The power of observation

CRUK’s observer scheme allows researchers a chance to view our funding panel discussions and interviews before they make their own application – we spoke to two observers to see how it has helped them…

Dr Matt Coelho is a Cancer Research UK Career Development Fellow specialising in Cancer Genome Editing. He is based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute

What motivated you to apply to be part of the observer scheme?

I was in the process of applying for a CRUK Career Development Fellowship at the time, and I came across

the opportunity to observe an interview on the CRUK website. This looked very useful to help prepare for the application process and to better understand the format of the interviews. If successful in the shortlisting, this would be my first CRUK grant interview, so I thought this would be especially useful experience for me.

What was the experience like when you attended an observation?

I attended two panel interviews for CRUK grants online over one day. Essentially, you quietly observe in the background. You see the interview, questioning and the discussion by the panel at the end, as well as the scoring of each applicant. I didn’t see an interview in my direct field or for the same grant that I was applying for, but you are provided with information beforehand so you can put the interview into context – both the applicant and the proposal.

How was the scheme beneficial for you?

Observing the interviews gave me some insight into the interview structure, so overall, I was perhaps less nervous than I would have been and better prepared for what was to come. I saw two very different interviews and so it was interesting to compare them. What went well, and what went less well for each candidate in my eyes and in the eyes on the panel. Listening to the feedback and discussion after the candidates left was a very useful insight into how candidates are scored against the CRUK competency framework.

Any tips for future applicants?

I found that writing down things that I thought were done well was useful, so that I could try to adapt and apply them for my own application and interview. Listening carefully to the feedback given by the panel and trying to apply it to my own project was definitely beneficial. In addition to observing the interview, I also had some practice runs with my colleagues, both experts in the field and people not directly working on cancer. I also chatted with scientists who had successfully applied for the CRUK CDF and colleagues who had copious experience in reviewing grants. Overall, this combined input helped me to iteratively improve my proposal and interview presentation. Thanks very much for all the support!

Tell us about your career now – what do you work on?

I am a CRUK Career Development Fellow at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, investigating drug resistance in cancer. In my lab we use gene editing technologies to investigate how DNA variants in cancer genes can affect drug sensitivity. Our goal is to use this information to improve future treatment options for patients with drug resistance.

Dr Haiyan Zheng is a Senior Lecturer at Bath’s Department of Mathematical Sciences Institute for Mathematical Innovation. She works on improving the efficiency of clinical trials. She is a CRUK Career Development Fellow

What motivated you to apply to be part of the observer scheme?

As an active statistical researcher in the field of oncology trials firstly I hoped to hear the latest CRUK research strategy and keep up with the cutting edge of cancer research.

But perhaps more practically I was keen to see how applications are evaluated for a funding decision. I believed being part of the observer scheme would benefit my future application to a relevant funding call.

What was the experience like when you attended an observation?

With instructive guidelines, scores for the same application converge well in most of the cases. The committee members were all very able to pinpoint the strength and weakness of an application, and to give useful feedback to applicants. It was also very encouraging to see that all committee members have been devoted a great deal of thoughts to build a dynamic research community.

How was the scheme beneficial for you?

By observing the discussion and scoring, I have been reassured that every submitted application will be carefully read through by experts in the field and the committee members. I benefited greatly by hearing the constructive feedback shared by the committee members, and I now have a much better handle on the dos and don’ts of putting forward an application.

Any tips for future applicants?

Attending research committee meetings as an observer is definitely rewarding. For those who have a clear research proposal in mind, this experience would help better shape your application. For those who look to develop one, you may get inspiration by reading the applications submitted and hearing the committee’s feedback.

Tell us about your career now – what do you work on?

I am a statistician passionate about precision medicine. My latest research is primarily focused on the design and analysis of clinical trials that involve the use of biomarker information. Such trials often have one or many new treatments to be evaluated in various patient subgroups simultaneously. As a CRUK Career Development Fellow, I am leading a small research group to develop innovative methods that allow efficient decision making suited for precision oncology trials.

Read about how the Observer Scheme is making a difference

Explore the Observers Scheme