A £50 million funding opportunity is available for the
development of a novel blood products research centre, set to
benefit armed forces on the frontline over the next 14
years.
Novel blood products research aims to improve treatment in
emergency and trauma care and address current critical blood
product challenges nationally.
The funding opportunity is being delivered by the Medical
Research Council (MRC) in partnership with MOD's Defence Medical
Services and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
(Dstl).
Research applications are invited to advance the development of
novel blood products which include a focus on current and future
challenges such as:
-
Improving traditional blood products, by reducing the
requirement for cold storage and developing products that can
be administered universally rather than to a specific blood
group.
-
Accelerating the development of laboratory-derived blood,
whether synthetic or from cell-lines, which will reduce the
reliance on donors.
-
Develop novel products with characteristics that natural
blood cannot achieve.
Blood transfusions are critically important, including in
emergency situations such as trauma-related haemorrhage, blood
disorders such as anaemia, and treatment-related complications
including cancer.
The existing supply chain is fragile due to a shortage of blood
donors. Each of the UK's four nations relies on a single provider
to meet demand, while successful transfusions require blood from
compatible, cross-matched donors to avoid reactions.
Global challenges including blood products that have specific
requirements for storage, handling and shelf-life are exacerbated
in a warfighting at scale scenario, where access to specialist
biomedical support, state-of-the-art facilities and cold-chain
storage may be limited, and geography may prevent blood provision
close to the point of need.
Dr Paul Hollinshead, Dstl Chief Executive,
said:
Protecting the lives of our armed forces is our highest
priority.
Battlefield injuries involving severe trauma and blood loss often
occur in austere conditions, many miles from hospitals.
Our scientists have worked seamlessly with stakeholders to
develop a comprehensive strategy for research in novel blood
technology. This MRC CoRE funding opportunity offers applicants
the ability to work closely with industrial partners and other
initiatives to ensure provision of blood when and where it is
needed.
Director General of the Defence Medical Services, Air
Marshal Clare Walton, said:
Ensuring adequate blood supply on operations is critical part of
the work of the Defence Medical Services, and it is crucial that
we continue to invest in this area.
This collaborative effort between different parts of Defence, UK
Research and Innovation, and civilian academia is a prime example
of the whole-of-society approach required to meet national
challenges emphasised within the Government's recent Strategic
Defence Review.
Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of MRC,
said:
MRC Centres of Research Excellence bring together ambitious,
multidisciplinary teams to tackle complex health challenges with
the potential for transformative impact.
This targeted funding opportunity, delivered in partnership with
the Ministry of Defence, invites applications to develop
clinically effective, scalable blood products for use in
emergency and trauma medicine, including in military and
low-resource settings.
Our aim is to accelerate progress from mechanistic understanding
to clinical testing, overcoming key barriers to translation and
adoption, and delivering solutions that can be applied across
diverse healthcare environments.
How to apply
Outline proposals must be submitted by 4 February 2026.
Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal
in autumn 2026, with the outcome of the funding opportunity
expected in spring 2027.
Interested parties are invited to attend a webinar on 25
November. Further information and details on how to apply are
available at: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/mrc-centre-of-research-excellence-round-four-outline-application/
