Parkinson's UK Senior Research Fellowships

Parkinson's UK Senior Research Fellowships

Supports postdoctoral Parkinson's researchers in the United Kingdom transitioning toward independent research leadership.

Parkinson's UK Senior Research Fellowships provide up to £450,000 over three years to outstanding post-doctoral scientists who are transitioning toward independent research leadership. The scheme specifically targets researchers who have completed at least one prior post-doctoral appointment and are demonstrating early independence — evidenced by collaborations formed independently of their primary supervisor, small amounts of independently obtained funding, or effective management of laboratory staff. Applicants who already hold comparable fellowships, who lead established independent research groups, or who hold tenured positions are not eligible. The 2026 round preproposal deadline is 4:00 PM on 1 July 2026, with full applications due 7 October 2026 and interviews scheduled for the week of 23 November 2026.

Host institutions must be UK universities, research institutes, NHS Trusts, or statutory social care organisations. Co-applicants and collaborators may be at international institutions or biotech and pharmaceutical companies. All applicants must involve people with lived experience of Parkinson's in their research program, and equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments must be addressed throughout. The application process runs through the Parkinson's UK online portal at research.parkinsons.org.uk.

The scheme is highly competitive: in the 2025 cohort, 11 preproposals were submitted, 4 were invited to full application, and zero were ultimately funded. In 2024, 7 preproposals produced 4 invitations and 2 funded awards. The fellowship covers any area of Parkinson's disease and related disorder research; applications with a clear scientific rationale for why the fellowship stage is the right career moment to pursue a specific research question, supported by strong preliminary data and explicit independence indicators, are best positioned for success.