The CRUK Bridge to Academic Leadership (BAL) programme supports early career researchers transitioning to independence by equipping them with leadership, grant-writing, and strategic skills.
- Amy Harding (Liverpool): Found the programme transformative, providing space to reflect on her working style and ambitions. She valued personal coaching, practical advice from senior scientists, and the challenge of writing a near-complete fellowship, which helped her clarify her long-term vision and leadership identity in translational cancer research.
- Susanta Chatterjee (Queen’s Belfast): Gained confidence in his potential as an independent scientist. Learned that leadership extends beyond research to budgeting, recruitment, and administration. Emphasised honest, concise communication, realistic planning, and embracing personal imperfections while building a unique research niche.
- Rhea Harewood (Imperial): Strengthened her grant-writing and leadership skills through mentorship, workshops, and feedback from funding panels. Benefited from observing grant reviews, developing her research niche, and securing a £25k award to support training, collaborations, and skill development. She also valued building a supportive network with other postdocs.
- Craig Anderson (German Cancer Consortium): Used the programme to break through career stagnation and prepare competitive fellowship proposals. The cycle of feedback, peer support, and practice was crucial. The BAL directly helped him secure a junior group leader position in Munich, negotiate resources, and prepare to launch his own lab.
Overall: The BAL programme offers practical tools, mentorship, and a collaborative network, helping researchers move beyond scientific excellence to develop the leadership, strategic thinking, and resilience needed to lead labs and secure major funding.
Credit: Cancer Research UK