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The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation is launching a new funding opportunity in the area of child health research. This includes research initiatives covering antenatal health as well as projects to address the health and well-being of adolescents and young adults.

The Foundation prioritises research which has impact, translates to positive outcomes for children, involves community and consumers and builds research capacity within Western Australia.

The following three areas are being considered for funding by the Foundation:

• Platforms supporting outstanding research
  • Includes applications for clinical and scientific personnel from any health-related discipline to conduct research
  • Includes infrastructure needed to support research
  • Examples of which may qualify for consideration in this category include those requiring consumer or community involvement, data solutions, equipment, facilities, biobanks and research training
• Major research Programs which are collaborative and outcome driven for up to five years
  • Programs involving partnerships and funding contributions from out bodies
  • Involves significant innovation and/or build capacity within Western Australia are especially encouraged
• Partnerships encouraging collaborations between researchers and institutions to improve health outcomes for children in Western Australia
  • Maybe single research projects or a program
  • funding will be contingent on partnership support and co-funding with the lead organisation based in Western Australia

Applications will be accepted from applicants with their lead organisation / institution based in Western Australia. Applications must make clear the innovative and transformative ideas to improve children’s health in Western Australia. Applications may originate from basic, clinical, population health or health services research. Early and mid-career researchers, with the support of a senior researcher, are encouraged to apply.

If you have any questions or want more information contact Dr Barbara Sheil, Research Grants Manager at the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.

See the full application guidelines, templates and to apply.

Applications close: 4pm (AWST), Monday 23 March, 2020

The WA Cancer Plan 2020-2025 is a blueprint for action over the next five years to provide the best possible cancer services for Western Australians.

The Plan includes:

• Establish a central system to capture, manage and share data across WA hospitals
• Planned improvements to the delivery of cancer care throughout the State
• Development of genomic testing for Western Australians

A recent study published in The Lancet Oncology found Western Australia’s cancer survival rates were among the best in the world. WA beat New South Wales and Victoria to record the highest five-year survival rates for ovarian, colon, pancreatic and stomach cancer. Australia was found to have outperformed all countries in survival rates for five of the seven tracked cancers – oesophageal, stomach, colon, rectal and pancreatic.

The number of Western Australian cancer patients who live five years after diagnosis is up from 52% (30 years ago) to 71% in 2017. Despite this progress, cancer remains a significant burden for Western Australians especially for Aboriginal people and those living in rural and remote locations. There are more than 158,000 cancer related hospital admissions throughout WA each year, making up 14.4% of the State’s total hospitalisations.

Read the WA Cancer Plan 2020-2025

Asahi Kasei Pharma works in research and development of new drugs and pharmaceutical technologies. Currently they’re promoting and strengthening open innovation activities worldwide. As such they are calling for new proposals related to drug development research as part of their efforts to open innovation, to promote pharmaceutical research and development through enhanced co-operation with universities, research institutes and enterprises around the world.

Research topics sought by Asahi Kasei Pharma include:

• New drug candidates or drug discovery technologies in:
  • Chronic pain, Neurodegenerative disease
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Critical care medicine
  • Bone and/or Cartilage disease
  • Muscle-related disease
• New technologies aimed at addressing challenges in drug discovery:
  • Core technologies for drug discovery
  • Pharmacokinetics technology
  • Formulation technologies

If you need further information please contact Asahi Kasei Pharma directly or read their Open Invitation

More information and to apply now

Applications close: 4pm (AWST), Wednesday 26 February, 2020.

The Raine Medical Research Foundation provides Priming Grants for health or medical scientists and clinicians at an early stage in their research career, to assist them to become more competitive for national and international peer-review grants. This program is intended particularly for those who are progressing towards an independent research career.

The Foundation will award a number of two-year Priming Grants for 2021-2022. These Grants provide funding for research into any area of health and medical science which investigates the nature, origin and cause of human disease and the prevention, cure, alleviation and combating of such disease.

Grants may including funding (or part funding) for salaries of researchers and/or technical staff, small equipment and consumables. All of which shall not exceed $250,000 total.

Visit the Raine Medical Research Foundation website for the Guidelines, Conditions and to view the online application form.

Applications close: 1pm (AWST), Monday 16 March, 2020.

CCRM Australia is supporting the two-week workshop Summer by Design by offering a number of travel awards worth $2,500 for Australian PhD and early career researchers. CCRM Australia supports Summer by Design as part of their annual training program.

Summer by Design will be held in Toronto, Canada during the northern summer of June 6 to 21. The workshops focuses on skill development in the areas of clinical translation and commercialisation of regenerative medicine.

Please note Summer by Design is a full-time, intensive, two-week program. Sessions run from roughly 8:30am to 5pm on weekdays with some evening sessions. Participants must commit to attending the entire program. Admission is competitive.

Applicants must send completed applications and supporting documents to Dr Chih Wei Teng by Friday, 14 February 2020.

Read the application flyer for more information about how CCRM Australia could support you.

More information about Summer by Design

In October 2019, the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) held a conference around ‘better health through best evidence’.

The video presentations from the plenary sessions are now available.

The Traumatic Brain Injury Mission and the 2020 Grant Opportunity will support clinical research which improves knowledge and its translation into practice in order to enhance personalisation of care after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Some examples of the research that can be funded through this grant opportunity include:

• Identifying clinical biomarkers that are prognostic of outcomes
• Novel imaging technologies and methods that could be used for prognostic purposes
• Understanding genetic factors that impact outcomes
• Investigating the novel use of artificial intelligence on administrative or other data collections to assist clinical decision making

The expected outcome of the research is innovative diagnostic and prognostic methods that facilitate longer term advances in TBI treatment and drive improvements in health and social outcomes for patients after TBI and the people around them.

Total amount available is $5 million, with the estimated grant value to be from $1 million to $2 million.

Mininmum data close: 2pm (AWST) Wednesday, 26 February, 2020.

Applications close: 2pm (AWST), Wednesday, 4 March, 2020.

More information about this grant opportunity.

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) – Stem Cell Therapies Mission provides $150 million over 10 years from 2019-20 to support stem cell research to deliver innovative, safe and effective treatments.

The objective of the 2020 Stem Cell Therapies Grant Opportunity is to prime teams working on ‘proof of concept’ stem cell research targeted towards a health care outcome. Funding for such priming programs will target two priority areas aimed at driving innovation and accelerating implementation into clinical practice:

• Stem cell therapies
• New treatments using human tissues made from stem cells

This grant opportunity is being administrated by NHMRC on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Health. The total amount available is $6 million.

The application closing date is 2pm (AWST) Wednesday 4 March, 2020.

Read more about this grant opportunity. Further information on MRFF and the Stem Cell therapies Missions is available via the Department’s website

In December 2019 the NHMRC released the Guide to Managing and Investigating Potential Breaches of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, 2018.

This Guide supports the implementation of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (the Code), which articulates the broad principles that underpin the responsible conduct of Australian research.

In particular, this Guide is intended to assist institutions and researchers to adhere to the relevant principles of the Code, including:

• Principle 4: ‘Fairness in the treatment of others’ which requires researchers to treat fellow researchers and others involved in the research fairly and with respect
• Principle 7: ‘Accountability for the development, undertaking and reporting of research’
• Principle 8: ‘Promotion of responsible research practices’ which requires researchers to promote and foster a research culture and environment that supports the responsible conduct of research

Click here to view the Guide and other supporting documentation for the Code

Early stage funding for research and practice improvement projects is now open for nursing, midwifery, allied health and health sciences professionals.

The Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office and the Chief Allied Health Office have collaborated in this initiative to offer support for the professions for early stage research and practice improvement projects.

Closing date for applications is COB Monday 17 February 2020.

The following requirements must be met for applications to be considered:

• A funding proposal must be completed by the principal investigator.
• The principal investigator must be an employee of the WA health system.
• The project must align with the WA health system and HSP research priorities.

Submission
Nursing and midwifery funding proposals require endorsement and submission by the Director of Nursing and Midwifery. Nursing and midwifery funding proposals are to be submitted via email to Nursing&MidwiferyFellowships@health.wa.gov.au. The Nursing and Midwifery Research Proposal template is available via email (Nursing&MidwiferyFellowships@health.wa.gov.au)

Allied health and health sciences funding proposals require endorsement and submission by the Director of Allied Health or relevant HSP Executive. Allied health and health sciences funding proposals are to be submitted via email to CHPO@health.wa.gov.au. The Allied Health and Health Sciences Research Proposal template is available via email (CHPO@health.wa.gov.au)