Daphne Jackson Fellowships are unique in offering STEM professionals wishing to return to a research career after a break of two or more years taken for family, caring or health reasons, the opportunity to balance an individually tailored retraining programme with a challenging research project in a suitably supportive environment.

The Fellowships on offer are in the following two areas:

• Biomedical – Research proposals that are focussed on identifying the causes of MS and/or identifying and developing disease modifying therapies.
• Care and Services – Research proposals that are focussed on managing the symptoms of MS, developing and evaluating services for people affected by MS or exploring the clinical, social and economic impact of MS.

The Daphne Jackson Trust is a UK charity dedicated to returning scientists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians to their careers following a career break. Daphne Jackson was the UK’s first female Professor of physics and a lifelong campaigner for encouraging women in science to return to their careers after a break. Following her death in 1991, the Daphne Jackson Trust was established in her memory and continues her inspired work to this day and to date, the Trust has helped over 300 scientists and engineers return to their careers.

Dr Katie Perry, Chief Executive of the Daphne Jackson Trust, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be partnering with the MS Society to help us provide these two unique Fellowships. Many researchers, having taken time out of their careers to raise a family, relocate, care for a loved one or recover from illness, still struggle needlessly to return to research. This funding will allow the Trust to provide the support, mentoring and retraining opportunities that returners need to successfully renter a research career as well as ultimately helping to increase the understanding of the causes and living with a challenging and unpredictable condition.”

Dr Sorrel Bickley, Head of Biomedical Research at the MS Society, said: “With more than 100,000 people living with MS in the UK it is essential that we drive forward research to improve the lives of people with the condition. We’re delighted to be working with the Daphne Jackson Trust to half fund two Fellowships which will not only support research into MS, but will also help to provide much needed funding for researchers that have taken a career break.”