In November 2017, Flinders began an exciting journey to modernise its digital research information management environment, to meet research objectives outlined in Making a Difference: The 2025 Agenda. 

We’re proud to announce that the first leg of this journey is now complete!  

The initial stage of our new ResearchNow system is now released. The release enables researchers to manage and professionally present their profiles and publication track record, and showcase research collaborations both local and globally.

To celebrate this major milestone, ResearchNow will be formally launched at an event on Monday 12 August 2019. The event will open with short presentations from Professor Robert Saint, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Gerry Redmond, Dean (Research) and Jodieann Dawe, Director, Research Development and Support. You will have an opportunity to ask questions, see ResearchNow in action, and network with colleagues from across the University.  

Researchers - if you would like a fresh new photo for your online profile, a professional photographer will be available. 

If you’d like to attend the event, register via the Flinders events page. Light refreshments, coffee and tea will be served. 

As of 5 August, researchers can access and start working with ResearchNow.

Access: To enter data and administer your research outputs and researcher profile you can enter the system via your Okta dashboard – look for and select “ResearchNow”.

Get training: During August, one-hour hands-on workshops will focus on how to access and use ResearchNow, make the most of the system’s capabilities, and access support. Training has been designed for researchers and for research support staff. Enrolment for training is now open in iEnrol - Research.

Learn more: Researchers participating in the ResearchNow pilot have reported that ResearchNow is easy to use. To enhance your experience, you can read more about ResearchNow and access support materials available at the ResearchNow help area on the Staff portal.

Get support: Submit a Service One request, or ask your local RDS College Support person.

Next step: The ResearchNow Portal, which is the public facing web page showing all researchers’ profiles, can be found at http://researchnow.flinders.edu.au. It will be made publicly available later, but for now it is accessible from within Flinders.

ienrol research lists all training and development opportunities related to developing skills core to the research process and doing research at Flinders University. You can book to attend workshops, information sessions, and/or seminars that aim to facilitate the ongoing development of all researchers.

This regular posting in Inspiring Research will update you as to what’s on offer in the coming weeks, listing current opportunities that you can participate in and book into now.

Click on the links below to view the course details.

ResearchNow - Researcher Training, Friday, 9 August 2019

Animal Ethics Group Workshop, Friday, 9 August 2019

Research environment and capability statement, Monday 12 August 2019

ResearchNow - Researcher Training, Tuesday, 13 August 2019

Drop-In Sessions: ARC grants, Tuesday, 13 August 2019

Drop-In Sessions: NHMRC and Health grants, Wednesday, 14 August 2019

Grants Budgets - NHMRC, Wednesday, 14 August 2019

ResearchNow - Researcher Training, Thursday, 15 August 2019

Grants Budgets - ARC, Thursday, 15 August 2019

Drop-In Sessions: Social and Behavioural Research Ethics, Friday 16 August 2019

ARC Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence - How to write your ROPE, Tuesday, 20 August 2019

Drop-In Sessions: Industry, Government, International & Internal grants, Tuesday 20 August 2019

NHMRC: programs, timelines and strategies, Wednesday, 21 August 2019

ResearchNow - Researcher Training, Wednesday, 21 August 2019

Drop-In Sessions: ARC grants, Wednesday, 21 August 2019

Drop-In Sessions: NHMRC and Health grants, Wednesday 21 August 2019

Further courses scheduled for later in the month and beyond are available at ienrol research.

Research Australia has provided feedback to their member organisations from the first round of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Frontiers Program and is seeking feedback on what adjustments/what could be explained more clearly in the guidelines for the next round, due to open in October.

Nadia Levin, CEO and Managing Director of Research Australia is Co-Chair of the MRFF Frontiers Program Assessment Panel and keen to hear input from the research community.

The first round of Frontiers applications highlighted to the Panel that there were differing expectations about what the Program is and what it will deliver. This was evident in the applications themselves and also in subsequent reactions from the Research Australia members in the research community.

While the successful applicants for Round 1 were quite different from each other, they had several things in common and there are already some lessons learned that will inform the process for the next round:

• Proposals need to clearly define the problem they are seeking to address and articulate the solution. Frontiers is about big ideas, but there also needs to a genuine need and a clear and deliverable goal.
• While the proposed solution has to be feasible it also needs to be bold and innovative. Frontiers potentially offers ten years of funding, so it is about more than just the next incremental step.
• There needs to be a clear articulation of how the proposal plans to deliver a real outcome. Securing the initial year’s funding is only the first stage; applicants need to be thinking of the long-term right from the start.
• Understanding the global context and the point of differentiation in terms of the approach and/or the technology is critical. Remember, the judging panel has international experts and a proposal that seeks to simply duplicate research happening elsewhere is not likely to impress.
• Track record, the team and governance are all critical. Again, the ultimate goal is to secure up to ten years’ funding. Is the proposed structure sustainable, and can it accommodate change and expansion over time as the project progresses towards the outcome?

As a previous or potential new applicant, Nadia Levin is happy to receive feedback on specific ideas on how the guidelines could be improved. She can be contacted directly via email - nadia.levin@researchaustralia.org.

Researchers are now able to nominate themselves to be considered for appointment to NHMRC expert review panels.

Self-nominations must be entered in RGMS by Wednesday 28 August 2019. 

Nominations are now open for:

• Investigator Grants
• Development Grants
• Ideas Grants
• Centres of Research Excellence
• Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grants
• Partnership Projects
• MRFF Clinical Trials Activity (RCRDUN and ICTC)
• MRFF Targeted Health System and Community Organisation Research
• Postgraduate Scholarships

A guide to aid researchers in determining the most appropriate funding programs to which they might contribute their expertise and experience is available on NHMRC's website.

Instructions on how to nominate within RGMS are contained in the RGMS User Guide – Assessment Processes.

Even if not intending to self-nominate, NHMRC encourages all researchers to use this opportunity to ensure their RGMS Profile and CV are up to date.

The Academy invites applications from Australian researchers for the Australia–India Strategic Research Early- and Mid-Career (EMCR) Fellowships 2020.

These EMCR fellowships provide financial support of up to A$16,500 for Australian researchers to travel to India and work with leading researchers at major Indian science and technology organisations for a period of between 1 and 3 months. Applicants should propose a collaborative research project or a specific activity that has been developed in consultation with the host organisation(s) in India.

Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents and have between 3 and 10 years of research experience since the award of the PhD degree or equivalent, with the degree having been conferred no more than 15 years prior at the time of submitting the grant application.

Researchers in any field of the natural sciences (basic and applied), engineering science, mathematics, statistics and health are eligible to apply.

Applicants engaged in multidisciplinary research are invited to apply but should note that proposals for research solely in the humanities, social or behavioural sciences are not eligible.

Deadline for applications is 9 am (AEDT) Wednesday 9 October 2019. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 25 September 2019. For application advice and assistance, contact Mary Lyons, Senior Research Grants Officer (IGII).

For more information, including the online application form, visit the Australian Academy of Science website.

BrightFocus Foundation has issued an RFP for grant funding in Alzheimer's Disease Research with a deadline of 4 November, 2019. 

BrightFocus provides research funds for U.S. domestic as well as international researchers pursuing pioneering research leading to greater understanding, prevention, and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Typically these awards are made to early stage investigators, or to more established investigators who are proposing particularly innovative research. 

Full proposal deadline: 4 November 2019, 5:00 PM EST. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft is 21 October 2019.

Amount: $100,000 per year

Award duration: Standard Awards can be up to 3 years. Fellowship Awards can be up to 2 years.

Eligibility: All scientists working at non-profit and government laboratories are eligible to apply for a Standard Award. Fellowships are limited to researchers within 5 years of doctoral degree conferral (or end of residency).

The full announcement may be viewed at https://www.brightfocus.org/ADR-RFP. 

For application advice and assistance, contact Gareth Rees, Senior Research Grants Officer (NHMRC and Health).

The Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) is providing a day of information sharing and networking in Adelaide for Early Career Researchers (ECR).

On 30 August 2019, ECRs will have the opportunity to meet representatives and academics from the sector, explore current issues, participate in discussions around best practice related to research outcomes, and foster collaboration, here in Adelaide.

The Empowering Early Career Researchers will be held at the City West Campus of UniSA from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.

The program will include sessions on careers and employment, applying for research funding, and publishing research, and an interactive session on establishing a digital profile as a researcher.

Speakers include:

• Professor Joanne Tompkins, Australian Research Council
• Professor Matt Fitzpatrick, Flinders University
• Dr Tseen Khoo, Research Whisperer and La Trobe University
• Jonathan O'Donnell, Research Whisperer and The University of Melbourne
• Professor Alex Reilly, The University of Adelaide
• Vilija Stephens, Routledge/Taylor & Francis
• Associate Professor Anna Sullivan, University of South Australia
  

More details are available on the EventBrite page - chassecradelaide2019.eventbrite.com.au.

Registration costs $50 pp (+GST) and includes lunch and afternoon tea.

Established in 2004, CHASS promotes and provides advocacy services for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences in Australia. Supporting more than 75 member organisations in their relationships with policy makers and the broader community, CHASS is an important network for knowledge and skills, and serves as a coordinating forum for teachers, researchers, professionals, practitioners and policy makers in the sector. It provides a strong voice to the sector and helps members to contribute to public debate through programs for knowledge exchange and media awareness

The 2020 call for new members to join the Global Young Academy (GYA) in 2020 is now open.

Applications from young, independent scholars who combine the highest level of research excellence with a demonstrated passion for delivering impact are welcome. The call is open to all scholars working in any research-based discipline, including the sciences, medicine, engineering, social sciences, the arts and humanities.

The GYA gives a voice to young scientists around the world. To realise their vision, they develop, connect, and mobilise young talent from six continents. Moreover, they empower young researchers to lead international, interdisciplinary, and inter-generational dialogue with the goal to make global decision making evidence-based and inclusive.

Visit the application page for more information.

Applications close 15 September 2019. Please inform Dr Marina Delpin, Manager: Researcher Training, Development and Communication, of your intention to apply.

The GYA is a global organisation that places a high value on its diversity. They encourage applications from all qualified candidates. Applications from women, minority groups, researchers in the social sciences, arts and humanities, and scholars working in government, industry, and non-governmental sectors are particularly welcome.

The Clunies Ross Awards have a proud 28-year tradition of recognising contributions by dedicated individuals who have shared their vision and knowledge with others to apply technology for the benefit of Australia.

The Awards provide a great opportunity for Flinders University to showcase, and be recognised for, its research-industry engagement and commercialisation impact.

The Clunies Ross Awards will be awarded in three categories, with a single winner in each category:

• Entrepreneur of the Year award - open to an individual winner only
• Knowledge Commercialisation award - open to an individual or a small team (normally up to 3 people)
• Innovation award - open to an individual or a small team (normally up to 3 people)

For more information the Clunies Ross Award Online Nomination Portal Information and Nomination Guidelines are available at www.applied.org.au/programs-and-awards/clunies-ross-awards/. Any additional queries please contact the Clunies Ross Awards coordinator via email clunies.ross@applied.org.au

Nominations close by 9.00pm AEDT Friday 25 October 2019. The Flinders internal closing date is 11 October 2019 for a completed final draft application. If you are interested in applying, please contact Dr Marina Delpin, Manager: Researcher Training, Development and Communication.

The Australian Academy of Science has launched a new resource for your gender equity toolkit—STEM Women. This online directory of women in Australia working in STEM aims to promote gender equity by showcasing the breadth of STEM talent in Australia - stemwomen.org.au.

STEM Women enables a diverse range of women to be offered exciting opportunities to progress their careers and personal capabilities such as conference and speaker invitations, committee and board requests and award nominations.

STEM Women is a resource built for both experts and seekers.

Expert profile creation is quick through social media login and a streamlined sign up process. It provides integration with CSIRO|Data61 Expert Connect and allows an expert’s research and media activity to be updated in real time, removing the burden to continuously update individual profiles. Create a profile on stemwomen.org.au.

Seekers can search for experts based on expertise, location, interested opportunities and other diversity attributes. Experts can be shortlisted throughout the search process and messaged directly through STEM Women. To see the current list of experts available to seekers, visit stemwomen.org.au. 

STEM Women is a platform developed to increase the representation of all women at all stages of their STEM career, whether in academia or industry. For details on how to share STEM Women through your own network, contact hello@stemwomen.org.au or download the promotional kit.

It was developed in partnership with CSIRO, Science & Technology Australia and the Australian Science Media Centre, with financial support from the Australian Government.

The Australian Society for Medical Researchers (ASMR) invites mid-career researcher (MCR) members to apply for the ASMR Peter Doherty Leading Light Award.

This award seeks to recognise the outstanding work of MCRs (5 – 12 year post-doctoral) in Australia.

Assessment is based on the impact of a single piece of work, including advances in knowledge, improvements in clinical practice or broader policy changes. Applications are open to researchers from all fields of health and medical research.

The award is named in recognition of Nobel Laureate Professor Peter Doherty’s career achievements, scientific accomplishments, and ongoing support and mentoring of Australia’s next generation of researchers. Professor Doherty was the inaugural 1998 ASMR Medallist and continues to inspire the research community through his science advocacy.

Self-nominations and institute-led nominations are welcome. MCRs need to be current ASMR Members at time of Application. Applications close Friday 27 September 2019. The Flinders internal closing date is 13 September 2019. Please contact Dr Marina Delpin, Manager: Researcher Training, Development and Communications, if you are applying.

For any further information on the award, visit the ASMR website.

Flinders University Visiting International Research Fellowships are now open, due 31 October 2019.

These fellowships aim to support engagement with high-performing international collaborators. 

Flinders University provides matching funds to Colleges to attract a visiting international researcher to initiate or extend collaborative research and contribute to the development of researchers and students at Flinders University.

The visitor, who can be at any stage of their career, must have a strong research record in an area of research strength at Flinders or of strategic importance to Flinders research development.

The duration of fellowship is a minimum of 3 weeks and a maximum of 12 weeks and awards would typically be $5,000 to $15,000. Up to three fellowships will be offered each year on a co-investment basis with the host College.

The application form can be accessed at the internal schemes webpage and submitted to dvc-research@flinders.edu.au by 31 October 2019. 

Partnership Projects will support connections, within the Australian context, that translate research evidence into health policy and health practice, to improve health services and processes.

Partnership Projects answer a specific research question to influence health and well-being through changes in the delivery, organisation, funding and access to health services.

Minimum data due date is 20 November 2019, and applications close on 4 December 2019. The RDS deadline for compliance review is 20 November 2019. For application advice and assistance, contact the NHMRC team at Flinders on nhmrc@flinders.edu.au.

The objectives of the scheme are to:

• meet the need for a more effective integration of research evidence into health policy and service delivery
• create partnerships among policy makers, managers, service providers and researchers
• provide support to answer often complex and difficult questions that policy makers, managers and service providers face when making decisions and implementing policies that affect Australians’ health and health care 
• be highly responsive to the priorities of government, the community and health professionals
• enable applicants to apply for funding at any time during the year to allow researchers and partner organisations to develop timely collaborations

Applicants should note the following changes to the Partnership Projects 2019 Guidelines:

• Additional funding may be available to support research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with mental health issues through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Million Minds Mission.
• The Partnership Projects 2019 Guidelines incorporates documents previously referred to as the NHMRC Funding Rules and the Partnership Projects scheme-specific Funding Rules.

Applicants to Partnership Projects 2019 may also select from the following funding opportunity from the Department of Health - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Obesity Prevention Research Special Initiative. 

This Special Initiative will support collaboration between policy makers, program managers, service providers and researchers with experience or interest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and provides the opportunity for community organisations that are contributing to health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People to develop a relationship with a researcher, to strengthen the evidence in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and obesity research. 

Successful applications will design and conduct research to augment evidence for prevention and appropriate responses to FASD and Obesity Prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and families. Grants awarded under the Special Initiative will focus on integrating research evidence into health policy and health practice to improve health services and processes in key gaps identified in FASD or obesity research within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

For more information, visit the Partnership Projects page on the NHMRC website.

The Rebecca L Cooper Medical Research Foundation invites applications for 2020 Project Grants from 2 August 2019.

Project Grants aim to enable early-career researchers (3-10 years post-doctoral) conducting high quality research to take ownership of a discreet research project. The intention behind this funding scheme is to provide a stepping stone to independence for up-and-coming researchers.

The award will provide $50,000 per year for two years, commencing in 2020. Funding cannot be used to fund salary, salary-related on-costs, or institutional infrastructure/levies.

The external closing date for applications is 5pm AEST, 30 August 2019. The Flinders internal closing date for a final completed draft application is 16 August 2019. For application advice and assistance, contact Gareth Rees, Senior Research Grants Officer (NHMRC and Health).

Please refer to the Project Grant Application Guidelines 2020 for more information about eligibility and application requirements.  

Below is a list of eligible areas of medical research:

• Brain Sciences: Psychiatry or Neurology (excluding Dementias)
• Dermatology (excluding Skin Cancer)
• Endocrinology (excluding Diabetes)
• Geriatrics (excluding Dementias)
• Lung Disease (other than Cancer) 
• Rheumatology
• Vision Sciences

For more information, visit the Rebecca L Cooper Medical Research Foundation website.

QueersInScience and the Australian Academy of Science are inviting people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and work in science, technology, engineering, mathematics or medicine (STEMM) fields to submit an expression of interest to join the steering committee of the national QueersInScience network.

This is an opportunity for individuals who are passionate about advocating for the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people within STEMM organisations in their state or territory, and across Australia.

The selected members of the steering committee will work to define the direction and goals for the network before it launches.

Help create a national QueersInScience network that is diverse, representative and meaningful for members of the LGBTQIA+ community working in STEMM. Get involved by submitting your expression of interest and sharing this opportunity through your networks.

Expressions of interest close 18 August 2019. Please inform Dr Marina Delpin, Manager: Researcher Training, Development and Communication, of your intention to apply.

For more information, visit the Australian Academy of Science website.

Are you a new staff member, honour or postgraduate student who will be working with animals in teaching or research?

Flinders University invites you to participate in an Animal Ethics Group Workshop.

This session will cover:

• Animal ethics
• Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) operating procedures and terms of reference
• ANZCCART
• Register for projects not requiring animal ethics guidelines
• Common scenarios
• Ethics application trouble shooting

You will learn about the workings of the AWC, how to fill in an application form and if to identify if your project requires full ethics approval or listing on the 'register'.

The workshop will be held on Friday 9 August 2019 from 10.00 am (with registration from 9.45 am) in Rooms 3.06-3.09 in the Health Sciences Lecture Theatre Complex. Register at ienrol-Research to attend.

Are you looking for opportunities to further develop your skills and create a support network to help you build a successful career in science?

The Mentoring and guidance in careers workshop (MAGIC 2019) is an opportunity to explore the many facets of forging a career in academic, government or industry settings, and to discuss how to create building blocks for success and resilience. Selected attendees will be fully supported to attend the program.

Participation is limited to at most 50 early career researchers who will have the opportunity to develop a variety of skills; and to create a support network that will allow them to forge a successful career in science.

Applications are open and will close midnight 16 August 2019. Please inform Dr Marina Delpin, Manager: Researcher Training, Development and Communication, of your intention to apply.

The MAGIC program involves actively interacting with your fellow participants and seeking potential collaborations. Applicants should have an ongoing commitment to making a positive contribution not only to their research but also to the broader scientific community.

To be eligible to attend MAGIC you should:

• be an early career researcher 0-7 years post PhD (excluding career interruptions)
• be female or of diverse gender identity
• have a PhD in chemistry or mathematical or physical sciences (i.e. the disciplines of chemistry, mathematics, physics and cognate disciplines)
• currently be based in Australia

Details of how to apply are on the website: http://wp.maths.usyd.edu.au/MAGIC/

The 2019 workshop, to be held at ANU House, Canberra, 18-22 November 2019, is organised by Professors Michelle Coote (ANU), Mahananda Dasgupta (ANU) and Nalini Joshi (The University of Sydney). The organising committee includes Dr Merryn McKinnon from the Australian National Centre for Public Awareness of Science, ANU.

MAGIC2019 is supported by funding from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Future LowEnergy Electronics Technologies (FLEET), the Australian National University, the Australian Research Council, the Payne-Scott initiative of The University of Sydney, The University of Melbourne, The University of Queensland, and The University of Sydney.

Please any direct questions to mentoring.guidance.careers@gmail.com.

The Commonwealth Fund is pleased to invite applications from Australia for the 2019-2020 Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice.

The Harkness Fellowships provide a unique opportunity for mid-career professionals—academic researchers, government policymakers, clinicians, managers, and journalists—from Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, to spend up to 12 months in the United States conducting a policy-oriented research study, working with leading U.S. health policy experts, and gaining an in-depth knowledge of the U.S., Australian, Canadian, Dutch, German, New Zealand, and U.K. health care systems.

Applicants must demonstrate a strong interest in health policy issues and propose a study within the scope of The Commonwealth Fund’s principal areas of focus:

• health care system performance—including access to care and insurance coverage, quality and patient safety, efficiency, and equity;
• quality of care for vulnerable populations, e.g., low income families, children, the elderly, and minorities; and
• patient-centered primary care.

The deadline for applications from Australia is Monday 7 October 2019. The Flinders internal closing date is 23 September 2019 for a completed final draft application. For application advice and assistance, contact Amanda Wright, Research Grants Officer (NHMRC and Health).

Each fellowship will provide up to US$130,000 in support, which covers round-trip airfare to the United States, a living allowance, project-related travel, travel to fellowship seminars, health insurance, and U.S. federal and state taxes. A family supplement (i.e., approximately $60,000 for a partner and two children up to age 18) is also provided to cover airfare, living allowance, and health insurance.

For application materials, eligibility criteria, and more information about the Harkness Fellowships, please visit www.commonwealthfund.org/fellowships.

The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program supports industry-led collaborations between industry, researchers and the community. In its 28-year history, it has proven to be an effective model for linking researchers with industry to address R&D challenges with commercial outcomes.

Bidding for a CRC is a highly competitive process requiring cross-disciplinary teams to come together and collaborate. This takes planning, time and patience. Developed by the CRC Association and Collabforge, this workshop (two half-days - 29 - 30 August 2019) will combine practical bid-creation content with a deep dive into the theory and practice of collaboration.

The workshop will teach participants what makes a great bid, what the process of bid development entails, the roles of all bid participants, and how to build effective relationship/communication between researchers and industry to develop a compelling bid. Participants will be provided with the opportunity to develop their ideas in conjunction with guidance materials and feedback, finishing with substantive parts of their bid concepts being fleshed out (these can be hypothetical CRCs, bids planned for submission, or even ARC Linkage type concepts).

Attending this workshop will significantly increase the likelihood of a successful CRC or CRC-P application.

Who should attend:

• Researchers who have the responsibility for or interest to develop CRC and CRC-P bids.
• Administrators who have the responsibility for helping coordinate, develop, approve and or administer CRC and CRC-P bids (eg from Commercialisation, Research, Scholarships, etc)
• Interested industry representatives

For more information and to register for the workshop, visit the eventbrite page.

Flinders University is a member of the CRC Association. Interested attendees are to contact Jordan Gardner, Engagement and Policy Manager at the CRC Association, on 02 6260 4177 or at Jordan.Gardner@crca.asn.au for the discount code before registering for the workshop. 

The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation has identified the need to understand how diet affects IBD, particularly at the individual patient level, as a critical gap in the understanding and management of IBD, and as an area of opportunity to make a significant impact on the quality of life of patients.

The long-term goal of the Precision Nutrition initiative is to be able to answer the IBD patient’s key question, "what should I eat," based on the patient’s personal response to different foods, so that diets can be tailored to the individual clinical, biological and lifestyle characteristics of the patient. This Request for Proposal (RFP) aims to address this key question.

Scope

P​​​​​​roposals submitted to this RFP should focus on one or both of the following approaches to advance the emerging field of precision nutrition in IBD:   

1. Patient-based prospective studies to identify signatures and/or mechanisms of response to food in IBD patients and their correlation with disease outcomes.  These studies will integrate one or more ‘omics’ derived data together with physical activity, food/food component(s) challenge, and clinical outcomes, in order to identify and measure the response of patients to different beneficial or deleterious food/food component(s) exposures.  
2. Preclinical model-based studies to identify signatures and/or mechanisms of response to food and their correlation to IBD pathophysiological readouts. Preclinical studies utilising state of the art humanised in vitro and/or in vivo IBD models will identify biological responses to food/food component(s) challenge and their mechanisms of action (MoA); by integrating humanised model-derived ‘omics’  data related to food/food component(s) challenge and their correlation with  relevant IBD pathophysiological readouts. 

Multidisciplinary proposals that incorporate both approaches, patient-based prospective studies and preclinical MoA studies, are highly encouraged.   

It is expected that at the end of the funding period, these studies will provide significant advances to inform future evidence-based design of precision nutrition interventional clinical trials.

Funding Terms

Option 1 – Individual agreement

The Foundation will grant 3 independent awards for 3 years with a maximum budget of USD $320,000 per year/per project, inclusive of all direct and indirect expenses.  The proposal can be submitted by a multicentre consortium or by an individual research group. 

Option 2 – Collaboration agreement

To leverage the expertise and resources of the multidisciplinary research teams, and to maximise the use of the funds, the Foundation may select several complementary studies, among the selected investigators and negotiate a collaboration agreement. In this case, a 1 year funding of USD $160,000  will be allocated for a pilot study, integrating the complementary study arms, to provide the grounds for a revised harmonised multi-centre proposal, for additional three-year period with a budget of up to USD $900,000 per year, inclusive of all direct and indirect expenses.  

Progress Oversight: The Foundation will follow the progress of the individual or collaborative projects through oversight meetings to ensure harmonisation of research efforts, effective funding utilisation, and successful achievement of milestones.

Application Process

Key Dates

Letter of Intent (LOI) submission deadline is 3 September 2019. The Flinders internal closing date for the draft completed LOI is 20 August 2019. The invitation to submit full proposal will be 13 September 2019, and the full proposal submission deadline is 14 October 2019. For application advice and assistance, contact Amanda Wright, Research Grants Officer (NHMRC and Health).

Before submitting a LOI or a Full Proposal, please read the RFP's guidelines and policies. All submissions should be done via proposalCENTRAL (https://proposalcentral.altum.com). Please refer to Appendices A and B of the RFP guidelines for detailed instructions for electronic submission.

The program is made possible through a generous donation from Jonathan D. Rose, MD, PhD, Chair, Intestinal Pathology Research Program.