(https://www.samrc.ac.za/funding/11th-gacd-multisectoral-approaches-call)

 The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) together with the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), is inviting investigators to submit applications with a focus on implementation research, maximising collaboration and coordination with sectors and in settings beyond the healthcare system to tackle chronic non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries and underserved populations in high-income countries (multisectoral approaches).

Eligibility 

·       Researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator.

·       One of the Principal Investigators (ideally the PI) must have a South African (SA) identity number (or permanent SA residence) and be a resident in SA for the duration of the project.

·       SAMRC requires joint funding from the NHMRC and/or CIHR.

o   Applicants intending to apply for joint funding from SAMRC & NHMRC should advise of their intent to participate in the call via email to international@nhmrc.gov.au.

o   Applicants intending to apply for joint funding from SAMRC & CIHR should advise of their intent to participate in the call via email to support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca and check CIHR agency-specific information.

·       Part of the project must take place in South Africa or on the African continent.

Award details 

·       SAMRC have a total budget of ~50,000 USD (~800,000 ZAR) per year and expects to jointly fund 1- 2 projects for 3-5 years.

Funder webinar, 24 March 2026- (10h00 registration link; 17h00 registration link)

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval  

Funder deadline:

First stage proposal deadline: 17 June 2026

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/infectious-disease-clinical-trial-development-award#call-at-a-glance-763b)

Wellcome is soliciting application for their Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Development Award. This funding call will support the formation of transdisciplinary teams led from Africa, South Asia or South-East Asia to develop an innovative idea for a future proposal for a clinical trial that optimises licensed infectious disease interventions to drive impact in low- and middle-income countries.

The pharmaceutical intervention (vaccine or therapeutic) must focus on one of the following disease areas:

• mycobacterial infections (tuberculosis, leprosy or infections with non-tuberculous mycobacteria) 

• bacterial infections (sexually transmitted infections, lower respiratory tract infections or bloodstream infections) 

• invasive fungal infections 

• dengue, leishmaniasis or schistosomiasis  

Eligibility:

The lead applicant must:

• Be a mid-career or established researcher. If the lead applicant is a mid-career researcher, he/she needs to include an established researcher as a co-applicant to provide intellectual, personal and career development support and mentorship.
• Be based at an organisation in Africa, South Asia or South-East Asia (except mainland China) and intend to remain resident in that country for the duration of the award.
• Have a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract – or the guarantee of one – for the duration of the award

 Award details:

• Up to £200,000 per award, for up to 24months 

Download the PDF outlining UCT's deadlines for internal approval
 
Funder deadline:
19 May 2026

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-early-career-awards)

The Wellcome Early-Career Awards scheme is soliciting applications from early-career researchers from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity. Through innovative projects, they should deliver shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health, and wellbeing. By the end of the award, successful candidates should be equipped to lead their own independent research programme.

Eligibility:

Early-Career Researchers.

Award details: 

PI salary for up to five years and up to £400 000 for research purposes.

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline: 

Three deadlines annually, with the next one for 2026 being 21 July.

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-career-development-awards)

Wellcome is soliciting applications for their Career Development Awards scheme. Mid-career researchers from any discipline who have the potential to be international research leaders are eligible to apply. Through this scheme they will develop their research capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work, and deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health, and wellbeing. By the end of the award, successful candidates should have achieved international standing in their area of research.    

Eligibility:  

Mid-Career researchers  

Award details:    

Up to eight years and applicants may request a salary.    

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:  

Three deadlines annually, with the next one for 2026 being 28 July.

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-discovery-awards)

Wellcome is soliciting applications for their Discovery Awards scheme from established researchers and teams from any discipline. Researchers who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing are eligible to apply.  Successful applicants will be expected to actively promote a diverse, inclusive and supportive research environment within their team and across their organisation.    

Eligibility:

Established researchers  

Award details:

Up to eight years of project expenses.   

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:  

Three deadlines annually, with the next one for 2026 being 22 September.

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) is seeking applications for the 2026 Start-up Emerging Researcher Award (SERA). This competitive award is aimed at supporting emerging researchers, recently appointed in the FHS, who want to start their own research at UCT. Support is provided in the form of funding for a research project to be conducted by the applicant. We particularly encourage cancer-related applications as there is ring-fenced funding within FHS Research Committee for cancer-research projects.

Eligibility
Permanent UCT staff member or employed on a T2 contract, with a PhD or MBChB/Allied Health Professional degree with some research experience (see call for full details)

Award details
Up to R100 000

Submission deadline
29 April 2026

Download the full call and application form.

(https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/grant-opportunities)

The Grand Challenges family of initiatives fosters innovation to solve key health and development problems. The following Grand Challenges grant opportunities are available with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as sole or contributing funder:

• Innovations in Cost-Disruptive Tools for Diagnosis and Screening
  This Grand Challenge has multiple award sizes commensurate with technology maturity.

• Novel Interventions Targeting Placental and Gut Inflammation to Improve Fetal Growth
  This Grand Challenge includes three funding tracks designed to accelerate mechanistic discovery, candidate advancement, and early validation of interventions targeting maternal gut-placenta inflammatory axes and oxidative stress to improve fetal growth outcomes.

• Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods
  This Grand Challenge aims to identify the physiological parameters that can be modulated to improve micronutrient absorption and offer a solution for delivery and effective absorption of micronutrients. All stages of development would be accepted provided the potential impact is clearly defined.
  (Funder webinar on Thursday, April 2, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

• Cost-Disrupting Innovations to Reduce the Cost of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)
  This Grand Challenge seeks innovative approaches capable of achieving at least a 30% reduction in the ex-factory unit cost of RUTF in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

• Breakthrough Innovations to Significantly Reduce the Cost of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) Treatment
  This Grand Challenge seeks innovative approaches capable of achieving a 20 - 30% or greater reduction in the total cost per child successfully treated for SAM in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
  (Funder webinar on Thursday, April 2, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM)

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Accelerate Charitable Giving
  This Grand Challenge seeks applications and use cases of AI that address the core question: How might AI support donors to give more and give sooner?

Eligibility: 

Researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator.

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:

28 April 2026

Are you a researcher planning to apply for a Wellcome grant in the next two years?

 Wellcome is offering researchers the opportunity to observe a Wellcome funding advisory committee and learn how grant applications are assessed. The opportunity is available to active researchers in any discipline linked to Wellcome’s Discovery Research remit, based in the UK, Republic of Ireland, or a low- or middle-income country (excluding India and China).

 Learn more and apply

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/mental-health-award-using-physical-activity-and-circadian-based)

Wellcome is soliciting applications for the Mental Health Award: Using physical activity and circadian-based interventions to reduce anxiety and depression in young people. This award will fund mechanistically informed trials of interventions for anxiety and depression in young people aged 10-18 years. Successful teams will build on existing mechanistic evidence to develop more precise and effective early interventions that have the potential to scale.

Eligibility 

Established researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator.

Award details 

£1-4 million per grant, for 3-4 years

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:

14 July 2026

(https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/research-career-funding-programmes/postdoctoral/global-advanced-fellowship)

The UK-based National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is accepting applications from postdoctoral researchers at all levels to the Global Advanced Fellowship scheme.  The scheme aims to create a sustainable pathway to research leadership for global health researchers working in Low- and Middle-income countries (LMIC) and the UK. The Global Advanced Fellowship scheme will support any field of applied global health research for the direct and primary benefit of people living in LMICs.

Eligibility 

To be eligible for an NIHR Global Advanced Fellowship you must:

• Have recently completed or are soon to be awarded a PhD but are not established as an independent researcher.

• For clinical applications: have completed relevant pre-registration training.

• Be employed by a Higher Education Institution (HEI) or Research Institute in a LMIC or a HEI in the UK

• Be conducting research that directly and primarily benefit patients and the public in countries on the OECD DAC list.

Award details

• Up to £750,000 funding towards the salary costs of the individual, and the costs of an appropriate research project and training and development programme.

• Project duration of 2 to 5 years Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) in duration and may be taken up on a part-time basis between 50% and 100% WTE.

Funder Webinar, 16 April 2026 - registration link

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval  

Funder deadline:

30 June 2026

(https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/research-career-funding-programmes/professorships-and-senior-investigators/global-research-professorships)

The Global Research Professorship award is NIHR’s flagship career development award. It aims to fund research leaders to promote effective translation of research The programme funds researchers undertaking research that aims to specifically and primarily benefit people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Eligibility

To apply for a Global Health Research Professorship, you must:

• Have an outstanding record of public health, health or care research including clinical and non-clinical researchers

• Be on track to become a future global health research leader

• Be based in a LMIC or the UK

• Be nominated by the higher education institution (HEI) or research institute in which they are employed (See eligible host institution list)

NB: Only two submissions per institution are allowed (at least one of which needs to be female).

Award details

up to £2 million of funding over 5 years

Submission process:

• Since the host institution submits two nominees for this award, ONLY candidates who complete the applicant screening questionnaire by 4 May will be considered in UCT’s internal selection process.

• Applicants should submit an intention to submit and complete an MS Teams- based questionnaire by 4 May.

  • The responses provided in the questionnaire will form the basis for the internal shortlisting process.
     
  • The internal selection process will run from 4 to 11 May.

• The International Grants Hub (IGH) is coordinating the internal selection process and aims to notify all candidates of the outcome of their internal application by 12 May 2026.

Funder deadline:

30 June 2026

The Faculty Research Committee (FRC) has committed a budget to strategic research support awards to assist postgraduate research related projects. The intention of this award is to assist Principal Investigators to support a postgraduate related research project(s) with the vision to help fulfil the successful completion of both the project(s) and the postgraduate degree(s).

Eligibility

• Application for the funding must be made by the Principal Investigator (academic or research staff member in the Faculty of Health Sciences) who is the supervisor of the postgraduate student(s)

• Principal Investigators can apply for funds to support multiple students’ projects in one application but are limited to one application per Principal Investigator.

Award details

• A maximum award of R30 000 per application towards research costs.

• Research costs requested may include research consumables, other research related expenses and a contribution to the postgraduate student’s stipend.

Funder deadline

08 May 2026

Download the full call for more information