Dr Aïcha Massrali — Funding Strategy & Mental Health Policy Advisory

Two ways to work with me.

I work with organisations in two ways: helping research-led teams secure competitive funding, and supporting evidence-based mental health, brain health and policy initiatives. The funding work can span sectors; the policy work is deliberately focused on mental health, autism, brain health and systems change.

— Pillar 01

Funding Strategy & Grant Development

For research-led teams seeking competitive UK, EU and international funding.

For universities, researchers, charities, SMEs, start-ups, NGOs and other research-led organisations preparing competitive funding bids. Built on a decade of funder-side and applicant-side insight.

Funders worked with UKRI · NIHR · Innovate UK · Horizon Europe · EIC · Wellcome · philanthropic and mission-led funders

Open across Health · Science · Innovation · Public policy · Impact-led research

Funding Strategy & Opportunity Mapping For teams deciding where to apply, how to position their work, and whether they are ready.
Grant Development & Proposal Structuring For teams preparing full applications, consortia bids, work packages, impact narratives and budgets.
Expert Review / Red-Team Review For teams with a draft who need funder-side critique before submission.
Resubmission Strategy For teams responding to reviewer feedback after an unsuccessful or borderline application.

Example deliverables

Funding roadmap · Grant application structure · Proposal narrative · Red-team review report · Resubmission plan · Interview & pitch preparation · Consortium bid support

— Pillar 02

Mental Health, Brain Health & Policy Advisory

For organisations strengthening evidence-led mental health systems, services and programmes.

For ministries, foundations, NGOs, academic teams and mission-driven organisations strengthening mental health systems, services and evidence-led programmes — with particular focus on LMICs, the MENA region, and equity-driven service design.

Engagement modes Defined-scope consultancy · Long-term collaboration & advisory roles

Evidence, Policy & Landscape Analysis Policy mapping, evidence synthesis, literature reviews, landscape reports, funder-facing briefs.
Programme Design & Evaluation Support Theory of change, programme architecture, implementation logic, indicators, stakeholder engagement.
Strategic Collaboration & Advisory Roles Co-investigator roles, advisory boards, founding partnerships, long-term initiatives.

Example deliverables

Landscape analysis · Policy brief · Evidence synthesis · Stakeholder report · Programme theory of change · Evaluation framework · Strategic recommendations

Additional advisory formats

Expert calls Workshops Panels Speaking Advisory boards

Why work with me.

By the numbers

130+ Proposals assessed as evaluator / assessor across UKRI & Horizon Europe Health
£6.2M In secured grant value (consultancy)
15+ Funding programmes — Innovate UK, NIHR, NIH, European Commission, SBIR — across the UK, EU and US

Education

PhD Psychiatry & Clinical Neuroscience — Cambridge
MSc Biotechnology (Distinction) — Greenwich
BSc Biotechnology (First Class) — MSA Egypt
Cert. Global Mental Health — NOVA Lisbon

Active roles

Expert Evaluator — Horizon Europe Health
Grant Assessor — Innovate UK / UKRI
Research Fellow — Cambridge MHPE
Roster Consultant — WHO Brain Health Unit
Fellow — Royal Society for Public Health

Languages

English · French · Arabic

I bring together three perspectives rarely found in one consultant: Cambridge-trained biomedical scientist, mental-health policy practitioner, and evaluator inside major research-funding systems.

Scientific and research background. I hold a PhD in Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience from the University of Cambridge, where my doctoral and postdoctoral research focused on stem cells, gene editing, epigenetics and autism neurodevelopment — including work on a £3M multi-institution programme funded by the Wellcome Trust, MRC, the Autism Research Trust and a private philanthropic funder.

Funding and evaluator experience. As a Senior Funding Consultant, I supported clients across UKRI, NIHR, Innovate UK, EIC and Horizon Europe submissions, combining proposal development, strategic review, client advisory and resubmission support. Across 15+ funding programmes, with 130+ proposals assessed as evaluator/assessor and proposals supported across UK, EU and international funders. To date I have contributed to £6.2M in secured grant value.

Mental health policy and systems work. I am a Research Fellow with the Mental Health, Policy & Economics Group at the University of Cambridge, hold postgraduate training in Global Mental Health from NOVA Medical School / the Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health, and am listed on the WHO Brain Health Unit roster of consultants. My applied work includes WHO EMRO mental-health systems analyses across 22 countries and, as Deputy Research Lead at EDUCAUS, comparative autism education policy research across 28 EU Member States.

Independent practice today. I now work independently across two connected services — Funding Strategy & Grant Development and Mental Health, Brain Health & Policy Advisory — strengthening mental health systems, services and evidence-led programmes. I am also founder of NeuroMENA, a developing initiative mapping and strengthening mental health research funding across North Africa.

In their words.

A selection of client feedback on grant strategy and proposal development engagements. Selected client contexts include academic research teams, SMEs, NGOs, public-sector partners and multi-partner consortia preparing UK, EU and international funding applications. Additional testimonials available on request.

From first conversation to final recommendations.

Scoping call

We clarify your goals, timeline and funding or policy context.

Written scope

You receive a proposed approach, deliverables and indicative fee.

Strategic delivery

I provide review, development, advisory or written outputs.

Final recommendations

You receive clear next steps and submission-ready or stakeholder-ready materials.

Let's discuss your work.

Every engagement begins with a short, no-obligation scoping conversation — usually 20 to 30 minutes — to understand what you need and whether I'm the right fit. Most clients receive a written scope and indicative fee within a few working days.

Based Between the UK and MENA — working internationally.

Working languages English · French · Arabic.

Response time Usually within two working days.

Dr Aïcha Massrali.

Reading science from every side of the funding table.