The UK Medical Research Council: Navigating Funding Opportunities for Vaccine Researchers

Video coming soon.

Took place 7 October 2026 

In this online talk, Mariana provided an update on current funding opportunities available through the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), building on her presentation at the VALIDATE Annual Meeting 2026. She also outlined recent changes to MRC funding processes and what these might mean for researchers preparing future applications. The session gave VALIDATE members practical insight into the current funding landscape, what MRC was looking for from applicants, and how vaccine researchers could identify suitable opportunities and position themselves as strongly as possible for future funding.

About the Speaker
Dr Mariana Delfino-Machίn is Programme Manager at the Medical Research Council (part of UK Research and Innovation), a major UK public funder, and covers the Vaccinology and Parasitology portfolios for the MRC. She has been part of the Infections and Immunity team for 4 years and has worked at MRC for 9 years. Prior to working for the funding agency, she trained as a scientist and worked in the UK, Spain, the USA and Costa Rica. She will be happy to answer questions regarding funding opportunities at MRC.