Training Fellowships in Public Health and Tropical Medicine

 Purpose
This scheme provides researchers from low- and middle-income countries - who are at an early stage in the establishment of their research careers - with opportunities for research experience and high-quality research training in public health and tropical medicine.
Research should be aimed at understanding and improving public health and tropical medicine of local, national and global relevance. Public health and tropical medicine cover a wide range of health problems, including communicable and non-communicable diseases. Topics include:

• demographic, social science and health economic studies
• epidemiological, field and community based studies
• health care systems and policy research
• measurement of infectious and chronic disease burden
• population studies
• clinical trials and case control studies
• studies of disease mechanisms in the natural host
• determinants of disease susceptibility and resistance
• immunity or resistance in natural hosts or vectors.

This can include laboratory-based molecular analysis of field or clinical samples, but projects focused solely on studies in vitro or using animal models will not normally be considered under this scheme.
This fellowship is part of a series of career awards aimed at building sustainable capacity in areas of research that have the potential for increasing health benefits for people and their livestock in low- and middle-income countries.

What is included
This fellowship is normally for three years (non-renewable), but may be for up to four years for those who wish to undertake a relevant Master's training or diploma course.
It provides support that includes:

• a basic salary for the fellow
• research expenses (e.g. consumables, equipment, collaborative travel, research assistance, technical support, fieldwork and data collection)
• course fees where appropriate and justified
• research management and support costs
• inflation and Flexible Funding Allowance
• support to attend scientific meetings
• provision for public engagement costs.

The salary should normally be based on the pay scales of the employing institution and must be justified by the head of the institution. The salary level should be appropriate for the holder of a competitive grant and allow you to focus full-time on research.
If you are already in receipt of a salary from the host institution, the host institution may use the salary to pay for a replacement member of staff while the Trust provides your salary for the duration of the fellowship. It is not expected that you will receive a salary in addition to the one provided by the Trust.
Note that any requests for research assistance on this junior-level fellowship must be strongly justified.
Research-dedicated costs (excluding salary costs) should not normally exceed £30 000 per annum.
Training fees may be considered where a course leads to a recognised qualification in a discipline relevant to the fellowship research project and is a necessary part of the fellow's training. It is expected that registration for a higher degree should be done locally and PhD fees at overseas rates will not normally be met.
Overseas allowances will be provided for periods of training and collaborative research spent outside the home institution country, where appropriate.

Eligibility 
We will consider applications that fall within the Public Health and Tropical Medicine Interview Committee remit. This covers research on infectious and non-communicable diseases within the fields of public health and tropical medicine that is aimed at understanding and controlling diseases (either human or animal) of relevance to local, national or global health.
You must be a national of a low- and middle-income country and should be either:

• a graduate in a subject relevant to public health or tropical medicine (e.g. biomedical or social science, veterinary medicine, physics, chemistry or mathematics) with a PhD and no more than three years' postdoctoral experience, or
• a medical graduate with a higher qualification equivalent to membership of the UK Royal Colleges of Physicians (i.e. qualified to enter higher specialist training) and some initial research experience.

Applicants may also apply if they do not have a PhD, but have a clinical, basic or Master’s degree and some initial research experience, with the expectation that they will register for a PhD.
Due allowance will be given to those whose career has been affected by a late start or for personal reasons (e.g. time away due to maternity, paternity, adoption leave or other caring responsibilities, or ill-health).
Where applicants have taken formal maternity, paternity or adoption leave as the primary carer (either the mother, father, partner or adopter), the Trust will allow an additional six months for each period of parental leave when assessing eligibility. Each case will be considered individually and the employing institution may need to confirm that the applicant qualifies for this provision.
You must be based primarily in a low- and middle-income country, but training may be undertaken at centres of excellence regionally or internationally. Links between low- and middle-income countries are encouraged.
You may apply to remain in their current laboratory (even if you already hold an established post), to return to one where you have previously worked, or to move to a new laboratory, in a low- and middle-income country.
Training Fellowships in Public Health and Tropical Medicine are not available to researchers in India. Instead, please see the funding schemes offered by the Wellcome Trust/Department of Biotechnology India Alliance.
In general, fellowships may be held in 'not for profit' institutions that are able to sign up to the Trust's Grant Conditions. Institutions that have not previously received significant funding from the Trust will be required to submit information to enable us to assess eligibility. Applications will not be considered by the relevant decision-making committee until all eligibility checks have been completed.
We do not normally accept resubmissions of fellowship applications.

Sponsorship and supervision

You must be based at an eligible sponsoring institution in a low- and middle-income country that will administer the fellowship for the full tenure of the award. You must have an appropriate sponsor who holds an established post for the duration of the fellowship and has a track record in research and research training.
Your sponsor is expected to support you in your research and to ensure that you will be released from the majority of your administrative and teaching commitments to enable you to focus on research.
The time permitted for clinical duties or other non-research activity during the fellowship is normally restricted to a maximum of eight hours each week.
An additional sponsor(s) must be identified for periods outside the host institution, i.e. the institution(s) where periods of training will take place.
You must identify appropriate supervisors who will provide independent support, mentorship and advice in all relevant research areas throughout the application process and for the duration of the fellowship award.
A sponsor may be nominated as a supervisor where appropriate.
Sponsors and supervisors are advised to read all the scheme information provided here.

Deadlines
Applications are considered twice a year. Details of the next round:

• Preliminary application deadline: 12 November 2015 (5pm)
• Full application deadline: 3 February 2016 (5pm)
• Shortlisted candidate interviews: 22-24 June 2016

Schedule for preliminary applications submitted to 29 April 2015 deadline:

• Full application deadline: 8 July 2015 (5pm)
• Shortlisted candidate interviews: 25-27 November 2015

Fellowships must be taken up within one year of award.

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