HIGHLIGHT NOTICE
MRC-NERC Initiative in Environment and Health
This notice invites proposals from environmental and medical scientists for research on the
relationship between human and environmental variables.
Background
The interests of the Natural Environment Research Council include research on the environment
and how perturbations affect different aspects of the environment and their interactions. In many
instances, these may have implications for the health of human populations. The Medical
Research Council’s interests cover the broad area of the "Health of the Public" and one important
aspect of this is an understanding of how environmental factors, possibly in conjunction with
other factors (eg genetic), affect human health. Clearly, therefore, both Councils have major
overlapping interests in the relationship between the natural environment and human health.
Problems to be addressed
The present initiative is aimed to stimulate research into the human health impacts of
environmental exposures. In the past, collaborations between environmental and medical
scientists have been relatively few, and one key purpose of the initiative is to encourage such
collaboration. Indeed the Councils are specifically seeking proposals that bring the two research
communities together in collaborative projects.
Within these broad aims, the Councils are seeking novel ideas from the research community;
there are no areas that have been identified as priorities in advance. As examples only, topics
might include the impacts on human health of: poor air quality, poor water quality, ionising and
non-ionising radiation, resistance of microorganisms in the natural environment to anti-microbial
agents, and climate change.
A key issue to be addressed is establishing a causal link between an environmental variable and
a health outcome. Applicants will therefore need to address problems such as measures of
exposure (intensity/duration), confounding factors and time-lags.
Outline proposals are invited for research that meets the aims described above. Applications
should be submitted to the Medical Research Council. Although proposals for programme grant
support may be considered, it is expected that for this initiative, the Council’s Co-operative Group
Grant scheme would be the most appropriate route, with at least one component (new or existing)
to be supported by NERC. Applications for Development Grants would also be welcome. Those
intending to submit proposals should discuss their plans with MRC Head Office at an early stage.
Further information on research funding
Information about the MRC’s funding schemes is available on the MRC web site
(http://www.mrc.ac.uk/welcome.htm). Potential applicants should contact Dr Angela Cooper at
MRC: Fax 0171 636 3427; e-mail: [log in to unmask] Dr Rachel Quinn is the
NERC contact (Fax 01793 411502; e-mail: [log in to unmask])
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|