Wellcome has announced the launch of a £20 million ($21.7 million) fund to assist underrepresented groups in UK research.

An analysis of data from the United Kingdom’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the 2021 Census of England and Wales found that Black or Black British researchers in the UK made up 2.9 percent of the academic research population in 2021-22, researchers of Bangladeshi heritage made up 0.5 percent, and researchers of Pakistani heritage in the UK made up 1.1 percent, while white researchers made up 79.5 percent. The awards will be open to researchers currently working or “ordinarily resident” in the UK, who identify as being from a Black, Bangladeshi, or Pakistani background. Grants must be held at a UK institution, and the funding can be used for research or research-adjacent activities. In addition, the funding will be accompanied by a package of support activities, including networking and cohort-building opportunities. The awards are aimed at helping researchers stay in research and advance their careers. Individuals will be able to apply for grants of up to £200,000 ($217,000) for a period of up to two years.

“If we are to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone, we need the creativity and expertise of people from all backgrounds. Diversity of people will open the doors to new scientific questions and insights, bringing about discoveries which will benefit everyone,” said Wellcome senior manager of research culture and communities Shomari Lewis-Wilson. “Researchers of Black, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani heritage are not adequately represented in research in the UK. We hope that these awards will help talented underrepresented researchers fulfil their potential and transform science.”

The funding will be open for applicants in spring 2024.

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