# Clinician Scientist Fellowship

**Funder:** Cancer Research UK
**Budget:** Up to £1m
**Deadline:** 1 October 2026 (Outline application deadline; reviewed twice per year)
**Duration:** 5 years
**Consortium:** No
**Application:** 2-stage: outline application → full application + interview
**Frequency:** Annual
**Eligible countries:** GB
**Official call:** https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/for-researchers/apply-for-and-manage-your-funding/our-funding-schemes/clinician-scientist-fellowship
**Last updated:** 30 Aug 2026

## Eligibility & scope

For clinician scientists with MD/PhD and some postdoctoral experience, eligible to practice medicine in the UK with GMC registration. Must be hosted at a UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute. Covers salary, running costs, equipment (up to £25k), and one research support post. Clinical service commitment required (20–50% depending on career stage). Proposals must be cancer-relevant.

## Summary

Cancer Research UK's Clinician Scientist Fellowship funds UK-based clinician scientists (MD/PhD) with GMC registration to pursue cancer research while remaining clinically active, offering up to £1 million over five years. The call targets early-career clinician-researchers with postdoctoral experience working in basic, preclinical, imaging, radiotherapy, or population-level cancer research. Clinical trials development and single-compound pharmaceutical research are excluded.

## Who should apply

- Clinician scientists with MD and PhD qualifications and GMC registration
- Applicants with a national training number and postdoctoral research experience
- Researchers committed to maintaining clinical practice while leading a research group
- Hosted at a UK university, medical school, hospital, or research institute
- Projects in cancer biology, preclinical science, imaging, radiotherapy, epidemiology, or early detection

## Key dates

- Outline application deadline: 1 October 2026
- Two-stage evaluation: outline application followed by full application and interview
- Five-year project duration

## Tips for applicants

- Dual-track expectations are explicit: you must maintain clinical commitments alongside research leadership, so be concrete about your clinical schedule and how research time is protected.
- Cancer Research UK weights clinical relevance and translation heavily for this scheme; frame basic research with a pathway to clinical benefit or patient impact.
- Outline applications are competitive; use the space to establish a sharp, fundable research question and a realistic team structure that accommodates your clinical role.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does the Cancer Research UK Clinician Scientist Fellowship fund?

Up to £1 million over a five-year period.

### Who is eligible for the Clinician Scientist Fellowship?

Clinician scientists with both MD and PhD qualifications, GMC registration, a national training number, and postdoctoral research experience, hosted at a UK institution.

### Do I have to keep practising clinically during the fellowship?

Yes, applicants must remain clinically active throughout the award.

### What research areas are covered by the Clinician Scientist Fellowship?

Basic, preclinical, imaging, radiotherapy, epidemiology, and early detection cancer research; clinical trials development and single-compound pharmaceutical research are excluded.

### Is the Clinician Scientist Fellowship recurring?

Yes, this is an annual call; the next round opens on 7 July 2026.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/cancer-research-uk-clinician-scientist-fellowship-2026-10) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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