My winning proposal: Wellcome postdoc all about the groundwork

For such a prestigioius grant, the application form for the Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships is relatively straightforward. But months of drafts and preparation are called for, James Kolasinski tells Fiona McIntyre.

James’s top tips

• Everything in your proposal has to be justified and reasoned, not just the science.
• Don’t be overambitious; make sure you can do what you’re proposing.
• Make sure that all your experiments could be carried out meaningfully on their own even if others fail.
• Prepare thoroughly for your interview; you have to be ready for the main questions but your answers should not sound rehearsed.

The Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship lets newly qualified postdoctoral researchers begin an independent research career with funding of up to £300,000 over four years.