Available research grants
We fund a huge range of research to tackle lung disease. To date, we have awarded more than £33m in research grants.
Check this page regularly to find out what funding we have available.
Important update: Deadline extension for grant rounds
Due to the disruptions caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic we are extending the deadline for the majority of our currently open grant rounds. Please see below for further details.
Please note that the principal applicant and host institution must be based in the UK for the following funding streams.
Collaboration is encouraged, both within and outside the UK, but the grant-holding institution must be based in the UK. Applications involving early-career investigators are also encouraged. Due to timescale restrictions, we will accept letters of intention for collaborations (e.g. with industry partners).
'Women and Asthma’ funding call 2021 – Application deadline extended
Asthma has a disproportionate effect on women. Globally, the incidence of asthma, the frequency of asthma attacks and asthma mortality rates are higher in women than men. Fluctuations in sex hormones are known to contribute to the onset, progression and exacerbation of asthma.
The ambition of the ‘Women and asthma’ funding call is:
- To increase our understanding of how sex hormones regulate asthma, which in turn may lead to the identification of pathways to be targeted by new therapeutic drugs and help to achieve better outcomes for the millions of women affected by asthma.
- To encourage researchers from respiratory and other relevant disciplines (e.g. endocrinology, immunology, epidemiology or data science) to experiment with novel concepts and high-risk projects that have the potential to further our knowledge in the links between sex hormones and asthma.
- To fund the re-analysis of existing datasets by sex to establish new correlations between sex and asthma.
- To invest in an academic leader to drive forward the major research gaps in sex hormones and asthma.
Applications in this round are invited for the following award types:
- Project grants - Up to £300K, for up to 3 years
- Pump-priming grants - Up to £80K, for up to 18 months
- Awards for re-analysis of existing datasets by sex - Up to £100K, for up to 2 years
- Professorial Chair awards - Up to £400K, for up to 5 years
Applications addressing any of the following priority areas in asthma will be favoured:
- Sex hormones and airway inflammation
- Sex hormones and airway structure/function
- Sex hormones and obesity-linked asthma
- Androgens as a potential therapeutic target for asthma
Full details of priority research areas are available under embargo in our report "The (Un)fair Sex". This report is available for interested applicants ONLY to read at this link. Please note, this document must NOT be shared beyond principal and co-applicants.
Key dates for all award types:
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Applications Open |
6th Dec 2021 |
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Full application deadline |
10th March 2022 |
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Application outcome notification |
July 2022 |
We recommend that all potential applicants read the following guidance notes before starting their application: Guidance notes for applicants: 'Women and Asthma'
Note: All ‘Women and asthma’ grant types are required to submit a full application only, without a preliminary stage.
All applications should be made via the AUK-BLF Flexi-Grant portal, where applicants will require an AUK-BLF Flexi-Grant account. Please register here if you do not have an existing account with us.
'Respiratory’ funding call 2021 – Application deadline extended
Applications in this round are invited for the following award types:
- Professorial Chair awards - Up to £425K, for up to 5 years
- Project grants - Up to 300K, for up to 3 years
- Pump-priming grants - Up to 80K, for up to 18 months
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Grants available |
Disease area
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Remit |
Key dates |
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Professorial Chair awards (Up to £425K, Up to 5 years) |
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis) Pre-school wheeze Bronchiectasis Infections (including COVID/Long COVID)
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A professorial position for the development of a programme of research into respiratory diseases and attract significant grant funding through which to build a team of experts in the field. Applications should focus on one or more of the aforementioned disease areas.
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Full application deadline: 10th March 2022 |
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Project grants (Up to £300K, Up to 3 years) |
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis) Pre-school wheeze
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Funding for a multi-year research project. Applications should focus on one or more of the aforementioned disease areas. |
Preliminary application deadline: 13th Jan 2022 Note: These deadlines are unchanged, due to the preliminary and full application stages being maintained.
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Pump-priming grants (Up to £80K, Up to 18 months) |
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis) Pre-school wheeze
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High-risk grants to encourage novel ideas. Applications should focus on one or more of the aforementioned disease areas.
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Full application deadline: 10th March 2022
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We recommend that all potential applicants read the following guidance notes before starting their application: Guidance notes for applicants 'Respiratory'
All applications should be made via the AUK-BLF Flexi-Grant portal, where applicants will require an AUK-BLF Flexi-Grant account. Please register here if you do not have an existing account with us.
'Mesothelioma research grants, supported by catalina’ funding call 2021 – Application deadline extended
Applications are invited for support of research into mesothelioma, supported by Catalina Services UK Limited. Grants are available either to medically qualified applicants, post-doctoral scientists or allied health professionals for clinical, laboratory and/or epidemiological research where appropriate.
The following grants are available:
- Clinical Trial Award. Funding is available to support trials of new/existing molecules (either molecules that are not yet licenced for any indication or those that are already licenced for use in other indications). Grants are for a specified period of up to four years to a maximum of £500,000 per award. Full application deadline: 10th March 2022.
- Project Grant for research into improved early diagnosis. Grants are for a specified period of up to three years to a maximum of £400,000 per award. Full application deadline: 10th March 2022.
- Pump Priming Grant for research into improved early diagnosis. Grants are for a specified period of up to 18 months to a maximum of £40,000 per award. Full application deadline: 10th March 2022.
Please note: Applicants are no longer required to complete a preliminary stage proposal for the Mesothelioma clinical trial and project grants and should submit a full application by the new deadline. We will be updating the Flexi-Grant system soon and will be corresponding with all applicants who have already started a preliminary proposal.
We recommend that all potential applicants read the following guidance notes before starting their application: Guidance notes for applicants 'Mesothelioma'
All applications should be made via the AUK-BLF Flexi-Grant portal, where applicants will require an AUK-BLF Flexi-Grant account. Please register here if you do not have an existing account with us.
Please contact us on the following email addresses if you have any questions or require assistance with any of the funding rounds: [email protected] or [email protected].
