Novel and Emerging Technologies (NET) Grants

Scope

We fund research focused solely on heart diseases and proposals must clearly demonstrate potential benefits for heart disease patients. Projects targeting conditions like stroke, diabetes, or peripheral arterial disease fall outside our remit and will not be considered. Direct patient-benefit is not an anticipated outcome from this funding, however the translational pathway to deliver patient benefit within an appropriate timeframe must be demonstrated.

Purpose

NET grants focus on the development of a novel and emerging technology or a new application of an existing technology to diagnose, treat and prevent heart diseases.

Areas of focus for the grant include, but are not limited to:

• Emerging strategies/ technologies for primary or secondary prevention
• Evaluation of innovative invasive cardiology procedures (for example angioplasty and stent replacement)
• Evaluation of new surgical approaches to cardiovascular disease
• Novel therapeutic strategies
• Development of digital tools

Appropriate approaches include tissue and bioengineering, the development and evaluation of new diagnostic devices, bio imaging, nanotechnology, biomaterials, genomic, and proteomic approaches, computational biology and bioinformatics.

Funding clinical trials through the NET Grant scheme is not appropriate. However, research projects incorporating a small-scale clinical study to demonstrate the feasibility of the technology will be considered, providing that the clinical study is not the focus of the research programme. Projects that are more specifically clinically focused should be directed to the Translational Research Project grants scheme.

A multidisciplinary approach is encouraged. Proposals should be based on excellent science and clearly describe the future clinical impact and the translational strategy.

Eligibility

• Open to UK-based researchers at universities, research institutions, or NHS Trusts.
• The lead applicant is expected to have a contract (fixed term or tenure) which covers the proposed duration of the grant. If the lead applicant does not hold a contract for the duration of the grant, the application must include a co-applicant that does.

Award details

• Value: the maximum award is £300,000
• Duration: there is no minimum or maximum duration. Please set a timeline that is appropriate for your project.

Timeline

• Outline applications accepted: 2nd September 2026 – 2nd October 2026
• Deadline full applications: 29th January 2027
• Medical Review Panel Meeting: June 2027

How to apply

• All applications must be submitted online using FlexiGrant, our Grants Management System.
• New users will need to register before they submit an application. Existing users should sign in with their email address and their password and should update their profile if necessary.
• Log onto the online application portal, click ‘Available Grants’ on the left-hand menu and select the appropriate grant type.
• Click the ‘Start’ button next to the appropriate grant to begin your application.

How applications are chosen

We are a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and as such we follow the AMRC’s high standard and recommended principles of expert review to ensure that we fund only the best research projects in universities and hospitals.

1. All Outline Applications are scored by all members of the Medical Review Panel (membership is shown below) and the highest scoring applications are invited to submit a full application.
2. All full applications will be subject to an initial review of eligibility against the scope of the grant call and our research strategy. Applications which do not meet these conditions will be rejected at this stage.
3. All grant applications are assessed through our expert review process which includes carefully selected external reviewers. We aim to receive three external reviews for each application.
4. In addition, reviews are submitted by up to three members of the HRUK NET Medical Review Panel, as well as our Research Advisory Group which is made up of people with lived experience who are part of our Patient and Public Network.
5. Following expert review the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Medical Review Panel conduct a further triage to shortlist the applications to present at the panel meeting. Following the presentations the shortlisted applications are discussed and scored, and the highest funding application is awarded.
6. All applicants who present to the Medical Review Panel are notified of the outcome of their application shortly after the meeting. We also share written comments from the external reviewers.

In 2025, we received 12 full NET applications and awarded one project.

For more information, contact Heart Research UK on 0113 234 7474 or email medicalgrants@heartresearch.org.uk