Brain Research Trust

Brain Research UK (formerly Brain Research Trust), established in 1971 and expanded nationwide in 2017, is the UK's leading charity dedicated to funding transformative neurological research. Its mission is to advance understanding and treatments for brain and nervous system conditions, creating a world where those affected live better and longer. Guided by evidence-led principles, it prioritizes high-impact, peer-reviewed science addressing patient needs over academic tradition, having invested over £58 million to date. Distinctive for uniting expert advisors, clinicians, and patient voices, it targets underfunded areas with rigour and strategic clarity.

The charity focuses on three priority themes—brain tumours, brain and spinal cord injury, and headache/facial pain—supporting basic science, translational studies, clinical trials, investigator-led projects, post-doctoral fellowships, clinical PhD fellowships, and multidisciplinary collaborations. Beneficiaries span all ages with these conditions, caregivers, and the UK health system, emphasizing innovation for better diagnosis, therapies, and quality of life.

Eligible applicants are UK-based researchers at academic institutions, universities, or hospitals, including early-career scientists (with salaries in place); no income thresholds apply, but proposals must align with priorities. Typical grants range £250,000–£300,000 over up to three years. Applications are unsolicited via staged calls: preliminary EOI for projects (next round late 2025, deadline Spring 2026), full submissions for fellowships (next: 14 January 2026), with annual peer-reviewed decisions in 4–5 months.

It excludes core costs, capital equipment, service provision, advocacy, or non-neurological research, standing out for its UK-wide scope, track record in high-need gaps, and commitment to lasting breakthroughs in neuroscience.