As part of our Flexible Mobility Awards programme, INFORM is inviting an ECR to apply to work on a UK independently scientific reviewed prebiotics guide. This guide will be compiled to list prebiotic products available in the UK and present robust evidence surrounding these products from human intervention studies. Peer reviewers based within INFORM will review all products submitted to the guide.
AEProbio will provide support and training to the ECR on how to source products, find relevant publications and combine data for use within a website (Guide) and also offer advice regarding having the database as an app (smart phones). This support will take the form of online meetings. Additionally, guidance will be provided to the successful ECR by the University of Reading and the University of Leeds.
The successful ECR would be expected to:
- Compile a database of all potential prebiotic products on the UK market
- Identify publications associated with the products
- Scientifically analyse and validate the inclusion criteria regarding prebiotic products
- Submit products to a peer review committee established by INFORM
- Create a database for prebiotic products
- Work within own institution’s financial procedures to source and engage web developers (obtain quotes, proposed schedule, contract, cost breakdown, oversee purchasing and invoicing procedures, etc)
- Project manage and work with developers to release the guide online via its own independent website
- Research app development (cost, development timelines, etc) for the UK Prebiotic Guide and produce a proposal
- Work on promoting the existing Probiotics UK guide
- Work on literature-based tasks with AEProbio
AEProbio are the Alliance for Education on Probiotics, the authors of the existing probiotics guides. AEProbio bring together world leaders in probiotics to create trusted resources. This FMA provides an ECR with an exciting opportunity to learn from AEProbio, whilst generating the first prebiotics guide of this kind within the UK.
There is a total budget of up to £25,000, which can be used for website development costs, ERC time on the project and time or attendance at meetings to promote the UK guides. As such, we are requesting that applicants include their time (typically up to 6 months, could be part-time) and resources required to complete the project.
Please note funding will not cover:
- indirect or estate costs at the research organisation
- any costs relating to intellectual property protection, including but not limited to registering, maintaining, or supporting patents or property rights
- equipment with a value of £10,000 or more
- undergraduate or postgraduate activities, training, or core PhD training, including tuition or bench fees.
Applicants must be employed by a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding and have a contract extending beyond the grant’s duration.
The Probiotics Guide UK was launched in March 2025. Developed by the Alliance for Education on Probiotics (AEProbio) through a collaboration with INFORM Hub, providing a necessary, evidence-based resource in a market where misleading claims and inconsistent product quality can make informed choices difficult. The prebiotics guide will therefore build on these efforts.
How to Apply:
Written applications covering the following questions (no more than 400 words per question) will be accepted.
What is your career stage (include current position, number of years since completing PhD, if completed)
- Tell us about your current role and the topic you are working on?
- Please detail any experience you have working with prebiotics
- What skills would you bring to this project?
- What do you feel you would gain from working with AEProbio on this project?
- Why is it important to have a prebiotics guide in the UK?
- If time allows, there may be the option of working on additional literature surrounding the pre- or probiotic guides or other work of AEProbio. Please detail what you think might be useful to work on.
Please include a letter of support from your supervisor or line manager, a recent copy of your CV and a list of your publications.
Applications should be emailed to INFORMHub@reading.ac.uk before 5 pm, Friday, 25th July, 2025
Who can apply?
Funding is available to staff and researchers from any public or private UK organisation with an activity in functional foods, gut health and recovery. Priority will be given to Early Career Researchers (ECRs).
You do not need to be a member of the INFORM ORIC to apply, but we would recommend it, and if you are successful, you would need to join. It’s simple to join and lets you hear about our funding calls and events before anyone else. You can be a member of other ORIC hubs, too. If you haven’t already, please sign up here.
Review and assessment
When we receive your application, our Hub Manager will ensure the eligibility criteria are met, the application has been completed, and full financial information is included.
FMA Impact Report applications will be peer-reviewed by four members of our panel.
The document should support INFORM’s aims. On passing these requirements, applications will be assessed across the following areas.
- Eligibility
- Status of candidates
- Quality of application
- Potential outcomes
The Hub Management Committee will further assess the applications for the awards.
Reviewers will be expected to adhere to the highest standards of scientific integrity. In the event of a conflict of interest, this must be declared to the hub manager, who will reassign the proposal to an alternative reviewer.