Research Hub

Welcome to the British Congenital Cardiac Association (BCCA) research hub. Our mission is to advance the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of congenital heart disease through innovative research. This page highlights current funding opportunities and resources for medical professionals aiming to pursue research in congenital and paediatric cardiology.

Importance of Research in Congenital and Paediatric Cardiology

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect. Despite significant advances in medical and surgical care, many children and adults with CHD continue to face lifelong challenges. Research plays a crucial role in improving early diagnosis, innovative treatments, and overall patient outcomes. By encouraging more research in this field, we can ensure a brighter future for those affected by congenital heart conditions.

In 2022 the James Lind Alliance undertook a priority setting process (PSP) with the aim of identifying the unanswered questions about congenital heart diseases in adults and children, from patient, carer (primarily parents) and clinical perspectives and then prioritise those that patients, carers and clinicians agree are the most important for research to address.  

The PSP asked patients, carers and clinicians about their experiences of the management of congenital heart disease throughout life, including prior to birth, focusing on:

  • Diagnosis, during pregnancy or after birth

  • Treatment (medical therapy, catheter intervention, surgery including mechanical support & transplantation, lifestyle, or psychosocial intervention), and

  • Outcomes of the conditions and/or treatments and the impact on patients and their families, including the physical, psychological, and social effects of living with congenital heart disease.

 The two Congenital Heart Disease Top 10s in Child/Antenatal, and Adults, were published in November 2022 and can be found on the James Lind Alliance website

BCCA support for collaborative research projects

The BCCA is keen to support UK wide collaborative research where possible though does not have a research budget or any ring -fenced funds. Small grants may be available to principal investigator BCCA members, studies that are multi-centre, foster collaboration and answer key research questions will be prioritised. Applications for any BCCA funding to support research should be made to the current Scientific Secretary and will be discussed at the following council meeting.

Funding Opportunities for Healthcare Professionals

BHF Clinical Research Training Fellowships (CRTF)

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) offers Clinical Research Training Fellowships (CRTF) for medical graduates pursuing research in cardiovascular disease, including CHD. This funding supports clinicians aiming to undertake a PhD in a cardiovascular-related field and covers salary, research costs, and training.

For more information, visit the BHF CRTF page.

NIHR Doctoral Fellowships

The NIHR Fellowship Programme offers Doctoral Fellowships for medical and allied healthcare professionals to pursue a PhD in applied health research. This program supports both clinical and non-clinical applicants, enabling them to develop research expertise while maintaining clinical duties.

Explore the fellowship programme on the NIHR Fellowship page.

BHF Career Development Research Fellowships for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals

The BHF Career Development Research Fellowships are designed for nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, and clinical psychologists working in cardiovascular settings. This scheme supports postdoctoral research with the goal of advancing care for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Details can be found on the BHF Career Development Fellowship page.

Pilot and Pump-Priming Opportunities

BHF CRC Research Development Fund

The British Heart Foundation Clinical Research Collaborative (BHF CRC) offers pump-priming grants of up to £10,000 to support the development of clinical research in cardiovascular disease. This fund helps researchers gather pilot data, develop study protocols, and prepare for larger funding applications. The fund is intended to enhance the impact and value of researchers’ work and is not for funding independent clinical research.

For more details, visit the BHF CRC website.

BHF CRC CTU Consultancy Package

Additionally, the BHF CRC provides a Consultancy Package for research design, offering specialist support to enhance clinical research projects. This package helps researchers with study protocol development, optimizing study designs, and analysis planning.

For more information, refer to the BHF CRC website.

Support and Advice in Developing Research

NIHR Research Support Service

The NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) provides comprehensive support to researchers developing applications for national, peer-reviewed research programmes. This includes support for all NIHR programmes and UK Research Councils, as well as national health and care charities. The RSS assists with translational, clinical, applied health, public health, and social care research, and can also aid in applications for fellowships and other personal awards.

The RSS can help with:

  • Finding funding sources

  • Refining research questions, aims, and objectives

  • Developing methodological approaches

  • Planning projects, teams, and budgets

  • Planning for implementation and impact

  • Writing techniques and pitching applications

  • Patient, public, service user, and community involvement

  • Research design for equality, diversity, and inclusion

Support includes advice on project delivery, ethics approval, feasibility studies, and more. The service is delivered through eight hubs and Specialist Centres across England. For more information on how to get support, visit the NIHR Research Support Service page.

For further assistance or queries about the funding opportunities and application processes, please visit the respective websites or contact the funding bodies directly to ensure up to date information about the funding opportunities. We encourage all researchers to take advantage of these opportunities to advance the field of congenital and paediatric cardiology.

Updated Dr Michael Quail Nov 2024