Funding Q & A
The Centre for Advanced Diagnostic Development and Application (CADDA) — a national programme set to drive innovation in human and animal diagnostics – led by the University of Kent in partnership with The University of Manchester and University College London (UCL).
CADDA is a strategic programme with funding support from Research England, aiming to fulfil an unmet need for coordinated diagnostics development , driving the transition of diagnostics technology, business development and data analysis from academic partners into SME’s and on to application.
CKTV stands for CADDA Knowledge Transfer Vouchers.
It is a competitive funding scheme that supports collaborative diagnostic innovation projects. These projects must involve both academic and industry partners and aim to take diagnostic technologies closer to real-world application and commercialisation.
CKTVs will support co-funded pump priming awards for research (involving at least one SME/industry partner and one academic partner) across the diagnostics pipeline.
Applications will only be accepted from members of our Community of Practice (CoP).
You can apply for up to £50,000. The funding supports projects of up to 12 months. Importantly, no overheads or indirect costs are funded, and projects must include match funding from non-academic partners.
Applications must be led by an academic from one of the three CADDA partner institutions—University of Kent, University of Manchester, or UCL. However, co-applicants from other UK universities are welcome and encouraged.
Industrial involvement is essential, and applications must include a letter of support from at least one non-academic partner.
The CKTV funding is intended to support projects that are clearly aligned with CADDA’s objectives – advancing human and animal diagnostic technologies toward real-world application and commercialisation.
There is no strict requirement for the development stage of the diagnostic concept, but proposals must show a clear route of progression. Whether the idea is early-stage or closer to market, the project should demonstrate practical relevance, industrial interest, and potential for measurable progress within 12 months. Concepts must also outline how the work will be developed beyond the CKTV award, ideally leading to further funding or commercial traction.
CKTV funds can cover staff (e.g., postdocs, technicians), consumables, travel and use of core facilities. Projects may also include secondments, SME access to expertise or equipment, and collaborative activities with industry partners. However, CKTV funding cannot be used for tenured PI salaries, indirect or overhead costs, equipment purchases, or PhD/MSc stipends or tuition fees.
SMEs must contribute at least 25% of the total project cost, which can be a mix of cash or in-kind contributions. Larger companies must contribute 50% or more. Contributions must be auditable.
Download the template from www.cadda.org, fill in all required sections (minimum font size: 11pt), and email your PDF application to cadda@kent.ac.uk. The first call opens May 19, 2025 and closes September 11, 2025 at 5pm. Late submissions won’t be accepted. However, we are planning another call early in 2026 and others to follow.
First, your application is screened for eligibility. Then, it is reviewed by a panel of experts. Projects are scored on relevance, quality, impact, value for money, and plans for future development. Feedback is provided to all applicants, successful or not.
No, PhD students cannot apply directly, however they can intermit and take on the role of a Research Assistant in order to apply. Applications must be led by an academic staff member at one of the partner institutions (Kent, Manchester, or UCL). However, PhD students can be involved in the project team (e.g. contributing to research), provided the funding is not used to cover their stipend or tuition fees.
CADDA can help! If you’re looking for potential collaborators or want to know more, get in touch at cadda@kent.ac.uk or visit www.cadda.org.
All the information you need—including eligibility criteria, subsidy rules, and document templates—can be found at www.cadda.org.