Dr. Martin Turner discussed the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), who they represent over 125 medical research charity members. The AMRC provides guidance, training, and support to members. They campaign for medical researchers and sit on boards. Membership benefits include a united voice, collaboration opportunities, and unique funding streams. Members range in size from large charities to small disease specific charities. The AMRC developed five peer review principles of accountability, balance, independence, rotation, and impartiality to ensure high standards. Peer review aims to fund scientifically valid research that does not duplicate work and is relevant to the charity's goals.

1. Dr Martin Turner
policy officer

2. today’s talk
1. AMRC
Who we are and what we do
Benefits of membership
2. Our members
Who are they?
Research funding opportunities
3. Peer review and the AMRC principles

3. about AMRC
• Association of Medical Research Charities
• Represent 125 member charities
• Support our members to enable them to
be effective research funders

4. what we do
• Support
Provide guidance and training to members
Peer review audit
• Leadership
Develop solutions to key challenges facing the sector
Speak on behalf of the sector
• Influence
Campaigning to help researchers
Sitting on boards and committees

5. what we do

7. benefits of membership
• A united and strong public voice
Working together to develop and push our positions
Sector-wide data reinforces our arguments
• Opportunities for collaboration with public and private partners
We act as a hub and offer guidance
Spreading best practice
• Access to support and unique funding streams
AcoRD and CRSF
Grant-making trusts recognise AMRC membership as a
quality-mark

8. our members
2010/11 Wellcome Trust &
Cancer Research UK
BHF & Arthritis Research UK
British Alcohol Research UK Breast Cancer Campaign
Scoliosis British Skin Foundation Alzheimer’s Research UK
Research
Muscular Dystrophy Parkinson’s UK
Foundation
Campaign

9. our members

10. our members
Over £58 million in current active grants in the North East

11. our members
2009/10

12. Research funding opportunities
• Traditional funding schemes
projects, studentships, pilot grants
• Collaborations/partnerships
• Invest in ‘infrastructure’
Clinical study groups
Tissue banks As long as it fits with the
Clinical Trials Units charitable objectives
• Invest along the pipeline
Patenting costs
Seed funding
Spin outs

13. The grant application process
Triage
External reviewers
Scientific Advisory
Panel
Trustees

14. The grant application process
Top tips:
• Check the fit
Read the strategy
Talk to the programme manager
Have they funded in this area before/recently?
• Provide the right information
Get a non-specialist to read your lay summary
Is it clear how the application fits the call/strategy?
• Be a good grantee
Let them know when you are presenting/publishing
Look for opportunities to help them get additional
funding/support

15. AMRC’s principles of peer review
Same standards for all AMRC charities

16. AMRC’s principles of peer review
Member charities developed five principles, based on agreed
good practice:
• Accountability
• Balance
• Independence
• Rotation
• Impartiality

17. AMRC’s principles of peer review
Accountability:
• Have a research strategy and information about funded research
available online
• Publish scientific advisory panel members’ names and details of
the peer review process online

18. AMRC’s principles of peer review
Balance:
• Ensure scientific advisory panels reflect a fair balance of
experience and scientific disciplines
• Use a variety of methods to select internal and external peer
reviewers

19. AMRC’s principles of peer review
Independence:
• Charities’ staff do not make scientific judgment but can do
“triage”
• Trustees may sit on the scientific advisory panel, but should
generally act as observers with no voting rights
• The procedure for assigning reviewers to applications is fair
• There is a clear line of communication between the scientific
advisory panel and the charity’s board of trustees

20. AMRC’s principles of peer review
Rotation:
• Appoint internal peer reviewers, including the committee chair,
for a fixed term of office
• Scientific advisory panel members serve for a period of three
years, with the option of renewing their term for a further two
or three years

21. AMRC’s principles of peer review
Impartiality:
• A majority of the members of charities scientific advisory
panels are not active grant holders (beneficiaries)
• A code of conduct and conflict of interest policy is in place
• Would-be beneficiaries are not present when their applications
are discussed or when decisions are made

22. AMRC’s principles of peer review
Why do charities use peer review?
• Accepted by the research community
• Membership criteria for AMRC and other partnership schemes
• Provides relatively unbiased view for trustees
• Panels provide broad basis of advice and expertise drawn into
the work of the charity

23. AMRC’s principles of peer review
Peer review aims to ensure that the research is:
• Scientifically valid, significant, original
• Timely and achievable
• Not unnecessarily duplicating other work
• Using appropriate methodologies – including animal work
• Done by researchers with the right skills and facilities
• Offering value for money
• Relevant to the charity’s aims and objectives
• Contributing to the charity’s strategy

24. AMRC’s principles of peer review
However, peer review is also:
• A risk to confidentiality
• Not a fraud detection system
• Incestuous in small communities
• Time consuming and costly to administer
• Subjective

25. final thoughts
• Charities are an important source of funding for universities
• Different funding models
• All high quality
• More than just research funders

26. Thank you
Email: m.turner@amrc.org.uk
Follow me on twitter: @amrc