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The Medical Research Council (MRC) has announced that ÂÒÂ×Ðã received the largest amount of funding and highest number of awards through its grants and fellowships programme in 2008/2009. ÂÒÂ×Ðã also made the highest number of grant applications deemed "internationally competitive".

The university received 70 grants and fellowships (up from 43 the previous year), almost 14% (up from 10%) of the total number awarded by the MRC. The £44 million awarded to ÂÒÂ×Ðã was 16% of the total funding (up from 10%).

Fifty-eight grant applications made by ÂÒÂ×Ðã to the MRC were judged of "internationally competitive" quality in 2008/2009. This was the most applications of that quality made by any institution and constituted 13% of all such MRC applications (up from 10%). It was also more than twice the number of ÂÒÂ×Ðã applications of that calibre made in the previous year.

Funding excellent research is at the heart of the MRC's stated mission to improve human health: "To achieve this, we support research across the biomedical spectrum, from fundamental lab-based science to clinical trials, and in all major disease areas. We … give a high priority to research that is likely to make a real difference to clinical practice and the health of the population."

Professor David Price, ÂÒÂ×Ðã Vice-Provost (Research), said: "The quality and success of ÂÒÂ×Ðã's applications for MRC grants and fellowships reflects our strengths in - and beyond - biomedicine. We share the MRC's commitment to fostering world-leading research and to ensuring that we maximise its impact."

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