Protecting our research leaders of tomorrow

We are offering studentship extensions of up to six months to support our bright young scientists, writes Professor Metin Avkiran, our Associate Medical Director.


As we continue to navigate the coronavirus pandemic, glimmers of positive change have emerged.

One is the spotlight that now shines on science. Researchers and scientific discovery have taken centre stage and are considered vital to getting us out of the situation we find ourselves in.

For the past six decades, BHF-funded scientists have made seismic contributions to the world’s understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart and circulatory diseases. From PhD students at the beginning of their journeys to BHF Professors at the pinnacle of their careers, each and every researcher we fund plays a critical role in edging us closer to a world free from heartbreak caused by these conditions.

For us to drive progress and secure the future of cardiovascular research for decades to come, we must protect our leaders of tomorrow.

Future focus

Today, we are proud to fund over 260 PhD studentships at 34 Universities across the UK, giving the brightest academics a helping hand onto the ladder for a career in cardiovascular research. They form the substrate from which future research leaders in cardiovascular science will emerge.

From listening to our research community, we know Covid-19 has disrupted the work of many of our students at a critical stage of their research projects. With this in mind, we are working hard to support them through this crisis and alleviate its impact as best we can.

Minimising impact

In order to support our young scientists towards the successful completion of their PhDs, we are offering studentship extensions to those most in need. We learned that students in their penultimate or final year of study are the hardest hit by the Covid-19 disruption, with the greatest impact on the former. For this reason, we are pleased to offer extensions of up to six months to PhD students in their penultimate year, and up to three months to those in their final year of study.

We owe it to our young researchers to support them through this challenging time, particularly as many have been a vital part of national efforts to tackle the virus.

Some were redeployed or volunteered their skills to Covid-19 testing centres across the country, temporarily moving away from home to offer round-the-clock support. Others have been analysing vast volumes of data from home, working hard to keep research afloat while labs are closed. Giving our students the gift of time, as life takes an unexpected turn, is the least we can do.

Our research is under threat

Although we are dedicated to supporting our researchers and their life saving work in any way we can, we can’t do it alone. We estimate that investment in new research, is likely to drop by around 50 per cent this year.

Such a staggering fall in income could have a devastating impact on UK cardiovascular research, the careers of bright young scientists, and advances towards better treatments and cures for people with heart and circulatory diseases.

This is why we have joined the Association of Medical Research Charities and 151 of its members, including Cancer Research UK, in urging our Government to establish a vital Life Sciences-Charity Partnership Fund, to help protect world-class medical research across the UK.

Looking to the future, we need research. Without it, the burden of heart and circulatory diseases will become heavier. I have no doubt that with the help of our supporters and our Government, we can continue to fund the best science, support our future pioneers, and save lives.

Help us beat heartbreak forever