Successful applicant case studies from early- and mid-career researchers

Read advice on applying for funding from some of our current grantees with a range of backgrounds and expertise.

These case studies feature researchers who are developing their careers with our fellowships and associated funding awards for early- and mid-career researchers.

Dr Úna McMenamin

Dr Úna McMenamin, Population Research Fellowship

Úna explains how she developed and demonstrated the skills and experience that helped her secure a Population Research Fellowship.

Dr Noor Gammoh

Dr Noor Gammoh, Career Development Fellowship

Noor talked to us about relocating to Edinburgh from the USA, and building her focus on hard-to-treat brain tumours with a CRUK Career Development Fellowship.

Dr Serena Nik-Zainal

Dr Serena Nik-Zainal, Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellowship

We awarded Serena an Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellowship to decipher the mutational signatures that occur in cancer cells. Here she explains why she chose CRUK to further her career.

Dr Sergio Quezada

Dr Sergio Quezada, Career Development Fellowship

Sergio tells us why he chose a CRUK Career Development Fellowship, and the opportunities he has had since moving to the UK to build innovative collaborations with clinical impact.

Dr Doryen Bubeck

Dr Doryen Bubeck, Career Establishment Award

Doryen talked to us about relocating to the UK from the US, and the support she has received to make major advances in her research career at the same time as starting a family.

Simona Parrinello

Dr Simona Parrinello, Programme Foundation Award

Simona is using her Programme Foundation Award to grow her independent research group so she can explore new avenues for her research and realise her ambition to focus on brain cancer.

Dr Michelle Lockley

Dr Michelle Lockley, Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellow

Michelle told us how the support she received during her Clinician Scientist Fellowship helped her develop scientific independence and learn how to lead a lab team. After successfully applying for our new Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellowship, she shares advice on applying.

Dr Ultan McDermott

Dr Ultan McDermott, Clinician Scientist Fellow

Ultan talked to us about how his Clinician Scientist Fellowship has created time to develop as both a clinician and a scientist, and how he manages the competing demands of the dual role.

Dr Ferdia Gallagher

Dr Ferdia Gallagher, Clinician Scientist Fellow

Ferdia talked to us about what CRUK funding has helped him to achieve, from his clinical PhD to his current Fellowship, and his experience as a clinician of participating in multidisciplinary collaborations in imaging research.

Dr Geoff Higgins

Dr Geoff Higgins, Clinician Scientist Fellow

Geoff shares his advice on planning a grant application and preparing for a fellowship interview, and his experience of how clinical academic careers are changing with increasing funding opportunities.

Dr Jessica Anne Downs, Career Establishment Award

Jessica told us how her Career Establishment Award helped her establish her independent research group and new avenues of translational research, and she shares her advice for applicants considering this funding opportunity.

Dr Maria Theresa Redaniel, Population Research Postdoc

Theresa shared her advice on finding funding and planning a successful application.

More case studies

We also have case studies from researchers at all levels of career development, and across our research areas and strategic priorities.

More career development opportunities for researchers

Research Career Development

We offer a range of fellowships, bursaries and other support to help outstanding scientists and clinicians develop their independent research careers.