6 June 2019

Coeliac UK and Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, have £180K available for research and are calling on UK businesses and researchers to apply for funding.

This latest research call builds on last year’s collaboration to pump much needed funding into coeliac disease and make improvements to people affected by the condition. All projects must underpin and support our top 10 research priorities, for example:

• Improving diagnosis for coeliac disease – including refractory coeliac disease or gluten related neurological conditions
• Developing tools for long term management of the condition
• Improving the quality of gluten free food staples

The closing date for applications is 16 September 2019, 10:00. If you’re interested in applying, find out more at www.coeliac.org.uk/innovateuk.

Hilary Croft, Coeliac UK’s new CEO said: “We want to change the course of coeliac disease treatment through improved diagnostics, technology and food innovations that truly bridge the gap between people, health professionals and products. Research has the power to do this and by combining forces with Innovate UK and industry, our charity demonstrates its unwavering commitment to the UK’s growing gluten free community.”

Meanwhile Kathryn Miller, Innovation Lead for Food and Nutrition at Innovate UK said: “It’s fantastic to be working with charities such as Coeliac UK to promote innovations that will have a real, positive impact on people’s lives. Innovate UK has long supported businesses innovating in the areas of healthcare diagnostics, digital support and enhancing nutritional quality of foods, themes already supported through joint Coeliac UK / Innovate UK funding awarded earlier this year.”

Earlier this year, three projects based in Birmingham, Newcastle and Edinburgh were awarded Coeliac UK/Innovate UK grants from our first joint research call. Including contributions from industry, a grand total of £750K was committed to research on:

• A new, less invasive test to diagnose coeliac disease that may not rely on someone having to continue eating gluten if they’ve already gone gluten free.
• Development of three new plant proteins from underused UK crops to help improve gluten free bread.
• Software innovation to help the ongoing management of coeliac disease, so that those in need of vital support get what they need, when they need it and those living well can be followed up without the inconvenience of hospital appointments.

We’re excited to see how these projects will develop and will keep our whole community up to date with progress.

Read the press release here.