Alasdair Rankin joined Blood Cancer UK in January 2016, where he is responsible for research strategy and funding streams and for policy and campaigning activity to work to improve the lives of people living with or affected by blood cancer. Alasdair began working for research funders in 1999. He has held a variety of research funding roles and has contributed to or led the development and implementation of research strategies in three different funders. Alasdair has direct experience of most aspects of both managed and response mode research application and award processes, selecting and implementing grant funding systems and research governance in both very large and medium sized medical research charities.