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Saturday 27 May 2017

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships 2017– Call for Expressions of Interest in Health-Related Research at the University of Reading


University of Reading

The University of Reading is keen to host Marie Skolodowska Curie (MSCA) fellows in its internationally renowned health-related research areas. We currently invite expressions of interest from postdoctoral researchers with an excellent research track record to apply for a Fellowship to the European Commission under this Scheme. Applicants must have been awarded a doctoral degree from an accredited Higher Education Institution and have a strong research track record - appropriate to their career stage – measured by, for example, high quality peer-reviewed publication(s), the receipt of awards or prizes and presentations at international conferences. Selected candidates will be provided with outstanding support through the application process by a research supervisor and our experienced research support staff in the University of Readings’ EU Research Office. 
Research Areas of Interest.
The University of Reading is a research intensive university with a substantial reputation for research excellence and is in the top 1% of universities worldwide (QS University World Rankings). Most recent results of the UK-wide Research Excellence Framework exercise (REF) revealed that 98% of University of Reading research is internationally recognised, with 27% of our research rated as world leading. The University of Reading has a global outlook with nearly 30% of our 17,000 students being international and we employ 3,000 staff from over 150 countries and have campuses in Malaysia and South Africa.   
Our health-related research is supported with world class infrastructure and facilities and spans molecular and cellular biology through to human intervention studies and clinical trials. Successful fellows will join vibrant teams in one of our five research divisions:
  • Biomedical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering: Research aims to understand the fundamental basis of the healthy and disease states and focuses on identifying new strategies for maintaining and improving wellbeing. Our research incorporates a range of experimental approaches including bioinformatics, biomolecular, biophysical and disease modelling, and physiological, structural and systems biology. Biomedical engineering brings technological solutions for clinical benefits in rehabilitation and residential care. 
  • Pharmacy: We cover a broad range of research interests ranging from pharmacology and the pathophysiology of diseases through to developing new pharmaceutically active ingredients, the design and development of novel formulations and working with patients and pharmacists to improve the safe and effective use of medicines.
  • Psychopathology and Affective Neuroscience: We have internationally recognised strengths in psychopathology, emotion regulation and the brain, bodily and genetic mechanisms of social cognition and emotional order and disorder. Through our translational research, we advance understanding of the underlying causes and effective treatment of depression, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders and autism in children and younger adults, as well as neurodegeneration and wellbeing in older adults.
  • Language, Development and Ageing: Our research encompasses areas including neurobiology and neuropsychology, the acquisition of language in children with developmental disorders and the role that memory plays in comprehension. We make extensive use of technology to develop new interventions for acquired language impairments and to support literacy development.
  • Perception, Cognition and Nutrition: We study both the healthy adult brain and how the health and function of the brain can be influenced throughout the lifespan into old age by our diet. The specific functions of the brain most investigated in this research division are perception of the world and memory. There is also a strong focus on the complexities of human motivation, which is examined using cutting-edge statistical techniques, and on self-regulation.
Greater detail on our research excellence and facilities can be found via: http://www.reading.ac.uk/research/theme-health.aspx
Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships.
This prestigious European funding scheme aims to enhance the career development and future prospects of researchers by working abroad through advanced training, international and intersectoral mobility. The scheme can help to restart research careers of individual researchers that show great potential after a break such as, for example, parental leave. It can also support the return and reintegration of researchers from outside Europe who have previously worked here.  European fellowships are for between one and two years and offer a highly competitive salary, provide an allowance to cover travel and family costs as well as research costs.  Full details of the Scheme and application process can be found HERE.
Eligibility requirements
  • Research experience: at the time of the call deadline (14.09.2017), the applicant must be in possession of a doctoral degree or have at least 4 years of full-time equivalent research experience (which can include doctoral studies)
  • Mobility rule: at the time of the call deadline (14.09.2017), the applicant must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the UK for more than 12 months in the preceding 3 years. Short stays such as holidays are not taken into account.
  • If the fellow is resuming research after a career break of at least one year, or is a European national or long term resident returning to Europe after a period outside Europe, a modified mobility rule applies: in these cases the researchers must not have carried out their main activity in the UK for more than 36 months in the 5 years immediately prior to the call deadline.
  • Please note that fellows can be of any nationality and age.
The deadline for submitting the applications to the EC is 14 September 2017.
Expressions of Interest (EoI)
Applicants interested in being supported to apply for a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships at Reading should complete the short pro-forma Expression of Interest and submit to the EU team at the University of Reading (euunit@reading.ac.uk), quoting “MSCA IF Expression of Interest 2017- Health Theme’’ in your email heading. 
The deadline for receipt of EoI’s is Friday 30th June to allow sufficient time for us to work with those selected prior to the submission deadline of 14th September.