Fellows Award
RESEARCH PROGRAMMEBecome an MQ Fellow
What is a Fellowship
The MQ Fellows Award supports brilliant early-career scientists globally, encouraging them to ask challenging questions to advance mental health research. The aim is to retain top talent and increase diversity within the field.
For future funding opportunities in mental health research. You can sign up to our research roundup using the form below.
Fellows review panel
Applications for the MQ Fellows programme are overseen by a panel of external experts.
Applications are now closed
The application window for the 2026 Fellows programme has now closed. For reference, the criteria for the call was as follows:
- Open to global applications*.
- Must be a researcher with 3-7 years of postdoctoral experience*.
- Need to be based at a university, hospital, or research institution.
- Demonstrate a strong research track record and plans for an independent career.
- The fellowship requires a 50-100% time commitment over three years.
- You cannot hold other substantial research funding (over £100,000/year) except for applicants for the EMDR Fellowship where there is no restriction.
- *Eligibility note: EMDR Fellowships: You must be a North American Researcher (in the U.S. or Canada) and develop and submit a project focused on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- * Eligibility note: MQ may, in exceptional cases, consider applicants with fewer than three years of postdoctoral experience. See the Grant Guidance Document for details
For any further information, please see the guidance document and our FAQs.
Objective
We seek bold and innovative research into mental illness to improve prevention, detection, and treatment. We welcome projects from all disciplines, spanning basic, clinical, and public mental health research. Building on key recommendations from leading reports,
We particularly encourage applications focusing on the mental health of children, adolescents, and young adults; digital and emerging technologies in mental health; eating disorders; and suicide and self-harm. We expect all proposals to demonstrate genuine patient and public involvement.
We will also be launching a dedicated funding stream for research into Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, specifically for researchers in US and Canada. We prioritise projects with the strongest potential to advance knowledge and deliver patient value.
Application process:
Applications must be submitted online via Flexi-Grant®.
- Register, then go to My Account → My Applications and start the MQ Fellows Award 2025 Expression of Interest (link available when applications open).
- You will be asked to complete sections on:
- Applicant details & personal statement
- Project overview & scientific abstract
- Patient & public involvement
- Grants, awards & publications
For full instructions, see the Application Guidance Notes.
Before submitting your application, you will be asked to read and accept the following documents:
Funding Details:
- The MQ Fellows Award offers up to £250,000 over three years. This funding can be used for:
- The applicant's salary and staff costs.
- Direct research expenses like equipment, consumables, and publication fees.
- Animal costs, if applicable.
- Travel and training expenses.
- Note: Your host institution is required to cover all indirect and overhead costs.
Contact
For questions about the application process or project suitability for this call for applications, please email [email protected].
LEARN MORE
EMDR Fellowship Stream
MQ, with the support of the EMDRIA Foundation, is offering a dedicated funding stream for research in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. This program is designed to strengthen EMDR research in North America ( U.S or Canada) and foster the next generation of trauma-informed mental health researchers. Up to four awards are available with up to $332,500 over three years.
- Eligibility: This stream is open to postdoctoral researchers with 3 to 7 years of experience who are based in North America (U.S. or Canada).
- Research Focus: The fellowship will exclusively fund research into the application of EMDR therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Depression. We particularly welcome applications that focus on military personnel, veterans, first responders, children and young people, civilian trauma survivors, and indigenous populations.
- What We Look For: We seek proposals that will advance the understanding of EMDR therapy and demonstrate a robust research and development strategy. Prior experience with EMDR is helpful but not required.
- Mentorship and Support: Selected fellows will receive comprehensive support from an international panel of EMDR experts. This includes research mentorship, guidance on ethics and dissemination, and help with building academic partnerships.
If you are unsure if you are eligible or would like to discuss your research with a member of the team please get in touch: [email protected]
Key Dates
15 September 2025
(Webinar)
3 November – 12 December 2025
(Expression of Interest)
3 April 2026
(Full application submission)
July/August
2026
(Final decision)
LEARN MORE
2026 MQ Fellows announcement webinar
The MQ Fellows Award supports the best and brightest early career scientists from across the globe, who are asking challenging questions that will contribute to transformative advances in mental health research.
If you are mental health researcher, working in any scientific discipline, and are 3-7 years post doc, then join us for this announcement webinar to learn how you can apply for a prestigious MQ Research Fellowship.
Meet Our Fellows 2025
Researcher: Dr Rebecca Etkin
- Area of Focus: Testing a novel parent-based treatment for adolescent anxiety disorders.
- Methodology: This project will work with families to co-design a method for parents to better support their anxious children and will test its effectiveness with a clinical trial.
- Goal: If successful, this could be a game-changer for families struggling with adolescent anxiety, especially when traditional therapy isn’t working.
Researcher: Dr Brenda Cabrera-Mendoza
- Area of Focus: Stratification of suicide risk through integration of genetic and clinical factors.
- Methodology: This project will analyse clinical and genetic data from over 950,000 people to build a risk prediction model for suicide.
- Goal: If successful, this will create a tool to identify at-risk individuals and get them the help they need.
To find out more about the innovative research our fellows are conducting, click here.
SIGN UP FOR RESEARCH ROUNDUP
We value staying connected with you and keeping you informed about future research-related opportunities including funding, events, and updates. Please fill in the sign-up form if you would like to opt-in. You can unsubscribe at any time. You can also read more in our Privacy Policy.