For Researchers

Our research process ensures we only fund high-quality research that is relevant to primary bone cancer.

​Since the Bone Cancer Research Trust was formed in 2006, we have awarded over £8.3 million to research focused on improving outcomes for primary bone cancer patients. To date, we have funded 148 research grants and continue to expand our research network, encouraging more researchers to focus their expertise on primary bone cancer.

Open Grant Calls

Osteosarcoma Restricted Funding Call

Bone Cancer Research Trust & Hannah's Willberry Wonder Pony Charity are delighted to be working together to offer funding of up to £250,000 to support clinical or translational projects focused on improving outcomes for osteosarcoma patients.

Treatment for osteosarcoma has not changed for several decades and still relies on a cocktail of toxic chemotherapies. New, targeted treatments, with less immediate and long-term effects are desperately needed to ensure more patients survive and thrive after treatment. Both charities are committed to drive improvements through the funding of high impact, innovative and collaborative research.

Funding is available to researchers and/or clinicians working in an academic or clinical institution in the UK, however, international collaboration is encouraged where appropriate. As part of this funding call, we welcome applications for funding to support:

  • Translational projects up to a maximum value of £250,000.
  • Clinical PhD studentships, with a particular interest in supporting oncology or surgical trainees up to a maximum value of £250,000.
  • Academic PhD studentships, with a translational focus, up to a maximum value of £140,000.

We are seeking translational research projects, which should demonstrate a clear line of sight to patient benefit and be both hypotheses driven and generating. They should clearly describe background evidence (including figures) and previous publications that have been used to support the submitted project, how the described experimental design will answer the questions posed in the project and how research may lead to patient benefit.

Patient involvement in the development of applications will be expected. Bone Cancer Research Trust has a Patient and Public Involvement Panel, who may be contacted to support your application. Please email us.

All costings will be fully scrutinised and so clear justifications should be included.

The closing date for this funding scheme is 5pm on the 13th November 2023 and awards are likely to be made in Q1 2024.

To request an application, please contact us here.

Chondrosarcoma Restricted Grant

Bone Cancer Research Trust are committed to improving outcomes for patients with all types of primary bone cancer and believe the best way to do this is to fund high impact, innovative and collaborative research.

There has been limited progress in the treatment of the commonest bone sarcoma chondrosarcoma, with surgery remaining the mainstay of treatment and no standard of care for systemic treatment. Patients receive life-altering surgeries and are often left with poor functional outcomes, impacting on their quality of life. New targeted, systemic treatments and improved local management are urgent priorities.

To address this, Bone Cancer Research Trust are delighted to open a research funding call, with funding of up to £500,000 available, for projects focusing on chondrosarcoma that will lead to a step change in our understanding of the disease and outcomes for these patients.

We are particularly interested in multi-disciplinary, collaborative proposals that combine surgical, translational and biological questions, focused on both improved survival rates and functional outcomes for patients.

Funding is available to researchers and/or clinicians working in an academic or clinical institution in the UK, however, international collaboration is encouraged where appropriate. Applications should demonstrate a clear line of sight to patient benefit and be both hypotheses driven and generating. They should clearly describe background evidence (including figures) and previous publications that have been used to support the submitted project, how the described experimental design will answer the questions posed in the project and how research may lead to patient benefit.

Patient involvement in the development of applications will be expected. All costings will be fully scrutinised and so clear justifications should be included.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on the 22nd September, with awards being made in March 2024.

To request an application form, please contact the Research Team.

Idea Grant

Bone Cancer Research Trust is committed to funding research focused on all forms of primary bone cancer and to improve outcomes for patients. We are delighted to confirm that funding of up to £25,000 is available to support pilot projects that demonstrate a line of sight to patient benefit. We particularly welcome proposals focused on the rarer forms of primary bone cancer and applications using patient samples that are linked to clinical data and outcomes.

Funding is available to researchers and/or clinicians working in an academic or clinical institution in the UK or internationally. Applications from younger academics, who do not have a tenured position are encouraged. Applications should be both hypotheses driven and generating. They should clearly describe background evidence (including figures) that have been used to support the submitted project, and should describe how the experimental design will answer the questions posed in the project.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on the 15th July 2023, with awards being made in October.

To request an application form, please contact the Research Team.

Ewing Sarcoma £1M Research Programme Grant


Bone Cancer Research Trust is committed to improving outcomes for patients with primary bone cancer, we are delighted to be collaborating with Children with Cancer UK to support a £1M programme of Ewing sarcoma research. Following on from the success of the Euro Ewing 2012 trial, which identified the most effective and least toxic chemotherapy backbone for Ewing sarcoma patients, we are keen to capitalise on this momentum, to support a programme of translational research.

We are seeking hypothesis generating proposals, aimed at identifying novel treatments and biomarkers and progressing these towards incorporation in new early phase trials. We would particularly welcome proposals that are aligned to ongoing and future Ewing sarcoma initiatives and that are supported by patient samples and clinical data.

Applications must be from a multi-disciplinary and collaborative team and show a clear line of sight to patient benefit. Proposals may be from international applicants, however, MUST have a UK-based co-applicant and applications MUST demonstrate the path to patient benefit in the UK.

Application Process

Stage 1. Expression of Interest

We are seeking expression of interest proposals from lead applicants, including details of the study team, the main area of focus for the research and a summary of the funding required up to a maximum of £1M. These proposals will be reviewed and the most promising invited to submit a full application.

The deadline for submission of the EOI is 28 th February 2023.

Stage 2. Full Application

Shortlisted proposals will be awarded up to £1000 to support meetings and PPI to develop the full application. Proposals should include a robust study design with attention to the planned statistical analyses. Clear plans for the collection, management and sharing of patient samples and data should be described. Proposals should emphasise and pay particular attention to how the study will benefit patients with Ewing sarcoma and should describe clearly the vision for progression after this funding. We strongly encourage the submission of proposals that align with relevant ongoing initiatives, describing the benefit of this. Applicants should also describe clearly how they will disseminate the results of their work and how this will act as a catalyst to stimulate further research in Ewing sarcoma.

Proposals which include a clinical trial are welcomed however, must be within the budget outlined and involvement of a UKCRC registered Clinical Trials Unit is expected. BCRT encourages applications from younger clinicians and researchers, in partnership with senior colleagues and strongly encourages proposals which demonstrate strong national /international collaboration.

The deadline for full applications is 30 th June 2023.

Interviews will be in October 2023 and award is likely to be made in Q4 of 2023.

To request an application form, please contact our Research Team.

Clinical Trials Support Scheme

The Bone Cancer Research Trust are committed to improving outcomes for patients with primary bone cancer and believe the best way to do this is to fund high impact, collaborative research. We are keen to support all stages of research, from pilot projects, through to more substantive research and have developed this funding call to meet these needs.

Funding of up to £100,000 is available to provide additional support ongoing clinical trials. The trial may be observational or interventional and can be oncology or surgical. This additional funding may be used to support:

  • aligned biological studies
  • additional arms or research questions (observational or interventional)
  • toxicology studies

A small proportion of the grant may also be used to support infrastructure costs.

The funding is available for UK applicants and the proposed research or study must take place in the UK; however, the parent clinical trial may be taking place in the UK or internationally.

Proposals should clearly describe the funded trial, including the value of the funding already secured, start date and duration of the funding award and details on data sharing, IP and T&Cs. The proposal should describe the background evidence, including figures and previous publications, that have been used to support the submitted project, how the described design will answer the questions posed in the proposal and how the additional support will give added value to the current trial. The input from patients on the design and development of the proposal should also be described.

Costings submitted will be fully scrutinised and so applicants should fully justify all costs included.

This is a rolling scheme, applications may be submitted at any point and will be considered at the next available meeting of BCRT's Independent Scientific Advisory Panel.

To discuss the scope of this scheme or the possibility of applying for funding over £100,000 and to obtain an application form, please contact us.

Skill development grants

Through this funding scheme, the Bone Cancer research Trust helps UK based primary bone cancer researchers, at all levels in their careers, to travel nationally or internationally, to present their results at internationally recognised research conferences, whilst interacting with other researchers and establishing networks of collaboration.

The funding also enables researchers to travel to international or national laboratories, to carry out a research project or develop a specific skill that can then be applied at their institution of origin.

ELIGIBILITY

All primary bone cancer researchers based at a recognised UK institution. There are no limitations based on career development stage, but applications from early career researchers are particularly encouraged.

WHAT IS FUNDED

Funding for each application is limited to £3000 and should be in line with distance of travel and length of stay.

  • Conference attendance: funding will cover registration, accommodation and travel costs.
  • Laboratory stays: funding will cover travel, accommodation and research expenses to visit a collaborating research group.

This is a rolling scheme; applications may be submitted at any point and will be considered by the Skills Development Grants committee at BCRT.

More details can be found here.

To obtain an application form, please contact us.


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