Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Health funds 11 new Academy Research Fellows

The Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Health today decided to fund eleven new research posts as Academy Research Fellow based on applications submitted in the September 2017 call. The Research Council received 78 applications for Academy Research Fellow funding, which puts the success rate at slightly over 14 per cent.

The most important criteria when selecting Academy Research Fellows are the scientific quality of the research plan, the researcher’s independent status and their positive career development. Other key criteria include the applicant’s international engagement and previous mobility experience.

Professor Mika Rämet, Chair of the Research Council for Health, said: “What is clear from this call is the central importance of researcher mobility to the increasing merits of early-career researchers. Most of the successful applicants had laid the foundations for their research career by spending at least one year in a foreign research team after gaining their doctoral degree.”

The new Academy Research Fellows will explore topics such as the pros and cons of the use of antipsychotic drugs, the genomic background of gender-specific differences in health and how the endothelium covering the inner surface of lymphatic vessels affects the growth and function of the lymphatic system.

The international review panels found the applications to be of a good scientific standard.

Research posts as Academy Research Fellow are intended for experienced researchers for independent scientific work following a set research plan. The aim of the five-year funding is to provide a fixed-term, fulltime opportunity for top researchers to gain competence for the most demanding research posts or other expert positions.

Academy Research Fellows can apply for funding for research costs to carry out their projects. The research cost funding can be used to cover, for instance, material and personnel costs.

Academy of Finland funding is allocated on a competitive basis. Applications submitted to the Academy are peer-reviewed by international panels. High-level international peer review is the Academy’s key tool for identifying the best and most promising research projects.