Our research process ensures we only fund high-quality research that is relevant to primary bone cancer.
Since the Bone Cancer Research Trust was formed in 2006, we have awarded over £12.8 million to research focused on improving outcomes for primary bone cancer patients. To date, we have funded 290 research grants and continue to expand our research network, encouraging more researchers to focus their expertise on primary bone cancer.
Open funding calls
Idea Grant, Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma restricted
The Bone Cancer Research Trust is excited to be partnering with CCLG The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association again, to fund research focused on Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma.
Over the past several decades, advancements in the treatment of Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma have remained limited; both involve intensive and toxic chemotherapy regimens, with patients facing gruelling immediate, long term and late effects of treatment, as well as the risk of relapse and recurrence. Methods of determining prognosis and predicting or monitoring response to treatment are also lacking.
Both charities are committed to improving outcomes for patients and believe the best way to do this is to fund high impact, innovative and collaborative research with the aim of improving outcomes for patients.
Idea (pilot) grant applications Projects may be discovery focused, where novel research ideas are tested, or proof of concept studies aiming to generate preliminary data for subsequent applications. This funding call can also provide funds for small translational projects that show potential and may pave the way for future major research. Regardless of this focus, applicants must demonstrate that they have considered how the project may result in patient benefit or clinical application, irrespective of timescales.
Funding is available to researchers and / or clinicians working in an academic or clinical institution in the UK or internationally. Applications from younger academics, who do not have a tenured position are encouraged. Funding is usually capped at £35,000, however, this may be increased to £50,000 in exceptional cases. Applicants should contact us to discuss this prior to submitting an application for that value.
Key dates
Call opens 27th April 2026
Closing date for applications: 31st July 2026
Outcomes will be announced by December 2026
Please contact [email protected] to obtain an application form or for further information.
Research project Ewing sarcoma restricted
The Bone Cancer Research Trust is delighted to offer funding of up to £250,000 to support projects focused on improving outcomes for Ewing sarcoma patients.
Early diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma remains a challenge, with misdiagnoses often occurring. The current standard of care and treatment for Ewing sarcoma involves multiple cycles of intensive chemotherapy, local therapy and surgery, with radiotherapy in some cases, often resulting in significant adverse effects. Whilst advances in research are focusing on promising new targeted therapies and immunotherapy, more research is needed to demonstrate improved survival,with less immediate and long-term effects to ensure more patients survive and thrive after treatment. BCRT is committed to drive improvements through the funding of high impact, innovative and collaborative research.
Funding is available to researchers and/or clinicians working in an academic or clinical institution in the UK, however, international collaboration is encouraged where appropriate. As part of this funding call, we welcome applications for funding to support research projects up to a maximum value of £250,000.
Funding is available for projects at any stage of the research pipeline,as long as the proposal demonstrates a realistic and clear line of sight to patient benefit, and is both hypotheses driven and generating. They should clearly describe background evidence (including figures) and previous publications that have been used to support the submitted project, how the described experimental design will answer the questions posed in the project and how research may lead to patient benefit. Patient involvement in the development of applications will be expected. The Bone Cancer Research Trust has a Patient & Public Involvement Panel (PPIP),and we are able tofacilitate engagement between members and researchers. If you would like to seek the input of PPIP in the development of your proposal, please email us at [email protected] by Monday6th April 2026.
All costings will be fully scrutinised, and so clear justifications should be included.
Timeline
Grant call opening: 2nd March 2026
Call closing: 1st June 2026
Award expected in December 2026
Please contact [email protected] to obtain an application form or for further information.
Early Career Fellowship
As part of our growing research programme and our firm commitment to support the new generation of primary bone cancer researchers, we are excited to introduce our second Early Career Fellowship funding call.
The Bone Cancer Research Trust Early Career Fellowship is a personal award which will enable a talented primary bone cancer researcher to transition from a postdoctoral position as part of a research group to an independent principal investigator. The successful fellow will be supported for 5 years.
The Bone Cancer Research Trust Early Career Fellowship will ensure that the fellow’s time is protected so they can focus on their own primary bone cancer research, shielded from other professional and teaching commitments. It will provide a full personal salary and research costs for a competitive primary bone cancer research project up to a value of £650,000.
A handbook explaining the eligibility criteria and application process for the Bone Cancer Research Trust Early Career Fellowship can be downloaded here.
The Expression of Interest application process opens on the 4th of February 2026 until the 29th of April 2026.
UK and International applicants are welcomed, but please note that the fellowship must be undertaken at a UK-based institution.
Summary of the application and outcome process:
BCRT’s Independent Scientific Advisory Panel will shortlist candidates and invite them to submit a full application in June 2026 with an expected deadline of September 2026. Following peer and lay review, candidates will be interviewed in February 2027, with the award being made in March 2027.
Potential applicants should contact the Bone Cancer Research Trust ([email protected]) to discuss their eligibility, obtain application forms and clarify any questions regarding the application process.
Skills Development Grants
Through this funding scheme, the Bone Cancer research Trust helps UK based primary bone cancer researchers, at all levels in their careers, to travel nationally or internationally, to present their results at internationally recognised research conferences, whilst interacting with other researchers and establishing networks of collaboration.
The funding also enables researchers to travel to international or national laboratories, to carry out a research project or develop a specific skill that can then be applied at their institution of origin.
ELIGIBILITY
All primary bone cancer researchers based at a recognised UK institution. There are no limitations based on career development stage, but applications from early career researchers are particularly encouraged. We also have a limited amount of dedicated grants for UK-based future doctors and current allied health professionals.
WHAT IS FUNDED
Funding for each application is limited to £3000 and should be in line with distance of travel and length of stay, and up to £350 for healthcare professionals.
Conference attendance: funding will cover registration, accommodation and travel costs.
Laboratory stays: funding will cover travel, accommodation and research expenses to visit a collaborating research group.
This is a rolling scheme; applications may be submitted at any point and will be considered by the Skills Development Grants committee at BCRT.
The Bone Cancer Research Trust are committed to improving outcomes for patients with primary bone cancer and believe the best way to do this is to fund high impact, collaborative research. We are keen to support all stages of research, from pilot projects, through to more substantive research and have developed this funding call to meet these needs.
Funding of up to £100,000 is available to provide additional support ongoing clinical trials. The trial may be observational or interventional and can be oncology or surgical. This additional funding may be used to support:
aligned biological studies
additional arms or research questions (observational or interventional)
toxicology studies
A small proportion of the grant may also be used to support infrastructure costs.
The funding is available for UK applicants and the proposed research or study must take place in the UK; however, the parent clinical trial may be taking place in the UK or internationally.
Proposals should clearly describe the funded trial, including the value of the funding already secured, start date and duration of the funding award and details on data sharing, IP and T&Cs. The proposal should describe the background evidence, including figures and previous publications, that have been used to support the submitted project, how the described design will answer the questions posed in the proposal and how the additional support will give added value to the current trial. The input from patients on the design and development of the proposal should also be described.
Costings submitted will be fully scrutinised and so applicants should fully justify all costs included.
This is a rolling scheme, applications may be submitted at any point and will be considered at the next available meeting of BCRT's Independent Scientific Advisory Panel.
To discuss the scope of this scheme or the possibility of applying for funding over £100,000 and to obtain an application form, please contact us.
Research Meeting Grant
The Bone Cancer Research Trust recognises the importance of exchangingideas and establishingcollaborations in research.
Up to the value of £10,000, Research Meeting Grants are designed to sponsor and help with the organisation of national primary bone cancer research meetings, with the aim of promoting collaboration and setting priorities in primary bone cancer research.
Following the meeting, successful applicants are expected to provide a reflection, summarising the outcomes.
For more information, or to request an application form, please contact our Research Team.
Hear about funding calls
To ensure you hear about our exciting funding opportunities as soon as they are released, please sign up to our researcher database. To sign up, please contact us.
All research applications are judged by external experts and our Independent Scientific Advisory Panel on the scientific merit of the proposal.
Some important aspects to consider are:
The relevance of the proposal to the aims of the Bone Cancer Research Trust.
How the proposal may improve (in the short or long term) outcomes for primary bone cancer patients.
The originality and soundness of the hypothesis.
The appropriateness of the methodology to answer the questions/ support the research proposed.
For Clinical Trial Support grants, is important to consider how the proposed study will add value to the existing trial.
For Early Career Fellowships, mentorship and support available from the institution must be evidenced.
For PhD studentships, the supervisory experience and support for the development of the PhD student (e.g., doctoral training programme) should be presented.
Skills development grants are awarded on merit only, with key areas of consideration being:
For conferences:
Suitability of the applicant - engagement with primary bone cancer research.
Relevance of the conference - is the applicant presenting?
For laboratory stays:
Quality of host laboratory and wiliness to accept the applicant.
Benefit for the home laboratory / collaboration building.
Relevance of the project being conducted to primary bone cancer research
Research meeting grants are awarded on merit and whether the meeting aims to deliver:
Dissemination of state-of-the-art developments in primary bone cancer research; particularly for the benefit of early career researchers.
Promotion of translational research or collaboration among disciplines (basic and clinical cancer research, surgery, imaging, pathology, data analysis, etc.).
Facilitation of focused workshops to promote inter-disciplinary discussion around specific research areas, topics, or primary bone cancer types.
Sharing of research tools / technologies/models for primary bone cancer research.
Patient and public engagement related to existing BCRT- or externally funded research.
Infrastructure grants are assessed on their KPIs, including:
How many patients have been approached.
How many have consented to donate.
How many samples were collected and stored.
How many were sent to specific research projects.
Publications to which the patient samples collected have contributed to.
For any further information or queries regarding the assessment or the grant types we fund, please contact our research team.
The Bone Cancer Research Trust supports innovative and creative research that has the potential to make an impact into the lives of primary bone cancer patients.
Funding is available for researchers at all career stages, working at an institution in the UK, co-applicants and collaborators may be based elsewhere.
For international calls, eligibility is extended to principal investigators working at any institution, not just the UK.
We fund research into all forms of primary bone cancer; some funding calls are limited to specific types of primary bone cancer.
All our funding calls are announced on our website, social media channels and by direct mailing to our database of researchers.
IDEA GRANTS
Small value grants, up to a value of £35,000.
Ideas grants can be used to collect preliminary data for a larger application, or to demonstrate the validity of a hypothesis/study.
Available for bursaries for undergraduates to undertake a research project.
INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS-Support for sample collection
Funding is available for surgical centres to support the collection of patient specimens and to prepare and store samples to be sent to active, ethically approved research projects.
The level of funding available varies depending on the size of the centre and number of patient samples collected by the centre.
Once awarded, continuation of funding up to 5 years
will be reviewed yearly; renewal will depend on the success of the previous
year in collecting and sharing samples for research.
The perceived outcomes should lead to a significant advance in our
understanding of primary bone cancer and therefore, have a positive impact into
patients’ lives.
RESEARCH PROJECT GRANTS
Up to the value of £250,000.
Large project grants can be used to further substantiate studies for which some preliminary work/consolidated hypothesis/demonstrated interest already exists.
We particularly welcome applications focusing on the rarer forms of Primary Bone Cancer, or applications that demonstrate a strong element of collaboration.
These grants should not be used to support PhD studentships.
Research can be done in any area of laboratory and medical/surgical research from discovery to implementation.
The projects must demonstrate clear relevance to primary bone cancer.
The perceived outcomes should lead to a significant advance in our understanding of Primary Bone Cancer and therefore, have a positive impact into patients’ lives and may lead toward collecting evidence that may substantiate the development of a clinical trial.
STUDENTSHIPS
Up to a value of £150,000.
For committed Primary Bone Cancer researchers that wish to acquire a PhD qualification.
The principal investigator or candidate may apply.
The grant will fund up to 4 years of study, however, we expect students to submit their thesis within the funded period.
EARLY CAREER FELLOWSHIPS
Up
to the value of £500,000.
For committed post-doctoral candidates that want to establish themselves as leading bone cancer researchers.
Funding
can be used to substantiate studies for which some preliminary work/
consolidated hypothesis /demonstrated interest already exists, forming the base
of and contributing to future project/programme applications.
The applicant must apply.
The grant will fund up to 5 years of support.
CLINICAL/TRANSLATIONAL GRANTS
Up to the value
of £500,000.
These grants
support research that has reached a point of development and are ready to be
progressed from the laboratory to patients.
Collaboration between at least 2 Institutions is expected.
The award is
granted to a UK based institution.
CLINICAL TRIALS SUPPORT SCHEME
Funding up to £100,000 to provide additional support for ongoing clinical trials. The trial may be observational or interventional and can be oncological or surgical.
This additional funding may be used to support:
aligned biological studies
additional arms or research questions (observational or interventional)
toxicology studies
A small proportion of the grant may also be used to support infrastructure costs.
The funding is available for UK applicants and the proposed research or study must take place in the UK; however, the parent clinical trial may be taking place in the UK or internationally.
RESEARCH PROGAMME GRANTS
Up to the value of £1m.
These large collaborative
grants support a programme of research aiming to bring a step-change in the treatment
of primary bone cancer.
Applications are
welcomed from a multi-disciplinary and collaborative team from the UK and
international institutions and must demonstrate a clear line of sight to
patient benefit.
Awards are made
to a UK institution acting as a hub, with different work packages being
delivered at different national or international research centres.
PRIMARY BONE CANCER CONSORTIUM FUNDING SUPPORT
Up to £240, 000 to support the setting up of or continuation of primary bone cancer consortia that will facilitate both biological and clinical research, with the ultimate aim of improving outcomes for patients.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
Up to the value of £3000.
We provide funding to enable researchers to learn new skills through short-term laboratory visits.
Funding is also available to attend conferences where new research findings are presented.
Available to all Primary Bone Cancer researchers based at a recognised UK institution. There are no limitations based on career development stage; however, applications from early stage career researchers are particularly encouraged.
RESEARCH MEETINGS
Up to the value of £10,000.
To sponsor and help with the organisation of national primary bone cancer research meetings, with the aim of promoting collaboration and setting priorities in primary bone cancer research.
If you require any further information or have any queries regarding our grant programme or the grant types we fund, please contact our research team.
Research funding since 2006
To date, Bone Cancer Research Trust has committed over £12.7 million to research; our current portfolio includes the following types of research awards:
Table 1: Bone Cancer Research Trust research awards
Since 2006, and to the end of 2025, we received and assessed 496 research applications, involving approximately 850 expert peer reviewers in the UK and across the world.
Locations
We
fund research at institutions across the UK. In 2019, we introduced our first International
ExplorerGrant, the outcome of this funding call was announced in
the Summer of 2020 and finally started in 2021, with more funding now awarded internationally. Figure 1 indicates the
number of research projects we have funded across the different UK regions
since 2006 to the end of 2025.
Figure 1: BCRT awards by UK region 2006-2025.
We have also awarded a number of grants to researchers based internationally, including 7 in the USA, Germany, Italy and France, 6 in Spain, 4 in the Netherlands, 2 in Austria and China,1 in Turkey, Japan, Canada and Sweden, and and 8multi-national grants.
Primary bone cancer research area and types of primary bone cancer
The Bone Cancer Research Trust supports research into all forms of primary bone cancer. Figure 2 breaks down the projects we have funded by primary bone cancer type.
Most of our awarded grants aim to find a cure for primary bone cancer, we also support projects that investigate the causes of primary bone cancer and support improvements to the care options for our patients. Figure 3 indicates the percentage of funding dedicated to each of those categories.
Figure 2. BCRT awards (%) by type of primary bone cancer
2006-2025.
Figure 3. BCRT awards (% spent) by research category 2006-2025.
Application success rates
To the end of 2025 and since 2006, we have maintained an overall success rate of 48%. Since 2020, the average is 33%. In the early years of our charity being stablished, percentages of success were high; however, we also received less
applications.
Table 2: Number of applications received vs funded 2006 – 2025.
Since adopting our 2017-2022 and 2022-2032 Research Strategies, we have seen an almost exponential increase in the number of applications received for funding. This is a positive sign and evidences a growing community of primary bone cancer researchers. The below graphs include all applications received and funded up to the end of 2025 s well as the evolution of success rates.
Figure 4: BCRT research applications received and funded - 2017-2022 and 2022-2032 Research Strategies.
Figure 5: BCRT research applications - success rate evolution (%) 2006-2025Skills Development Grants. Since their start in 2022, our Skills Development Grants have grown in popularity, they are designed to support Early Career Researchers to:
Learn new skills through short-term laboratory visits.
Attend conferences where new research findings are presented, allowing them to expand their connections and establish collaborations.
Figure 6: BCRT Skills Development Grants number of grants awarded and destinations - 2022-2025.
