Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. What is FRIS?
FRIS (Friends of Researchers in the Indian Subcontinent) is an international charity based in London (UK). The purpose of this charity is to encourage and support research collaboration between biomedical researchers based in the Indian subcontinent and those based in the UK/EU. FRIS will aim to fund reciprocal trips of research faculties lasting up to 3 months at a time, exchange of research technologies and materials. FRIS will also arrange annual research meetings in the Indian subcontinent for researchers to meet and exchange ideas. In the long run FRIS will aim to establish faculty/research positions in the UK/EU dedicated for collaboration with researchers of the Indian subcontinent.
2. What is the registration number for FRIS?

FRIS is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales. Its registration number is 1204788.

3. What will be covered by FRIS funding to support collaboration with a researchers based in UK/EU.

Any biomedical researcher from the Indian subcontinent can apply for funding for three months at a time. If successful, the FRIS funding will cover reasonable travel costs, visa fee, health insurance, living expenses and cost of research consumables used in the host lab.

4. Who can be supported by FRIS funding?

Young researchers including current PhD students, post-docs and newly appointed faculties. In addition, established faculties can also apply for funding to support collaborative projects.

5. When can I apply for FRIS funding?

Once we start inviting applications for funding, potential applicants will be able to apply for funding throughout the year. However, the funding committee will meet twice a year in June and December.

6. What are the payment arrangements for FRIS funding?
For collaborative projects, expenses such as visa fee, air travel, insurance etc will be re-imbursed in the UK. Other expenses such as living cost and consumable expenses will be paid by the host institution. For the FRIS faculty appointees, the salary will be paid by the institution employing the faculty.
7. Is there a cost associated with the application process?

A potential applicant must be an honorary member of FRIS and they will include membership number with their CV and a brief outline of research proposal. Once approved, the applicant will submit a detailed proposal along with £50 fee (non-refundable) through FRIS website as donation for peer review evaluation.

8. How many collaborative projects are likely to be funded in one calendar year?
Once fully functional, the FRIS charity is likely to fund up to 10 collaborative research projects in the entire Indian Subcontinent (Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives) at any given time.
9. Will the FRIS supported faculty position in a UK research institution will be open to non-UK and non-EU citizens?

The FRIS supported faculty positions in the UK or EU research institutions will be open to any researcher based anywhere in the world so long as they were judged to be the most qualified for the job following an independent peer review.

10. How many faculty positions FRIS is likely to fund in UK/EU?

Once fully functional, it is envisaged that there will be up to 4 FRIS funded faculty positions in UK and countries of EU.

11. Who will advertise the FRIS supported research/faculty positions?
Research Institutions based in the UK/EU will approach FRIS in the first instance with a proposal to establish a biomedical research/faculty position in their campus. After a thorough external peer review if the application were to be successful, the Institution submitting the original proposal will advertise the position, arrange interviews and provide all the facilities necessary for the new faculty. All the rules and regulations of the institution will apply on the new appointee except that his/her main research responsibility, besides their own research, will be to collaborate with researchers based in the Indian subcontinent.
12. Will FRIS charity fund clinical trial of a newly invented drug for treatment of a human disease?
No. FRIS will not fund clinical research including clinical trials on an experimental drug. However, if a drug has been developed during FRIS funded collaboration, FRIS might consider being part of a consortium involved in a clinical trial. In that case a patent will be filed for the experimental drug and a revenue sharing agreement signed and FRIS must have received all the documents detailing the ethical considerations agreed with NHS directorate before the trial could begin.
13. Can I apply to FRIS for funding to attend a conference or pay publication cost of a manuscript?

FRIS will only consider providing funds for conferences and publication cost for FRIS funded collaborative projects.

14. Will FRIS fund research on diseased human tissues or human subjects?

No. FRIS will not consider applications to investigate diseased human tissues or human subjects for ethical consideration. FRIS will also not consider research applications on human body excreta or fluid.

15. Will FRIS fund research on diseased animal tissues?

YES. FRIS will consider grant applications to study naturally occurring diseased tissue (not experimentally induced).

16. Will FRIS fund research on animals?

No. FRIS will not fund research where animals will be used for experimentations.

17. Are there specific items which the grant will or will not fund (e. g. equipment, salary)?

FRIS will consider applications for salary, research consumables, services, travel, visa fee, publication, and insurance costs. Our grants will not consider payment for tuition fees, equipment, and overheads.

18. Why should I donate to FRIS?

FRIS is the only charity in the world dedicated to encouraging and supporting collaboration between biomedical researchers in the countries of the Indian subcontinent with researchers based in the UK and countries of EU. We believe that only collaborative research will solve health issues and make this world disease free. Your donations will help us to go a long away in achieving those objectives by providing financial support to researchers of both regions.

19. What percentage of donations FRIS will spend on administration?

At present we are not spending any of your donations on administration. The trustees aim to spend as little as possible on administration and do not expect the administrative cost to go more than 10% of all expenditures.

20. What is Gift Aid?

A HM Government scheme enabling a registered charity to reclaim tax on a donation made by a UK taxpayer effectively increasing the amount of donation by 25%, with no extra cost to the donor.

21. As a US citizen can I be included in Gift Aid scheme?

No. The Gift Aid scheme is only for UK taxpayers.

22. What are the benefits of becoming an honorary member of FRIS charity.
By becoming a FRIS member, you are encouraging and supporting tomorrow’s researchers not only in the UK/EU but also in the Indian Subcontinent. This is also a ‘Thank You’ gesture from you by giving something back to your community and the society you come from. You will also become part of the journey by nurturing a seedling that one day will become a gigantic tree whose branches will spread far and wide none of us had ever imagined. You may also submit your CV and become part of FRIS research network which will increase your standing in the field and help you attract research funding and improve your research profile. As an honorary member you will be informed of any activity including FRIS sponsored symposium, research seminar or webinar and also funding opportunity that FRIS decided to make available to biomedical researchers.