The Sydney Brenner Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £225,677 (2024 expenditure)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Four-year postdoctoral fellowships
• Geographic Focus: Africa (particularly South Africa), with partnership with University of Edinburgh

Contact Details

Email: rebecca.meade@forsters.co.uk

Phone: 020 7863 8522

Charity Number: 1185278

Charity Commission: Register Entry

For fellowship applications at SBIMB: sbimb@wits.ac.za and jocelyn.gayenga@wits.ac.za

Overview

The Sydney Brenner Charitable Trust was established as a grant-making charity promoting and funding medical research projects through grants to young medical researchers seeking to prevent disease or disability or to heal or relieve the effects of disease or disability. Named after Nobel Laureate Sydney Brenner (1927-2019), who won the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries about genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death, the trust continues his legacy of advancing biomedical research, particularly in Africa.

For the financial year ending 31 March 2024, the trust had a total income of £366,217 and total expenditure of £225,677. The trust is governed by six trustees, none of whom receive remuneration. The trust primarily supports postdoctoral fellowships at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, contributing to the advancement of biomedical research in Africa by supporting talented young researchers of African nationality.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Sydney Brenner Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Four-year full-time research fellowships
• Fellows hosted at SBIMB, Wits University, Johannesburg
• Co-supervision by scientists from SBIMB and University of Edinburgh
• Annual research visits to University of Edinburgh (1-3 months, fully funded)
• Includes annual stipend, computer, conference funding, and research start-up funds

Priority Areas

The trust focuses on:

• Medical research to prevent disease or disability
• Medical research to heal or relieve the effects of disease or disability
• Support for early-career medical researchers
• Genomics and molecular biology research in African populations
• Genetics, complex traits, bacterial genetics, and viral infections
• Population genetics, bioinformatics, biomedical informatics
• Computational and structural biology and epidemiology
• Addressing underrepresentation of African populations in genomics research

What They Don't Fund

Not specified in publicly available materials, though the trust has a specific focus on young medical researchers working in Africa, particularly through SBIMB partnerships.

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by six trustees, none of whom receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. Philip Goelet has represented the trust in public communications regarding SBIMB fellowship support. The trust operates with no trading subsidiaries and maintains up-to-date reporting with the UK Charity Commission.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Sydney Brenner Charitable Trust operates through trustee discretion and strategic partnerships. The trust's primary funding activity appears to be supporting postdoctoral fellowships at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) at Wits University in South Africa.

Researchers interested in Sydney Brenner-supported fellowships at SBIMB can apply directly to the institute by emailing sbimb@wits.ac.za and jocelyn.gayenga@wits.ac.za with:

• CV (maximum 5 pages)
• Cover letter (maximum 2 pages) indicating alignment with research areas and expectations
• Academic record
• Contact details for three academic referees

Eligibility for SBIMB fellowships: Must be an African national committed to working in Africa with a PhD.

Getting on Their Radar

The trust works through established institutional partnerships, primarily with the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) at the University of the Witwatersrand. Researchers seeking support should:

• Focus on SBIMB: The trust's known grant-making activity supports postdoctoral researchers at SBIMB. African nationals conducting genomics and molecular biology research should explore opportunities directly with SBIMB.
• Build relationships with partner institutions: The University of Edinburgh co-hosts fellows, suggesting that connections with this institution may be valuable.
• Demonstrate alignment with Sydney Brenner's legacy: Research that advances molecular biology, genomics in African populations, and addresses health disparities in Africa aligns with the trust's mission and Sydney Brenner's scientific legacy.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. Decisions appear to be made at the trustee level based on strategic priorities.

Success Rates

Not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly available.

Application Success Factors

Since the trust does not have a public application process, success factors are inferred from the trust's known activities and beneficiaries:

Alignment with African genomics research: The trust has supported Dr. David Twesigomwe and Dr. Luicer Ingasia Olubayois, the first two beneficiaries of Sydney Brenner Fellowships at SBIMB, who focus on genomic diversity in African populations and addressing health disparities through genetics and precision medicine research.

Early-career researchers: The trust specifically targets “young medical researchers,” suggesting that postdoctoral and early-career scientists are the primary beneficiaries.

Institutional partnerships: The trust operates through established partnerships with SBIMB and the University of Edinburgh, indicating that institutional relationships are central to its grant-making approach.

Research excellence in molecular bioscience: Fellows demonstrate research interests in genetics, complex traits, bacterial genetics and viral infections, and work with big data and data integration across genomics, population genetics, bioinformatics, biomedical informatics, molecular and cellular biology, computational and structural biology, and epidemiology.

Commitment to Africa: For SBIMB fellowships, researchers must be African nationals committed to working in Africa, reflecting the trust's focus on building scientific capacity on the continent.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists – this is a trust that operates through invitation and strategic partnerships rather than open calls
• Focus on SBIMB if you're an eligible researcher – African nationals with PhDs interested in genomics and molecular biology should apply directly to SBIMB for Sydney Brenner-supported fellowships
• Alignment with Sydney Brenner's legacy matters – research advancing molecular biology, genomics in African populations, and addressing health disparities aligns with the trust's mission
• Early-career focus – the trust targets young medical researchers, particularly at the postdoctoral level
• Institutional partnerships are key – the trust works through established relationships with SBIMB and the University of Edinburgh
• Long-term support – known fellowships are four-year awards with comprehensive support including stipends, equipment, travel, and research funding
• Contact provided is legal representative – Rebecca Meade at Forsters LLP serves as the trust's contact, suggesting that formal inquiries should be made through this channel

References

• UK Charity Commission Register - The Sydney Brenner Charitable Trust -
• Wits University - Science meets history at Adler Museum of Medicine, April 2024 - Information about Philip Goelet representing the trust and first fellowship recipients
• University of Edinburgh Global - Sydney Brenner Fellowship - Details of fellowship structure and partnership with SBIMB
• Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Wits University - Information about SBIMB research focus and activities
• ResearchGate Profile - Dr. Luicer Olubayo - Information about postdoctoral fellow supported by Sydney Brenner Charitable Trust
• H3Africa - David Twesigomwe PhD Graduate - Background on fellowship recipient
• NobelPrize.org - Sydney Brenner Biographical - Background on Sydney Brenner's scientific legacy