BHF Clinical Research Collaborative

The British Heart Foundation Clinical Research Collaborative (BHF CRC) will provide an infrastructure to support the planning and delivery of world-class clinical research in all aspects of cardiovascular disease.

Funded by the BHF, this new network will sit at the offices of the British Cardiovascular Society and will seek to unite and coordinate the current clinical research efforts of the existing professional societies and Research Groups (RGs) in heart and circulatory diseases. The BHF CRC will enable these societies and study groups to identify and prioritise clinical research questions; develop robust and integrated study proposals; engage and mobilise clinicians in clinical research conduct; and enthuse, educate and enhance UK cardiovascular clinical research capacity and capability.

Latest Update: 29 September 2022

The BHF CRC Research Development Fund is now open again for funding. The aim of this fund is to support the development of ideas or gather pilot data in preparation for a larger clinical study program. Examples might include:

  • Assessment of clinical research priorities (including service user reviews)

  • Systematic reviews

  • Grant targeting and preparation

  • Collecting meaningful pilot data 

  • Study development – collaborative work to develop a study protocol, optimise a study design and analysis plan

Funding is available up to £10,000. Please note that this fund is not intended to fund the performance of independent clinical research and should be used to aid the development of future larger scale clinical research activity.

Applications must be accompanied by a letter of support from a lead research group (RG) of an integrated BHF CRC society, as listed on the BHF CRC website, and application form.  Other RGs may also offer support, but one RG must act as the main supporter.

An RG can support up to 2 applications; if an RG acts as the main supporter for more than one application, that RG must prioritise the applications and indicate this on their letter of support.

This round is open until 23.59 hours on the 27 November 2022. The total amount of funding available for this round is £25,000. Successful applicants will be notified by the 3 February 2023

Guidance notes and the application form can be found on our website here

Details of previously funded applications can be found here

If you would like more information on the BHF CRC, please contact enquiries@bhfcrc.org or visit www.bhfcrc.org