What we’re looking for
Apply for Funding
We are seeking project proposals which focus on the validation of novel molecular drug targets for mental health conditions, in particular:
- psychotic disorders
- affective disorders
- cognitive disorders
- psychiatric symptoms associated with dementia
The Psychiatry Consortium intend to fund projects which:
- Are supported by robust evidence that links the molecular target to human disease, which can be further developed or validated.
- Provide a sound therapeutic hypothesis of how target modulation may have a therapeutic effect.
- Will enable tools for target validation e.g. through optimisation of existing tool compounds to improve selectivity, potency, bioavailability.
What we’re looking for
A key priority for us whilst reviewing applications is whether proposals are supported by robust evidence linking the molecular target to human disease and of target modulation having a therapeutic effect. We are perfectly positioned to support researchers further develop or validate this initial package of evidence.
Applications which are supported by robust evidence that links the target to the human condition and provide a sound therapeutic hypothesis of how to target modulation may have a therapeutic effect stand the best chance of success.
We are not looking for:
- Projects focused on well-studied targets and pathways for psychiatry diseases
- Projects with advanced chemistry e.g. lead/candidate molecules already synthesised and requiring only in vivo PK studies, preclinical proof-of-concept studies or IND-enabling studies
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Purely academic explorations of new animal or cellular models (unless there is a clear drug discovery application, e.g. using the model as a tool for validating a new target)
- Early target identification studies without a proposed target (i.e. projects that are mostly characterization and/or hypothesis-generating studies)
- Repurposing of existing drugs (unless as a method for validating new molecular targets)
- Clinical trials or clinical studies requiring prospective collection of human samples
