Academy of Medical Sciences Professorship Scheme

The Academy of Medical Sciences is committed to attracting and retaining emerging talent from across the globe to the UK, and recognises the importance of capacity building at the early-leadership career stage.

This scheme seeks to progress that ambition by offering flexible support to researchers imminently taking up a full Professorship, or for those that have recently commenced such a position.  Awards will be made in partnership with the employing Higher Education Institute (HEI). 

You will have recently commenced, accepted, or have been guaranteed, a full Professorship post at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the UK, and will have completed a move (or be planning to move) from overseas to the UK.

In light of our commitment to ensuring a strong and diverse pool of candidates, the Panel has agreed that the broadened eligibility criteria that were piloted at the previous round, should continue to apply. Therefore, individuals must be relocating to the UK to take-up a professorial role, but unlike previous rounds, this does not need to be their first full Professorship. We will however emphasise that this scheme is intended to support researchers in the early-leadership career stage, and the Panel will take this into account in their assessments of applications.

Applicants would not typically have resided in the UK for more than a total of twelve months in the recent period prior to having accepted their professorial appointment.

It’s our expectation that applicants that have already commenced their Professorship, will typically have done so within the previous three years, though the Panel will be asked to take all factors into account in the assessment of the proposal.

It is a strict requirement of the scheme that the HEI will need to be providing you with an open-ended contract and evidence that you will be offered a supportive environment.

You should be a researcher in the field of biomedical sciences or healthcare.

If you are interested in making an application to the scheme but do not fully adhere to these criteria, or wish to discuss your suitability to the scheme, we are happy to discuss your situation further. Please contact the office at amsprofessorships@acmedsci.ac.uk.

Your AMS Professorship will be for a duration of up to five years and for a maximum of £500K.  The financial support of the Academy will be offered during the initial three years of the award: up to £225K in Year 1; up to £175K in Year 2; and up to £100K in Year 3.

The funds can be used flexibly, and are intended to support your research during the early years of your first full Professorship post.  For example, they could be used to fund research assistance, research costs or equipment.  

However, the funds may not be used to contribute to the cost of your salary or personal expenditure.

In addition, and for the full five year duration of the professorship, awardees will have access to careers support, and the Academy’s extensive networks across academia, industry and healthcare.

There will be two competitions per annum.

The current members of the Selection Panel are:

Professor Frances Brodsky FMedSci, University College London

Professor Sadaf Farooqi FRS FMedSci, University of Cambridge

Professor Catherine Law FMedSci, University College London

Professor Mike Malim FRS FMedSci, King’s College London (Co-chair)

Professor Moira Whyte FMedSci, University of Edinburgh (Co-chair)

Professor Martin Wilkins FMedSci, Imperial College London

Applications will be reviewed by the Selection Panel and those candidates recommended for further consideration will be invited for interview.

If it is found necessary within a round, additional members may be co-opted to the Panel to provide specific expertise.

Interview format
Interviews are currently being conducted remotely via Zoom. During the interview, candidates are invited to deliver a brief presentation to the Panel that reflects on:

• The new science that the Professorship will enable
• The added value of an award to the candidate's research career
• How they envisage being an ambassador for the Academy
  
  

This will be followed by questions and a discussion with Panel members.

More specific details will be provided to shortlisted candidates ahead of the interview.