Mid-range equipment for biosciences research: ALERT 2026

Open UKRI funding opportunity · Grant. Closes 2027-01-14. Total fund £13 million. Opportunity page: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/mid-range-equipment-for-biosciences-research-alert-2026/

Apply for funding to purchase mid-range equipment for research across BBSRC’s scientific remit.

This is an equipment only grant. Applications must request a single piece of equipment to be widely used and well supported, promoting access, collaboration and equipment sharing.

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding. Research technical professionals are eligible as project leads or project co-leads.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your application can be up to £1.5 million. BBSRC will fund 100% of the FEC.

Awards last for 12 months and must start by 3 August 2027.

What we're looking for Scope

The BBSRC Infrastructure Strategic Framework highlights the fundamental importance of supporting a diverse range of infrastructure to ensure the continued success of the UK biosciences. A key component of this is advanced, multi-user equipment that addresses the shared needs of research organisations, industry and end user communities.

Equipment funded through ALERT plays a vital role in driving the ambitions set out in BBSRC’s Forward Look for UK Bioscience, which calls for strategic, future facing investment in the technologies and skills that underpin discovery and challenge-led research.

We recognise that new technologies, tools and approaches, often spanning several disciplines, are revolutionising biology and are providing unprecedented opportunities to:

- advance understanding of the complex, dynamic processes that govern life

- apply that knowledge for the benefit of society and the economy

To support this approach, this funding opportunity encourages you to apply for:

- equipment that will be widely used and underpins capability for scientific areas within BBSRC’s remit

- equipment that promotes collaboration and increased access for…