2026 Emerging Leaders Prize

This year's Emerging Leaders Prize will recognise and celebrate researchers who have made significant contributions to the early origins of health and disease.

We are inviting applications from outstanding UK-based researchers who have demonstrated their potential to be research leaders of the future.

What is the Emerging Leaders Prize?

Each year, our Emerging Leaders Prize celebrates the achievements of researchers working on a different research theme. The prize funding provides a springboard for the winners’ careers and ensures they can continue to tackle key health challenges – both now and long into the future.

In previous years, the prize has recognised researchers working on children and young people's mental health, the impacts of climate change on health, hepatitis, lupus, COVID-19, pain, antimicrobial resistance, and adolescent mental health.

The funding is flexible, meaning that the winners decide how best to use it. This could mean spending time in a lab overseas, buying a cutting-edge piece of technology for their research, or investing in their personal career development.

Who can apply?

The prize is open to anyone at a relevant career stage who is researching the early origins of health and disease. Applicants can include, but are not limited to, clinicians, scientists and allied health professionals.

Applicants must be UK-based researchers at eligible institutions (UK HEIs, Research Council research institutes, hospitals, GP practices and other clinics, and other independent research organisations). Applicants must hold a PhD, DPhil or UK MD (or equivalent non-UK clinical research doctorate) and be conducting their research at an eligible institution.

Applicants must have recently transitioned to an independent research position. They should demonstrate an upward trajectory across their past career and a track-record of nationally-competitive research, an ability to manage an independent research group, and have clear plans to develop into an internationally-recognised leader in the field.

What fields of research will the prize cover?

Applicants may have conducted research that is developing knowledge related to (but not limited to) the following areas:

• Parental preconception health and its influence on child outcomes
• The impact of pregnancy, perinatal health and the in utero environment on child development
• The relationship between health and nutrition in the early years and later disease risk

We particularly encourage applications from researchers whose work has contributed to, or seeks to improve, our understanding of how inequalities and poverty impact early development and health outcomes.

Researchers may be from a variety of disciplines, including biomedical, social and clinical science, but should clearly demonstrate a track record of research which links specific factors in the early years to later health and disease outcomes.

Funding Available

Up to £200,000 is available for the 2026 Emerging Leaders Prize. A top prize of £100,000 will be awarded and smaller prizes of various amounts for second place and highly commended candidates.

Key Dates

• Deadline for submission: 12:00 on Thursday 16 April 2026
• Shortlisting notification: July 2026
• Interview Panel decision Meeting: September 2026
• Funding decision and feedback: September-October 2026

Expert Panel

Applications will be reviewed by an expert panel made up of core panel members with experience in assessing career development and fellowship awards, and specialist members with experience in research areas relevant to this year's theme.

Queries

The Medical Research Foundation is committed to making this application accessible to all by offering assistance where needed.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Research Team if you have any questions or concerns about the application or interview processes:

Email: research@medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk

Tel: 020 4581 2423

Terms and Conditions of Award

Research grants awarded through this scheme will follow standard Medical Research Foundation Terms and Conditions. The Medical Research Foundation terms and conditions spell out the responsibilities of the Principal Investigators and the Lead Research Organisation. The Principal Investigators and the Lead Research Organisation are required to indicate their formal acceptance of the application, their acceptance of the terms and conditions of a Medical Research Foundation award, and the approval of the salaries and resources sought in the application.

The Medical Research Foundation may add additional conditions to an award to reflect the particular circumstances and requirements of the funding, or the nature of a particular award. Acceptance of an award constitutes acceptance of both the core conditions and any additional conditions. The Medical Research Foundation reserves the right to vary these terms and conditions.