The BSRA is delighted to announce the award of a record 18 small research grants across 13 UK institutions in its 2026 round, thanks to sponsorship from DoNotAge.org and Quest Nutra\Pharma. Many of the recipients are Early Career Researchers, providing them an essential stepping stone in their careers and increasing their chances of becoming future leaders in the field.
Joanna Ward, a PhD student at the University of Lincoln, received a DoNotAge.org-BSRA Small Research Grant award for her work studying how cardiovascular disease affects inflammation as we age
The projects span across the biology of ageing reflecting the huge potential for ageing research to support the prevention of diseases and conditions associated with ageing. From dementia to cardiovascular disease; pneumonia to menopause; inflammation to circadian rhythms: these projects will contribute to our knowledge of ageing and associated diseases, and ultimately help everyone to live healthier lives for longer.
One award went to Joanna Ward, a PhD student at the University of Lincoln who is studying how cardiovascular disease affects inflammation as we age. She said “I am grateful to the BSRA and DoNotAge.org for supporting this work. By learning more about what causes cardiovascular disease and why some people remain at risk despite treatment, we hope to help develop better therapies to prevent future heart attacks, strokes, and other complications”
Prof David Weinkove, Chair of the BSRA said “Funding is the main obstacle for the progress of research on ageing. Therefore, I am delighted that DoNotAge.org and Quest Nutra\Pharma have allowed us to fund 18 grants. That is 6 times the number we normally fund and increases the chances of a major breakthrough. Each small project has the potential to lead to much bigger advances in understanding the biology of ageing, and ultimately helping us all live healthier and longer lives.”
Alan Graves, founder and clinical research advisor of DoNotAge.org said “It’s fantastic that DoNotAge.org is funding 15 excellent research projects. I have seen the winning candidates’ proposals and can’t wait to see what they discover over the course of their research.
DoNotAge.org exists for this reason. Reversing biological ageing is the greatest challenge faced by humanity this century and it’s shocking how little funding it receives.I want to thank the DoNotAge.org community for continuing to support this research, and thanks to BSRA for facilitating this partnership.”
Ahmed Hassam, founder of Quest Nutra/Pharma, said “When I came to the UK as a refugee from Uganda in the seventies, I was lucky enough to get a research grant from a company to enrol at the University of London for a PhD study. I am delighted Quest Nutra/Pharma can support the next generation of researchers working in this exciting area to build their careers and become leaders in their field.”