as economically, environmentally and socially sustainable as possible
• delivers large scale societal, environmental and economic benefits
• will have its lifetime maximised, including stating what the expected lifetime is and, where relevant, how the asset will be sustainably decommissioned
• will address the priority areas and objectives set out in the UKRI environmental sustainability strategy
• how long-term operational and maintenance costs, including staffing, will be supported
• how the proposed asset will be integrated into an existing UKRI service, facility, equipment pool, or similar
• how the proposed asset is complementary to UKRI or host institute carbon reduction targets
• if relevant, how the proposed asset contributes to a broader approach to environmental sustainability, such an enhancing biodiversity or clean air, as well as reducing carbon emissions
• your plans for sustainability and legacy beyond the end of UKRI funding. These could include cost recovery models, securing additional funding, development or expansion after the initial period of funding
• how you have considered equality, diversity and inclusion, including equitable access, in the design and planned use of the asset to maximise benefit to the UK environmental sciences community

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage)
• the right balance of skills and expertise
• the appropriate leadership and management skills and your approach to develop others
• contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community
• contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge, this may include your previous funding and key outputs such as publications
• 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, including public partnerships

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• a significant person’s name and their position
• office address or web link

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• 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

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• the relevant ethical and RRI considerations, including both the research or topic area itself and the design and delivery of the project
• the wider implications of the proposed work, and how you will maximise the positive societal, environmental, and economic benefits arising from the project, while minimising unintended negative impacts, such as research misuse or accidental harm
• how you will manage these considerations throughout the lifecycle of the project

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• project staff
• all facilities and infrastructure costs
• all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’
• details of the equipment requested
• details of the service or maintenance service requested (if applicable)
• details of any cash contributions to the equipment from other sources reasons for choosing a quoted equipment (versus other quotes)
• reasons for requesting a particular specification of equipment or a particular manufacturer

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.