GSK/BLF CHAIR in RESPIRATORY RESEARCHGuidelines for Applicants 2017

Applicants should read these guidelines before completing the application form.

1. BACKGROUND AND APPLICATION GUIDANCEThe British Lung Foundation invites applications for a new Research Chair in the field of respiratory disease, focusing on one or more of the following BLF priority disease areas:

Bronchiectasis Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Interstitial lung disease (ILD, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) Lung cancer Malignant pleural mesothelioma Paediatric respiratory conditions (including infections and wheezing)

Funding available is £85,000 per annum for an initial term of 5 years (with the possibility of renewal for a further 5 years subject to review). Funding is not available to support an existing chair or professor. The chair must be held in a University or affiliate within the United Kingdom. Applications will be limited to one “per disease area per institution” (i.e. multiple applications from a single institution are acceptable but each of these much be focused on a different disease area).

Applications are welcome from individuals based in the UK (including those wishing to move institutions to build their research career) and from researchers based overseas wishing to work to the UK (we welcome applications from higher education institutions who wish to repatriate an overseas researcher or attract someone new from an overseas institution). In the case of the latter, full agreement between the proposed individual and host institution must be in place and all application documents must be completed in full.

Applications are encouraged in which costs will be co-funded by the host institution on a 50:50 basis. Please indicate in the research proposal where this is the case (in the ‘justification for financial support’ section) and provide details of:

host institution funding and how this will be used. written confirmation from the relevant department/individual confirming

the commitment of host institution funds. In such instances, details of ‘finance requested’ should only include amounts requested from the BLF (not funds committed by the host institution) and the total sum of funding requested from the BLF should not exceed £42,500 per annum.

2. ABOUT BLF CHAIRSOur professor is appointed in partnership with universities that can demonstrate a strong commitment to respiratory research.

The professor is expected to bring research leadership at an internationally competitive level and a commitment to training future respiratory researchers.

Additional important considerations are how the candidate supports and enhances the overall respiratory research strategy of the university and the added value to the BLF of making the award.

We will consider on an equal basis applications for individuals with or without a current salary from HEFC (any one of the four UK higher education funding councils), but we expect that all BLF professors will devote the majority of their time to the direction of research with limited administrative, clinical or teaching duties.

3. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS 3.1. The applicant has been, and continues to be, engaged in original research. 3.2. The applicant's research work should be known and respected in leading

academic centres both at home and abroad, including Europe and the USA, and of such a standard that he/she is invited to report on his/her work at an international level.

3.3. The applicant should be capable of attracting research workers from the best academic centres at home and abroad.

3.4. The applicant should have a successful record of attracting funds from grant giving bodies.

3.5. The applicant should be an effective leader and teacher. 3.6. The applicant should have published a substantial number of papers in

journals of high scientific standing. 3.7. The applicant would be expected to have held office in relevant societies,

hold honorary membership of foreign societies, and have been awarded research prizes.

4. FUNDING4.1 The British Lung Foundation would reimburse the employing authority for

salary and other costs. The award will be made for an initial term of 5 years with renewal for an additional five years subject to review.

4.2 The maximum amount available per annum is £85,000.4.3 The appointee is encouraged to apply for research grants from the BLF and

other sources in order to build up a unit or department.

5. APPLICATION PROCESS5.1 An application should include a completed:

Application form from the proposed Chair holder Dean questionnaire

5.2 Applications will be assessed by a specially formulated British Lung Foundation Chair Group and international peer reviewers, and awarded at interview.

6. OTHER CONDITIONS6.1. The Chair is available to a UK research institution.6.2. Applications may include costs of personnel, equipment and consumables

where appropriate for a research chair in respiratory research. Host institutions may choose whether to request the professor’s salary from BLF or to pay it from HEFC or other institutional resources. If, by taking over payment of the professor’s salary, the BLF is releasing a salary previously paid by the university, the BLF will require a defined commitment from the university to use the money directly for the support of the professor. Support for additional salaries can be requested if fully justified for core research support or research administration posts that directly assist the

professor’s research. The level of support awarded will be assessed in the context of the total funding request.

6.3. The grant is for a specified period of five years, to a maximum of £85,000 per annum. Grants in excess of this sum will not be considered.

6.4. Applications are to be submitted using a British Lung Foundation application form which is downloadable from www.blf.org.uk or can be requested from the Head of Research, Ian.Jarrold@blf.org.uk

6.5. A typescript size of no less than 10 points should be used.6.6. All necessary signatures and supporting documents should be obtained

well ahead of the submission date and included in the application form, otherwise it will be considered incomplete.

6.7. The BLF operates a paperless grants application system. An electronic version of the full application and dean questionnaire should be e-mailed to the Head of Research, Ian.Jarrold@blf.org.uk, before 9am on Monday 6 February 2017 in the form of a single Microsoft Word or Adobe pdf document. Please note that it is very important that you send the application as a SINGLE ELECTRONIC FILE. All details should be included in a single file and no further attachments should be sent. In order to meet BLF email file size requirements, electronic application file size should be under 3MB where possible.

6.8. Late or incomplete application forms will not be accepted. Similarly, applications containing more than the requested information will not be accepted.