The Epilepsy Research Institute is pleased to offer two spots for Early Career Researcher observers to join our Scientific Advisory Committee meetings as part of our 2026-2027 Grant Round.
Our Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) is a panel of the UK’s leading neurologists, neuroscientists and epilepsy researchers. The SAC oversee the annual research grant funding process and make funding recommendations to the Institute’s Board of Trustees. Full membership of the SAC can be found on our website.
We hope observing the SAC helps to illuminate the grant funding process, increase understanding about what funding committees are looking for, and ultimately help Early Career Researchers (ECRs) improve future grant applications. We offered this scheme for a second time for the 2025-26 grant round, and the ECRs involved found it incredibly insightful.
Epilepsy research has huge potential to bring together different approaches to understanding the brain, from studying genes and cells to using advanced brain imaging and measuring brain activity. Observing such a diverse range of research proposals being discussed provided a valuable insight into how these different approaches can work together towards a shared aim: delivering meaningful progress for people with epilepsy”
Dr Aneirin Potter
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, ECR Observer 2025-26
For our 2026-27 Grant Round, we have two spots available – we define an ECR as someone who is no more than eight active research years (full-time or part-time equivalent) following completion of their doctoral studies.
Priority will be given to researchers from:
- Institutions with limited expertise or resources in epilepsy research, and/or
- Groups that are underrepresented in epilepsy research.
The SAC will meet for a full day in London on:
- Thursday 5 November 2026
- In March 2027 (date TBC)
The Epilepsy Research Institute will cover expenses (in line with our policy) to support your attendance at the meetings.
At the Epilepsy Research Institute, we want to play an active role in making the research landscape more diverse. We hope through this scheme we can offer Early Career Researchers from underrepresented backgrounds and Institutions the support to become the epilepsy research leaders of the future”
Annee Amjad
Head of Research and Involvement
Please note, if you are applying for funding from the Epilepsy Research Institute in the 2026-27 grant round, you are not eligible to join the SAC as an observer.
To apply, please send your CV (max 2 pages) and a completed application form to [email protected] by Monday 21 September 2026.
Read more about the experience of Karoline and Nye, our 2025-26 ECR Observers here.