In 2024, ME Research UK initiated the “Founders’ Science Writing Award” – a competition established to honour the foresight of the Founders of ME Research UK. The Founders, Dr Vance Spence and Robert McRae who, thanks to the impetus and financial backing of Founding Patron, Roger Jefcoate DL CBE, established a charity which has become a major force in ME/CFS research globally.
This competition aims to give early career researchers the opportunity to develop skills in communicating science in a way that is accessible and engaging to the public. These skills are essential to aid researchers secure funding in the modern research landscape, and to communicate important findings to people with ME/CFS, and the wider public
Whilst all areas of research require scientists to think critically – for example, about the topic of investigation, the population of interest, and the methods used – for ME/CFS researchers, one of the major challenges faced is how ME/CFS can differ not only from person to person (disease heterogeneity), but also within individuals over time – further complicated by population characteristics such as age, ethnicity, and sex.
Therefore, this year, ME Research UK invites Entrants to consider the evidence relating to the theme “Heterogeneity in ME/CFS research populations – challenges faced, lessons learned, and next steps” This could be specifically in relation to the Entrant’s area of research, or a wider take on current understanding or state of ME/CFS research.
Early career researchers are invited to submit high quality articles, suitable for reading by the general public, of no more than 1000 words and relevant to biomedical research into ME/CFS – it is intended that winning entries will be published by ME Research UK. Entrants would be well-advised to read the “top ten tips” to a successful entry at the end of this article.
Opening date
12th of May 2026 at 12 noon BST
Closing Date
13th July 2026 at 5p.m. BST
Maximum length
1,000 words.
Theme
Heterogeneity in ME/CFS research populations – challenges faced, lessons learned, and next steps
Potential prizes
1st place: £500
2nd place: £200
3rd place: £100
Judging process
The judging process will be completed by staff members of ME Research UK with potential input of Trustees of the charity. Some of the persons involved in judging will have lived experience of ME/CFS. The judges will be blinded to the identity of the Entrants.
Who can enter
Those in the field of biomedical research of ME/CFS who are PhD students or early career researchers. There is no geographic restriction on entries, but entries must be in English.
Notification of winners
The Charity will aim to notify the winners by email between 4-6 weeks after the competition closing date. However, this may be subject to delay where a large number of entries are received. Should there be a delay, Entrants will be notified by email no later than September 30th, 2026.
Making and application
Download an application form here.
Before submitting an application, please read the terms and conditions for the competition, and complete the application form.
Applications should be submitted to: competition@meresearch.org.uk.
Completed applications must be received by the no later than 5p.m. on 13th July 2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
| Top Ten Tips for a successful entry: 1. It is vital to success in a writing competition that the topic mandated by the organisers is answered. If a piece of work does not fulfil the brief, then it will be marked poorly. 2. If a wide topic is laid down, then it is your decision whether to cover all aspects of the topic – being cognoscente of the word limit – or to tackle only one aspect of the question. If the latter, explain why the areas has been chosen over others as this shows an entrant’s breadth of knowledge. 3. Take note of the intended audience for the piece when writing. The needs of a lay audience differ from others and that means the language and terms used must reflect this. 4. Whilst we do expect scientific topics to be explored, explain any complex terms used or better still find a way to introduce a concept in suitable language. Complexity can be off-putting to a lay reader. 5. Ensure that the referencing style used is consistent with those mandated by the organisers. Different fora require different handling of references – a hyperlink will not be useful for a piece intended for hardcopy publishing but is appropriate for online dissemination. 6. Proofread your entry as the writing will be marked down for spelling and grammatical errors. 7. Be consistent in language used and ensure that each part chimes with the whole. Cutting and pasting (apart from raising real queries over originality and plagiarism) risks inconsistency in style and tone which judges will find to be unprofessional and mark accordingly. 8. Refer to the topic throughout the piece or writing to ensure a clear, coherent piece is presented with cogent and appropriate argument and evidence. 9. If space permits, summarise conclusions in a final paragraph and ensure that it refers to the topic. 10. Prior to submission – leave the piece and return to it with fresh eyes and often textual improvements will become apparent. |
