The Innovation Accelerator Fund (IAF) was launched in February 2022 to support initiatives that drive innovation in pathology and in our laboratories to position Synnovis and its partner Trusts at the forefront of pathology development. The IAF supports projects which seek to address a clinical or commercial opportunity and activities that consider environmental and social sustainability.
The IAF does not support projects which involve discovery research with unknown or uncertain translational value, activities which could be considered as routine or periodic or the implementation of assays or tests that have already been established.
A guidance document and short FAQ are included at the bottom of this page. If you have any further queries or would like to discuss the funding eligibility of an idea or project, please contact the IAF Administrator on [email protected]
Award Categories
The fund has three levels of awards:
Application Window Open
Award Size: Up to £10,000
Duration of Project: Up to six months
Application window: ‘365’ application window with cap on annual spend.
“Agile Award projects provide a means for rapid response to an unmet clinical need or commercial opportunity, or fund “What if” questions that have the potential to influence on operations and need a rapid result. They are more reactive rather than proactive in nature.”
Opening again in 2024
Award Size: £10,001 – £75,000
Duration of Project: Up to two years
Application window: Open biannually.
“Progressive Award projects must be well planned, align with research, innovation and development (RI&D) strategies and demonstrate innovative and long-term thinking to improve pathology services.”
Opening again in 2024
Award Size: £75,001 – £500,000
Duration of Project: Up to three years
Application window: Open annually.
“Transformative Award projects are large scale and likely to have a significant impact across multiple operational units. They align with the priorities of the Pathology Partnership and seek to transform operational entities with the goal of improving patient care and outcomes, using novel approaches and technologies.”
Useful Documents
- Innovation Accelerator Fund Guidance (updated September 2023)
- Synnovis Staff Cost Estimator
- Transformative Award Description and Scope
- Synnovis RI&D Strategy (2022 – 2027)
Application Forms
Frequently Asked Questions
Although IAF projects may include cross-organisational collaboration, the Principal Investigator must be an employee of Synnovis or Guy’s and St Thomas’ or King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Those in roles outside of the laboratories and students are eligible to apply, as long as the project is of benefit to pathology and meets the project eligibility criteria. Laboratory and clinical collaboration is encouraged.
Colleagues who have not completed their probation period are not eligible.
Trust led applications should involve or be supported by Synnovis investigators and demonstrate a clear benefit to pathology, patients, and Synnovis. If no Synnovis investigators are identified, the benefits to pathology and Synnovis must be clearly outlined in the application.
Those who wish to apply must complete the relevant application form and email this to [email protected]. The application forms can be accessed on this page during application windows.
Examples of projects that have already been awarded funding include the application of artificial intelligence to aid histopathological lymph node assessment in breast cancer patients and the development of digital droplet PCR assays to monitor chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) levels in patients with haematological malignancies following CAR-T therapy.
Some applicants may be asked to deliver a presentation to the panel. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application via email and if successful, arrangements will be made to provide the funding. Feedback will be available to unsuccessful applicants.
