Funding opportunity: Purchase mid-range equipment for biomedical research: MRC Equip

Opportunity status

Open

Funders

Medical Research Council (MRC)

Funding type

Grant

Award range

£200,000 - £1,000,000

Publication date

29 July 2026

Opening date

13 August 2026 9:00am UK time

Closing date

5 November 2026 4:00pm UK time

Funding opportunity for mid-range capital equipment will enable and enhance research across MRC’s scientific areas.

You must be employed at a UK research organisation eligible for MRC funding.

All applications must have a duration of seven months with a start date of 1 June 2027.

A limit of two applications per research organisation is in place for this funding opportunity, unless otherwise notified by MRC.

You can request a contribution of between £200,000 to £1 million. MRC will fund up to 100% of the full economic cost (FEC). The total cost may be higher, with the remainder met by other contributions.

Who can apply

Who is eligible to apply

To be eligible to apply for this UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding opportunity you must be a researcher or research technical professional employed by an eligible research organisation.

Demand management

Research organisations may only submit two applications to this funding opportunity, unless their research office has been otherwise notified by MRC. We would encourage organisations to discuss and prioritise their submissions as soon as possible. Potential applicants are advised to contact their research office at the earliest opportunity.

You are only permitted to be project lead on one application per funding opportunity; however, you can still be involved in an application submitted to the same funding opportunity when you are involved as project co-lead.

Building on the Technician Commitment UKRI action plan, we particularly encourage applications from research technical professionals as either project lead or project co-lead.

Applicants based within MRC Units, including The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), or MRC/UVRI (Uganda Virus Research Institute) and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit are eligible to apply as project lead.

Resubmissions

We will not accept uninvited resubmission of applications that were submitted after 1 August 2026 to MRC, the rest of UKRI or any other funder. An uninvited resubmission is an application that was previously unsuccessful and has been submitted again without being invited by MRC. This includes applications that are unchanged, minimally revised, or substantially the same as the original submission. Uninvited resubmissions will be rejected.

You should contact us if you are unsure whether your application is a resubmission. Find contacts in the ‘Contact details’ section.

Resubmissions from previous rounds of the funding opportunity are eligible but are included in the organisation application limit.

Who is not eligible to apply

You are not eligible to apply if:

• you are based at an international research organisation (exceptions are MRC Units, The Gambia and Uganda Research Unit)
• you are intending to be project lead on more than one application
• your application is in addition to the two applications allowed by your research organisation (unless otherwise notified by MRC)

Contact ca@mrc.ukri.org if you are unsure of eligibility.

International researchers

As MRC is a lead funder for this funding opportunity, international researchers can apply as ‘project co-lead (international)’. Project co-leads (international) must make a major intellectual contribution to the design or conduct of the project. Their contribution and added value to the research should be clearly explained and justified in the application (see section ‘Applicant and team capability to deliver’).

Read the UKRI project co-lead (international) policy for more details. Contact ca@mrc.ukri.org if you are uncertain about eligibility.

You should include all other international collaborators as project partners.

Applications should clearly state where the equipment will be located.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

• career breaks
• support for people with caring responsibilities
• flexible working
• alternative working patterns

UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

What we're looking for

Demand management

Demand management is being applied to this funding opportunity. Further details are provided in the ‘Who can apply’ section.

Aim

To build world class laboratory capability that will enable research to deliver MRC’s mission.

Scope

The primary purpose of the equipment must be biomedical research within MRC remit.

Applications from all scientific areas within MRC remit are eligible. Relevance to MRC priority areas is particularly encouraged.

Applications may be for new capability or replacement equipment for existing capability. In the case of the latter, you are encouraged to specify any additional new capacity or capability provided by the replacement.

Applications for second-hand or beta-testing equipment are also permitted, if you can demonstrate how you are addressing any associated risks with increased chance of equipment failure.

Requests for contributions to the following are outside the scope of this UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding opportunity:

• very large facilities
• the purchase of equipment that constitutes normal elements of a well-founded laboratory (including centrifuges, fridges and other sample storage, and incubators)
• buildings and other types of infrastructures
• establishment of all computing platforms (for example, high performance computing clusters) for data analysis or data storage

Applications must consist of a single piece of capital equipment, although this can include equipment that requires assembly or involves several components (not necessarily physically linked), provided they constitute a single technology platform.

If you plan to request several components that could constitute a platform, you must approach us for permission before applying. Contact ca@mrc.ukri.org providing a short one-page document outlining how your application constitutes a single platform.

Duration

The duration of this award is seven months. Projects must start by 1 June 2027 and must end by 31 December 2027.

Funding available

The FEC of your application can be up to £1 million. MRC will fund 100% of the FEC. Up to £14 million in total will be available for this funding opportunity.

What we will fund

Applications may seek the cost of capital equipment over £200,000, (including VAT, if payable) requested under the ‘Exceptions – equipment’ heading only. A MRC contribution of up to £1 million at 100% of the FEC can be requested. The MRC contribution requested must be over £200,000. The total item cost may be higher than £1 million if the additional cost is met by other contributions.

You must obtain quotes for the equipment, from multiple suppliers where possible, and use these as the basis for your costings. The panel will generally expect that you should not use list prices where discounts are typically available. By obtaining quotes you will be able to ensure that your costings are accurate, realistic and present good value for money for the requested equipment. If there is a sole supplier or fewer than three quotes, this should be explained as part of the resources and cost justification.

Costs such as initial installation or service maintenance contracts can be included if they are one-off costs and part of the manufacturer’s offer. These costs should be included in the equipment quotation.

Service maintenance contracts up to five years in duration may be included but the contract cost must be paid by 31 December 2027. Should the expected length of the contract exceed five years in duration, then the cost included in the application should be reduced on a pro rata basis to fit within the conditions as stated.

We expect that organisations will make longer term arrangements to ensure appropriate ongoing support over the lifetime of the equipment. Separately negotiated service contracts are not eligible for this funding opportunity.

What we will not fund

We will reject applications in certain areas without consultation, these are:

• applications that request any other costs apart from capital equipment funding and associated maintenance costs
• separately negotiated service contracts
• equipment valued below the £200,000 (VAT included) threshold. Equipment should exceed this threshold and equipment prices should be based on standard higher education institution discounted prices and not the list price
• applications that cannot complete procurement and spend by the expected end date of 31 December 2027
• requests for equipment that is scheduled for market release after the funding opportunity closing date
• principal beneficiaries outside the UK (except for eligible MRC Africa units)
• principal beneficiaries outside biomedical research
• establishment of generic computing platforms (for example, high performance computing clusters) when the intended use extends largely beyond a small number of specific projects or research areas that are within the MRC remit
• requests for buildings or other very large facilities
• requests for the purchase of equipment that constitutes normal elements of a well-founded laboratory (for example, centrifuges, fridges and incubators)
• applications for the development of new technology are outside of the scope of this opportunity and will be rejected, although the use of new or emerging technologies is encouraged
• applications to develop software packages
• applications of the same nature that have also been submitted to other funders at the same time (including research council funding opportunities)
• uninvited resubmission of applications that were submitted after 1 August 2026 to MRC, the rest of UKRI or any other funder

Supporting skills and talent

We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)

UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.

See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where you can find additional support.

How to apply

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service, so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

If the lead research organisation is an NHS organisation, check it is available in the Funding Service. You are encouraged to check this early as there may be additional steps for the organisation to be set up before you can apply.

To apply

Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page:

1. Confirm you are the project lead.
2. Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password.
3. Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
4. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
5. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return to you if it needs editing.
6. Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.

Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant.

Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

When including images, you must:

• provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)
• insert each new image on a new line
• use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format

Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application will be rejected if you include:

• sentences or paragraphs of text
• tables
• excessive quantities of images

A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:

• how applicants use the Funding Service
• how research offices use the Funding Service
• how reviewers use the Funding Service

References

References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.

Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:

• references are easily identifiable by the assessors
• references are formatted as appropriate to your research
• persistent identifiers are used where possible

General use of hyperlinks

Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.

For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment.

Deadline

MRC must receive your application by 5 November 2027 at 4:00pm UK time. You will not be able to apply after this time. Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines. Following the submission of your application to this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

Personal data

Processing personal data

MRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.

We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.

Sensitive information

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email ca@mrc.ukri.org Include in the subject line: MRC Equip; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number. Typical examples of confidential information include:

• individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
• declaration of interest
• additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
• conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
• the application is an invited resubmission

For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.

Institutional matched funding

There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.

This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.

Publication of outcomes

MRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at board and panel outcomes.

If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.

Summary

Word limit: 550 In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application. We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:

• opinion-formers
• policymakers
• the public
• the wider research community

Guidance for writing a summary

Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:

• context
• the challenge the project addresses
• aims and objectives
• potential applications and benefits
• relationship with MRC priority areas or highlights
• alignment with MRC mission

Core team

List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:

• project lead (PL)
• project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
• project co-lead (international) (PcL (I))
• specialist
• professional enabling staff
• research and innovation associate
• technician
• visiting researcher
• researcher co-lead (RcL)

Only list one individual as project lead. If you include more than one project lead your application will fail at the checking stage.

UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.

Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.

Application questions

Purpose

Word limit: 1,000 What is the equipment, why is it needed, and why should UKRI support it?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how the proposed equipment:

• is timely, given current trends and context
• delivers an unmet need
• meets national needs by establishing or maintaining a unique, world leading activity or both
• meets community demand and need from a diverse and inclusive user base
• enhances and complements existing research capability at a local, regional, or national scale
• meets the strategic aims of UKRI or the government
• will help deliver MRC’s mission

Please describe alternative plans for how the research would be achieved should the equipment not be funded. The plans should reflect:

• host organisation strategies for this equipment
• host organisation commitment to the equipment landscape
• a summary of existing facilities beyond the host organisation, including identification of similar instruments overseas or in industry, outlining reasons why they cannot be utilised for the intended research

Vision

Word limit: 4,475 What are you hoping to achieve with the proposed equipment?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how the proposed equipment will:

• enable high quality, novel or transformative research
• offer training opportunities for the wider community
• if applicable, have measurable impact beyond the immediate team, including on world-leading research, society, the economy, or the environment
• has the potential to advance current understanding and generate new knowledge, thinking or discovery including mechanistic understanding of human disease
• is relevant to identified stakeholders, including users
• identifies the potential local, regional and or national impacts, both direct and indirect, and who the beneficiaries might be
• enhances the UK’s research and innovation capabilities through local and or regional activity
• be of international importance (if applicable)

References may be included within this section. You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service. Please also provide a detailed plan of research which includes a description of the projects that will be supported by the equipment, with sufficient experimental detail to allow the panel to assess the quality of the research, including preliminary results where possible.

Approach

Word limit: 2,200 What are your plans to manage the proposed equipment?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

We expect you to show how your approach:

• is feasible, identifying any risks to delivery and citing appropriate mitigation
• provides details of access and usage estimates, particularly where a culture of equipment sharing may extend use to external users
• provides long-term technical support which will be available for the requested equipment
• provides training and development of technical staff
• describes how the research environment (in terms of the place, its location, complementary expertise, facilities and relevance to the proposal) will contribute to the successful utilisation of the equipment
• has been designed so that it will generate local, regional or national impacts

Complete and paste the Timeline and Usage tables (see ‘Supporting documents’ in the ‘Additional information’ section) into the text box. These should be pasted in separately.

References may be included within this section. You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service. Please also provide a plan for prioritising access to and maximising usage of the infrastructure. This should include any application and assessment processes and an estimate for the balance of users from the host institution, academics from external institutions and industrial users.

Guidance

Your approach to managing the equipment will be a key consideration in the assessment of your application. You should give due consideration to the technical support that we will be in place to support the equipment and engage technical staff in putting together the application. When outlining the usage for your application, you should ensure that your figures are realistic and based on user demand. The usage figures should be based on this specific equipment and specification and not broader use of the facility. Ensure that you have sufficient users that need the specifications of the requested machine.

Sustainability

Word limit: 500 What steps have you taken to ensure the sustainability (economic, environmental and social) of your proposed asset?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

For the sustainability, explain how the proposed infrastructure:

• is as economically, environmentally and socially sustainable as possible
• delivers large scale societal, environmental and economic benefits
• will have its lifetime maximised, including stating what the expected lifetime is and, where relevant, how the asset will be sustainably decommissioned
• will address the priority areas and objectives set out in the UKRI environmental sustainability strategy

Within the Sustainability section we also expect you to explain:

• how long-term operational and maintenance costs, including staffing, will be supported
• how the proposed asset will be integrated into an existing UKRI service, facility, equipment pool, or similar
• how the proposed asset is complementary to UKRI or host institute carbon reduction targets
• if relevant, how the proposed asset contributes to a broader approach to environmental sustainability, such an enhancing biodiversity or clean air, as well as reducing carbon emissions
• your plans for sustainability and legacy beyond the end of UKRI funding. These could include cost recovery models, securing additional funding, development or expansion after the initial period of funding
• how you have considered equality, diversity and inclusion, including equitable access, in the design and planned use of the asset to maximise benefit to the UK environmental sciences community

Guidance

The equipment requested will hopefully run for many years. This will have cost implications for regular maintenance and consumables. Show you understand the cost implications of having the equipment and have put in place good practice to manage it. Environmental sustainability will be one of the assessment criteria and applicants must show that they have provided due consideration to a move towards lower impact solutions and that the choice of equipment and the proposed management plans will aim to minimize the environmental impact of the equipment. You should ensure that your plan addresses the specific considerations for this equipment and not just the broader environmental strategy of the facility or department.

Applicant and team capability to deliver

Word limit: 2,200 Why are you the right individual or team to procure and manage the proposed equipment?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:

• the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage)
• the right balance of skills and expertise
• the appropriate leadership and management skills and your approach to develop others
• contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service. The word count for this section is 2,200 words: 1,700 words to be use