Call for applications: Urinary Tract Infections Research Initiative (UK and Ireland)

The Urology Foundation is committed to driving change in the field of UTI and improving the lives and prospects of patients and their families.

priority

• Several key priorities have been agreed and we are particularly interested in projects that seek to address one or more of the following:
  • Studies based on current knowledge and clinical practice in UTI management include (but are not limited to):
    • Characterize diverse groups of patients with recurrent UTI (rUTI) to identify similarities and differences to provide personalized treatment.
    • Building on existing data and projects to provide better evidence for care, including exploring the suitability of routine NHS data for large-scale outcomes studies.
  • Improve currently available treatments to maximize patient benefit. For example:
    • Identify crossovers or synergies between treatments and, where necessary, maximize effective use of existing antibiotics or consider alternative treatments.
    • Symptom relief: Pain associated with severe and rUTIs can be distressing, and there are few effective treatments to combat persistent pain.
    • We research customized treatments.
  • Improved diagnostics, including but not limited to:
    • This work seeks to clarify a consensus on the definition of UTI.
    • Our understanding of the causes of UTIs has improved.
    • Genetic or environmental predisposition to UTI.

funds information

• They are open to considering a variety of project submissions, from one-year research proposals to large-scale studies of up to three years. The maximum amount of a single award is £250,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• They particularly welcome applications that are collaborative and/or multi-centre projects and demonstrate how information can be better shared between scientists, research experts and clinicians across the UK and Ireland involved in UTI rUTI research.
  • Applications are invited from:
    • Scientist and/or clinician researcher working in a UK or Irish institution
    • Primary and/secondary care doctors who manage UTIs, including GPs, consultants, trainees, nurses and allied health professionals.
• The Principal Investigator (PI) must be based in the UK or Ireland and the work must be carried out primarily in the UK or Ireland. Collaboration with overseas partners is permitted.

Review criteria

• Applications are reviewed by members of the Urology Foundation’s Scientific and Educational Committee. Screen for potential conflicts of interest and seek external reviewers where appropriate.

For more information, please visit: Urology Foundation.