Mason Medical Research Trust

The Mason Medical Research Trust, established by deed in 1921 as the Dan Mason (Chiswick) Medical Research Trust, is a long-standing UK charity dedicated to advancing medical research for public benefit through grants and fellowships. Guided by a Research Advisory Committee of eminent medical experts and trustees (including Mason family members), it prioritizes high-quality, innovative scientific inquiry to improve disease understanding, prevention, and treatment, without restricting to specific diseases, methods, or subfields. Its distinctive ethos emphasizes scientific excellence, accountability—via recipient presentations—and alignment with public health priorities, fostering impactful biomedical advancements.

The Trust funds a broad spectrum of medical research, from laboratory-based biomedical studies to applied clinical projects, supporting universities, NHS teaching hospitals, and affiliated institutions. Its flagship Mason Medical Research Fellowship, awarded annually to exceptional proposals, highlights early-career and established researchers alike, with additional grants for project costs. Beneficiaries are the general public, indirectly through knowledge gains at leading UK research centers.

Eligible applicants are strictly UK-based academic institutions and research organizations (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland); it does not support individuals directly outside fellowships, smaller grassroots groups, core costs, capital projects, or non-research activities. Invite-only with no unsolicited applications, public forms, or deadlines—nominations arise via trustees or advisors. Grants, considered annually, typically range £15,000–£80,000 (e.g., £79,314 total in 2023), awarded at trustees' discretion for rigorous, high-impact work. This closed, expert-driven model sets it apart for enduring, peer-validated medical research support.