How We Fund Research

Our approach to funding is to support exceptional research that covers a wide range of themes including understanding the causes of primary bone cancer, developing new ways to diagnose and identifying new ways to treat primary bone cancer.

In 2017 we defined our strategic focus to take us to 2022 - which is the biggest commitment to primary bone cancer ever made by a UK organisation. Throughout these years, we will support researchers to find the breakthroughs that will ultimately lead to cures for primary bone cancer. We will collaborate with other charities to reach these goals and we also welcome partnership working.

We are committed to funding the highest quality research in a fair and transparent manner, our Peer Review Policy can be found here

We adhere to AMRC best practice and standards for peer review, to ensure a fair and transparent funding process.

All research funding decisions and recommendations are made by BCRT’s Independent Scientific Advisory Panel ISAP.

Application and review overview

Research applications are submitted by Principal Investigators (PI’s) to a deadline date.
All applications received, acknowledged and assigned an internal research reference .
They are initially triaged by BCRT’s Head of Research and Information (or other suitably qualified staff member) against the eligibility criteria. Any applications which do not meet the eligibility criteria are returned to the PI and host institution with an explanation of where the application was ineligible.
Eligible applications are assigned to peer reviewers, either internal or external.
The Head of Research and Information liaises with the Chair of BCRT’s ISAP over appropriate reviewers.

Following the decision making meeting of BCRT’s ISAP, the Chair of BCRT’s ISAP or the Head of Research and Information present the recommendations of the meeting to the Board of Trustees for approval.

The Bone Cancer Research Trust is proud to be a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), the national membership organisation of leading medical and health research charities

AMRC membership is the hallmark of quality research funding. To be accepted into the AMRC membership, charities must demonstrate that they follow the AMRC's rigorous standards in peer review, and therefore, providing supporters with reassurance that their money is being spent on only the highest quality research.

Membership also helps our research money go further:

Funding from AMRC members that is awarded via open competition is eligible for the Charity Research Support Fund (CRSF). This means that for every pound BCRT fund another 26p is invested in universities. This means that BCRT funding can be spent purely on research and the CRSF can allow the maintenance of labs, lighting and heating – the full economic costs of conducting research.
The AcoRD agreement ensures that AMRC members only pay the direct research costs of clinical research in the NHS. The Department of Health will meet all costs for local trial co-ordination and management, data collection, and regulatory fees.

As a member of the AMRC, we support their statement on the use of animals in research and their statement on supporting research in universities.

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