University attachments

University attachments are to encourage and enhance collaboration between research disciplines, principal investigators (PIs) from UCL, Imperial College London and King's College London.

The 2026 attachment call is now open

Audience watching presentation at the 2nd Autumn Science Meeting

University attachments

University attachments bring researchers from our partner universities to the Crick, often for several years, to establish new multidisciplinary collaborations.

We aim to attract people with skills that complement our core research areas, and bring in research projects that will benefit most from collaborative working. We generally prioritise applications from researchers working in physical, mathematical, computational, clinical and translational sciences or engineering.

Attachment researchers are expected to collaborate significantly with Crick group leaders and the heads of our science technology platforms. These collaborations might be focused on specific research projects, or could involve multiple Crick collaborators in a more substantial research or technology development programme.

Crick group leaders can also apply to set up a reverse attachment at a university.

Attachments are flexible and can take different forms

There is room for flexibility in the below attachment definitions. In all cases the proposed attachment is assessed on its added value to the applicant, the university and the Crick whilst ensuring the group can be accommodated within the spaces allocated to each university.

Secondment

A Principal Investigator (PI) might transfer all or the majority of their research group to the Crick for up to six years. Usually, the Crick becomes the primary research base for the group and the PI spends the majority of their time at the institute. However, the PI can also keep part of their group at University and share their time between the two institutions.

Satellite

A Principal Investigator (PI) might transfer a subset of their staff to the Crick, possibly on a part-time basis. The group’s primary research base remains at the home university, with the PI visiting the Crick occasionally. The scientists may be embedded within a single Crick research group or science technology platforms working on a defined project or could work with multiple groups or science technology platforms. Satellites’s stay duration varies. Satellite PIs running a substantive project-focused collaboration at the Crick usually stay for up to three years. 

Satellite PIs who already have established links with multiple Crick groups or STPs and run a larger-scale and longer-term collaborative programme could stay at the Crick for three to five years.

Sabbatical

Whilst remaining a University employee, a Principal Investigator (PI) might spend up to a year on sabbatical (full or part-time) working in a Crick research group, for example to learn new techniques or undertake a hands-on collaboration.

How it works

Successful applicants are selected through a competitive process, which is based on:

  • excellence of the research proposal
  • benefits in career development for the applicant
  • added value to the research group, the Crick and the university
  • interdisciplinarity of the research
  • career stage and track record of the applicant, proposals from early-career researchers are encouraged, as it is consistent with our aim to create future science leaders.

It is expected that projects will be externally funded. Applications where funding is not yet in place can be considered but selection will be contingent upon a successful grant application.

The university staff transferring to the Crick remain employees of their home institution.

Two researchers in lab coats moving sample tubes on a lab bench.

Visit our university partners' websites to find out more:

Applicants should discuss their proposal with their university partnership manager before starting their application. 

Questions?

Contact the Crick partnership manager at your university with any questions about Crick attachments, eligibility or the application process. 

Strategic Partnerships Coordinator at UCL
Research office at Imperial
King's College London
Contact the Crick

Current attachments at the Crick

UCL

Imperial College London

 

King's College London

Case studies of university attachments at the Crick

Jernej Ule

Jernej Ule, UCL

Seconded to the Crick from UCL, Jernej Ule’s group is investigating how RNAs and proteins come together in our cells, and how this contributes to development or disease. Their research focuses on motor neurone disease (MND) – a fatal disease also referred to as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

“My group of nine researchers are all based at the Crick, where we have greatly benefited from work with different research facilities and initiated important new collaborations,” explains Jernej. 

Profile picture of Ed Tate

Ed Tate, Imperial College London

Ed Tate manages a research group split between Imperial College London and the Crick, and is an example of how university attachments can bring expertise in the physical sciences to collaborations at the Crick. “We work with chemistry but we apply it to biology,” says Ed.

“When we see a biomedical or biological problem we think would be interesting to try to solve, we can decide to tackle it from a new perspective – and the Crick enables us to do that very effectively.” 

Snezhana Oliferenko

Snezhana Oliferenko, King's College London

On a five-year secondment from King’s College London, Snezhana Oliferenko’s group of six researchers is studying the comparative biology of cell division. “It’s a great environment for meeting like-minded people and talking science," she says.

"It’s also a very good experience for my team to be exposed to interesting and diverse thinking.”