How our research funding works

Through our programme of research into childhood leukaemia we aim to protect future generations of children from this devastating disease.

Every year we invest millions of pounds, all of which has been raised and donated by thousands of supporters. Spending these hard-earned funds is a big responsibility so we go to great lengths to make sure that we spend them wisely.

How much do we grant on research?

In 2006 we made grants of over £2.1 million for research into the causes and treatment of childhood leukaemia. We granted a further £1.7 million for capital projects to improve the facilities at various research institutions.

What types of grants do we make?

We make three main types of research grant:

• Programme grants provide five-year funding to progress research related to a particular theme. We currently have three programme grants in place – at the University of Bristol, the University of Oxford and the Institute of Child Health in London.
• Project grants provide support for up to three years for specific research projects into the causes and treatment of the disease. We are currently funding 23 projects around the UK and abroad.
• Capital grants provide funding towards the development of new research facilities or towards a particular piece of research equipment.

On occasion we also provide funding to support the costs of scientific meetings and conferences to facilitate dissemination of research results.

Who can receive research funding?

We award grants to institutions such as universities, medical and scientific research centres, laboratories, and hospitals.

Research institutions abroad can receive project funding but we do not make programme grants or capital grants to overseas institutions.

Part of the criteria for the award of a grant is that there is adequate infrastructure to support the proposed work.

How do we decide who to fund?

Our research strategy sets out the key areas of research upon which we have decided we need to focus.

We invite grant applications, either as part of our annual grants round or on an ad hoc basis in areas of particular interest.

Grants are made following a rigorous process of peer review during which opinion is sought from our own scientific advisers as well as external reviewers.

For our annual, themed grants rounds we convene a specialist panel to review the applications we receive. Members of the 2006 research panel included Professor Victor Hoffbrand (chair), Professor Inderjeet Dokal, Professor Tariq Enver, Dr Thomas Erren, Professor Mel Greaves, Professor Denis Henshaw, Professor Irene Roberts and Professor Eric Wright.

We are a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC). The AMRC sets minimum standards of good practice to which member charities must adhere in their grant-making, including policies on peer review.

How do we monitor the research that we fund?

We keep in touch with grant-holders during the period of their grant to monitor their progress and keep track of findings.

Under our terms and conditions of funding, all grant-holders must provide annual reports on the progress of their project and a final report at the end of the grant.

We endeavour to visit each project at least once during the course of the grant – to meet the research team, see the research facilities and check on the progress of the work.

Download/view our terms and conditions of funding (PDF format 58 KB)

What happens to the results from our research projects?

We place great importance on the dissemination of results, so that those working in the field can learn from other people’s successes as well as their failures.

As well as directly funding research into childhood leukaemia, we have a key role in disseminating the results of this research so that information is shared by researchers around the world, enabling best progress to be made.

In 2004 we hosted the first ever international conference on the causes of childhood leukaemia. The conference attracted delegates and speakers from leading research centres around the world.

On 29th and 30th April 2008, we hosted a further conference on the causes of childhood leukaemia. This conference, which was held at the Institute of Child Health in London, focussed on environmental risk factors in leukaemia development and the interplay of these factors with genetic predisposition.

Do we fund research involving animals?

The leukaemia treatments which save the lives of hundreds of children every year could not have been developed without the use of animals. We continue to fund research to find improved treatments which will cure even the most severe forms of leukaemia, causing minimum side effects for the child.

We do not seek to influence the research procedures of the scientists we fund. Neither do we control the nature of research projects that take place in buildings that we have funded.

However, all research we fund undergoes rigorous peer review and assessment by our expert scientific advisers to ensure that it is necessary and valuable.

In addition, all animal research carried out in the UK is subject to the strict regulations set out in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. We take steps to ensure that researchers carrying out projects abroad adhere to similar standards.