Research and Grants

The BSSR committee would like to invite applications for the following grants / bursaries aimed at helping members with a specific research project, learning experiences and conferences.

The application deadline is 23rd May 2025

Research Grant

This grant is open to full members of the BSSR and is intended for a research project furthering a musculoskeletal radiology interest. Applications are limited to a maximum of £5000 and a protocol summary and breakdown of the associated costs is required for the application form. Projects requiring Ethics approval will need evidence of starting this process. Only one active grant may be held by any member at one time.
There should be an acknowledgement for BSSR on their presentation slides on all the relevant research presentations and the progress and the outcome of the project should be presented at one of the BSSR members meeting. Please note that the committee would like to receive regular update of the project and the funds may be released in instalments according to the progression. The committee reserves the rights to stop the funds, withdraw the funds and ask for refund, if necessary, if the project does not abide by the agreed terms.

BSSR Research Grant Scheme Application Form

Additional Downloads

Click here to view BSSR Research Grant Application

For the BSSR Research Grant Scheme, please complete all sections of this form, and type or write in block letters using black ink using the form above.

Please send all applications to raj.chari@ouh.nhs.uk by the 23rd May 2025

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The Paul Butt Bursary

This is a bursary primarily aimed at the trainee members to assist attendance at meetings with a significant musculoskeletal content or to trainee members who are the first author of an accepted scientific paper or poster at a conference. Please make an application with details of how the conference will help your learning and include a brief detail of the poster / presentation along with proof of acceptance from the conference. The final decision will be at the discretion of the BSSR executive committee.
There should be acknowledgement for BSSR on their presentation slides on all of the relevant presentations and the outcome of the project should be presented at one of the BSSR members meeting. The educational subcommittee of the BSSR may choose your recorded presentation to be on the BSSR website for the purpose of wider learning.

This award is normally capped at £500.

For the travel grant and Paul Butt bursary, please write a detailed email with learning objectives and follow the guidelines below.
If you would like to discuss or have any queries relating to the grants/bursary, please don’t hesitate to contact the responsible officer - Dr Raj Chari, raj.chari@ouh.nhs.uk

Please send all applications to raj.chari@ouh.nhs.uk by the 23rd May 2025

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Travel/Education Grant

This grant is aimed at full members and trainee members wishing to learn new techniques or learning experience at a different centre or to participate in a project at a different centre to their own institution, those presenting at meetings will also be considered. Fellowship posts or OOPE which are remunerated posts will not be considered for Travel grant purposes.
All the work undertaken should have acknowledgement for BSSR on their presentation slides where relevant and the outcome of the project should be presented at one of the BSSR members meeting. The educational subcommittee of the BSSR may choose your recorded presentation to be on the BSSR website for the purpose of wider learning.

These bursaries are awarded at the discretion of the BSSR Council and are normally capped at £1000.

If you would like to discuss or have any queries relating to the grants/bursary, please don’t hesitate to contact the responsible officer - Dr Raj Chari, raj.chari@ouh.nhs.uk

Please send all applications to raj.chari@ouh.nhs.uk by the 23rd May 2025

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RCR/BSSR Travelling Professorship

This visiting professorship is jointly funded by the RCR and BSSR to highlight the role of MSK radiology within the UK.
The visiting professor is expected to undertake six to eight visits to training programmes over a period of 12 months, to deliver lectures and undertake appropriate workshops as part of each visit.
The aim of the travelling professorship is to raise the profile of Musculoskeletal Radiology and encourage interest amongst trainees in the subject.
The RCR determines the timing of the advert for the position and the funding on an annual basis, and the BSSR will circulate details of how to apply when we receive details. It is anticipated the applicants will be experienced Musculoskeletal radiologists who can provide valuable insights into day-to-day MSK radiology as well as those who have a particular field of expertise or academic research. It is possible that the BSSR would consider supporting two applicants who wished to share the role during the year.
At the end of the professorship, the successful candidate will be required to deliver a lecture at the next BSSR annual meeting.

It should be noted that the successful candidate(s) are only eligible to use the title professor for the 1st year duration of the fellowship.

Funding

Up to £10,000

Eligibility

The professorship is open to Musculoskeletal radiologists who are:

Fellows of the RCR in good standing
Members of the BSSR
Not a member of BSSR council

How to apply

Please applications for the RCR/BSSR Travelling Professorship to david.mckean@nhs.net

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Previous Grant Award Winners

Research Grant winners:

2001 P O'Connor & P Robinson - Comparison of symptomatic and asymptomatic rotator cuff tears using pre and post contrast MRI
2002 P Robinson - Clinical and Imaging abnormality of the groin in soccer players
2005 P Robinson - Efficacy of intra articular steroid injection in the first CMC joint
2006 A Toms - Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Normal Healing Tibial Fractures
2007 D Connell - Muscle stem cell study
2010 P Robinson - Evaluation of non arthrographic 3T MRI in FAI
2012 P O'Connor - Cross sectional 3T MR Study of asymmetrical hip disease in elite and professional golfers
2015 N Winn - Can shear wave elastography differentiate benign from malignant soft tissue tumours?
2016 S James - Does patient position affect lumbar spine MRI findings in elite gymnasts
2017 P Robinson - STAMINA: Study of the association between MRI pathology and pelvic pain in athletes
2017 P Robinson - Elastography in soft tissue tumours
2017 A Grainger - MRI shoulder in rugby and normal individuals
2020 N Winn - Characterisation of soft tissue tumours with ultrasound, shear wave elastography and MRI
2020 E Rowbotham - Using Artificial Intelligence to evolve Osteoarthritis diagnostics
2024 Dr Rajat Chowdhury, Oxford

Paul Butt bursary awards:

2024 Dr Kapil Shirodkar, Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham

Travel / Education Grant winners:

2001 G Allen - Ultrasound anatomical training to produce anatomy CD
2001 R Campbell - Vertebroplasty training
2003 M Warren - Vertebroplasty training
2015 N Larkman - MSK radiology in France
2016 B Chari - MSK Intervention in Strasbourg
2017 D Dalili - Travel to John Hopkins University
2017 J McKay - PET-MRI assessment of bone/synovium interactions in the knee
2019 S Chaudhary - RSNA poster presentation
2021 D Dalili - Visit to specialist centre in Nice
2024 Dr Kimberly Lam, Liverpool

Previous BSSR Travelling Professors

Dr. Eugene McNally
Dr. James Teh
Dr. Ramy Mansour
Dr. Tom Marshall
Dr. Gina Allen
Dr Rajesh Botchu