Nominations are open for the 2020 SA Tall Poppies awards and will now close on 30 April 2020. The Flinders internal closing date is 27 April 2020. For application advice and assistance, contact Dr Marina Delpin, Manager, Research Training, Development and Communication, as soon as possible. Marina can link you in with past winners for coaching and mentoring.

The Tall Poppies Award promote science and intellectual achievement and give a voice to younger scientific researchers in public debate. Nominations are sought from early to mid career researchers who have completed their PhD within three – ten years at time of nomination. Selection criteria, eligibility criteria and nomination forms are now available.

The 2020 awards are open to residents of South Australia working in all fields of science, including biomedical, engineering, mathematics, technology and other applied or cross disciplinary sciences. Applicants from the social/behavioural sciences will be considered if their research demonstrates significant scientific, analytical rigour.

Nominees should hold a PhD and have completed their PhD within three to ten years of the nomination closing date. The selection committee will consider exceptions based on evidence of equivalent experience in industry, and will take into account personal or extenuating circumstances that might provide grounds for consideration outside the above criteria. Awardees receive media opportunities, public exposure, and personal development including training and networking.

The rapidly evolving measures put in place to respond to the spread of cases of COVID-19 infection worldwide are impacting on Flinders research activities and planning. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) (DVCR) has provided, below, information and advice on a range of research issues arising from COVID-19 and the response measures, but wants to assure Flinders’ research community that the objective is to:

• Maintain, as far as is possible, the operation of research facilities.
• Inform researchers about any changes that impact on research, including changes to ethics and compliance obligations.
• Provide as much continuity as possible to existing research programs.

The DVCR is providing research-related information and advice on the following website: https://staff.flinders.edu.au/coronavirus-information.

This information includes changes to regulatory frameworks that govern permits and licenses. In order to ensure that we continue to meet our compliance obligations, all researchers must ensure that you are informed of these matters by reading the research information provided on that site and inform the students you supervise of changes relevant to their research.

The University continues to provide and update general information at the following websites: https://staff.flinders.edu.au/coronavirus-information; https://students.flinders.edu.au/coronavirus-information.

Please continue to look out for one another and follow Health Department advice to minimise the risk of infection:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds, or use hand sanitiser
• Use a tissue or the crook of your arm if you sneeze or cough
• Do not attend work or study if you are unwell

Dr Robert Mun, Executive Director, Australian Research Council (ARC) will be presenting to Flinders research community on 2 April 2020. Dr Mun will present an interactive Zoom webinar to present information and answer your questions related to the newly announced ARC Special Research Initiatives for Australian Society, History and Culture. 

Enrol now, as registrants will receive the Zoom webinar link and instructions on how to post questions in session.

The Special Research Initiative for Australian Society, History and Culture grant opportunity will support excellent research into all aspects of Australian society, history and culture from ancient Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander beginnings to modern-day Australia. Research can be in a range of diverse areas of Australian life including community, institutions, literature, art, music, philosophy, language, media, politics and geography. Up to $12 million in total funding for up to three years, will be available to support research grants with funding between $20,000 and $100,000 per year.

Research funded under this grant opportunity is intended to give a greater understanding about modern Australia, including its origins and the events that have shaped it.

To attend the webinar with Dr Mun, register now via ienrol - research.

The objectives of the grant opportunity are to:

• support excellent research into Australian society, history and culture; and
• build Australian research capacity in this area by supporting researchers of the highest international standing as well as foster high-quality postdoctoral researchers.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are to:

• advance understanding, through the research projects, into the formation, development and standing of Australian society, history and culture; and
• increase research capacity in Australia.

Applications opened on 28 February 2020.

• RDS deadline for a Request Not to Assess is 1 April 2020.
• RDS deadline for compliance and quality review is 23 March 2020.
• RDS deadline for letter of support / statement by Flinders and co-investment form (if applicable) is 6 April 2020.
• RDS deadline for submission of final application in RMS to RDS is 20 April 2020
• Applications close in RMS on 22 April 2020. 

For application advice and support, contact Maya Roberts, Senior Research Grants Officer (ARC).

Grants documentation is available on GrantConnect. Further information is available on the ARC website.

The Medical Research Future Fund has recently announced grant schemes covering a number of research areas under the strategies and priorities of the fund. 

Details of the current opportunities, application agency and corresponding closing dates are found below. 

If you are interested in applying for any of the above opportunities, please contact the NHMRC and Health Research Grants team in the very first instance to discuss your application and internal deadlines.

Currently Open Schemes with applications to be lodged through the Business.gov.au grant application portal are:

Frontier Health and Medical Research – Closing 26 March 2020

• Frontier Health and Medical Research Program Stage One - Research Plan

Forecast Opportunities with applications to be lodged through the Business.gov.au grant application portal are:

Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative – Opening 3 April 2020, closing 20 April 2020

• 2020 Targeted Translation Research Accelerator

Grant Documents for each of the above schemes can be found through GrantConnect. If you are interested in applying for any of the above opportunities, please contact the NHMRC and Health Research Grants team in the very first instance to discuss your application and internal deadlines.

With Moonshot Research and Development, the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) is driving high risk, high impact R&D towards ambitious and attractive targets (Moonshot goals) to solve issues facing future society. The Moonshot Research and Development program is based on R&D concepts set by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to achieve their goals.

The Japanese Cabinet Office launched the Moonshot Research and Development Program to stimulate disruptive innovation in Japan, implementing challenging R&D based on ideas that are not just extensions of conventional technology. Australian universities and researchers are eligible to apply.

Broadly, seeking proposals that address one of the following; 

Moonshot Goal 1 Realisation of a society in which human beings can be free from limitations of body, brain, space, and time by 2050. 

Moonshot Goal 2 Realisation of ultra-early disease prediction and intervention by 2050. 

Moonshot Goal 3 Realisation of AI robots that autonomously learn, adapt to their environment, evolve in intelligence and act alongside human beings, by 2050. 

Moonshot Goal 6 Realisation of a fault-tolerant universal quantum computer that will revolutionise economy, industry, and security by 2050.

Moonshot Goal 4 is administered by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) - Realisation of sustainable resource circulation to recover the global environment by 2050. This Goal must have a Japanese-based collaborator. A non-Japanese company or university/research institution wishing to submit a proposal is requested to do so in collaboration with a Japanese company or university/research institution. In addition, the representative organisation must be a Japanese company or university/research institution, and the candidate for project manager must be affiliated with the representative organisation.

Moonshot Goal 5 is administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries - Creation of the Industry That Enables Sustainable Global Food Supply by Exploiting Unused Biological Resources by 2050. A program director will be separately invited from the Center for Research on Specified Industrial Technology for Biological Sciences. 

Submission for JST and NEDO administered applications is via e-rad management system. It may take several days to complete e-Rad registration, so please allow at least two weeks to complete the process.

For more information, including the guidelines and recordings of recent explanatory presentations on the JST administered goals, visit the JST Moonshot website. For information on the NEDO administered goal, visit the NEDO website.

The application deadline for JST administered goals is 12 May 2020 at 12:00 noon, Japan Standard Time. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 28 April 2020.

The application deadline for Goal 4 (NEDO) is 20 April 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 6 April 2020.

For application advice and assistance, contact Dr Sarah Jay, Research Grants Officer (IGII).

The free mini-course, "Inspiring Change" from the Center for Implementation provides easy-to-follow guidance on how to use best practices from implementation science to improve outcomes. 

Implementation science looks at how to move ideas and innovations into action. It can help you break down the process of explaining and enacting change into steps that are evidence-based and focused on ensuring you achieve the desired outcome.

Implementation science offers evidence-based techniques that will help you reduce barriers and friction when enacting change.

This mini-course aims to help you:

• Understand what evidence-based implementation is and how to proactively plan for change.
• Discover how process models, theories, and frameworks can be the backbone of your change plan.
• Be inspired to use behaviour change theory.
• Be more purposeful with your time, by addressing high-priority areas and anticipating resistance to change.
• Learn simple tips and tricks that can set you up for success.

Who can benefit from taking the mini-course?

• Those who are new to implementation science
• Professionals in quality improvement and change or project management who want to add implementation science techniques to their skill set
• Those who want to better understand how to successfully create change in their workplace or community
• Anyone who wants to see how implementation science can improve outcomes

The course is only offered twice a year. Enrolments close on 18 May 2020 and participants have until 30 June 2020 to complete the course. Participants typically complete the videos and activities in approximately 1.5 hours. 

For more information and to enrol in the course, visit the Center for Implementation website.

The 2020 Ramaciotti Awards are now open for applications.

This year, the Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence in Biomedical Research and the Ramaciotti Health Investment Grants are available.

Applications close 5 PM, 29 May 2020 for both the Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence in Biomedical Research and the Ramaciotti Health Investment Grants. If you are intending to apply for a Ramaciotti Health Investment Grants, contact Gareth Rees by 6 April 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application for both of these is 15 May 2020.

For advice and more detail on the Ramaciotti Medal, contact Dr Marina Delpin, and for advice and more details on the Health Investment grants contact Gareth Rees.

The Clive & Vera Ramaciotti Foundations are collectively one of the largest contributors to biomedical research in Australia having granted over $57 million to research projects since 1970. Vera Ramaciotti, OBE, established the Foundations to give substantial support to biomedical research – an interest shared by Vera and her brother Clive. The Ramaciotti Foundations continue to support biomedical research and each year make significant distributions via the Ramaciotti Awards.

Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence in Biomedical Research Medal and $50,000 Grant

The Medal honours an individual who has made an outstanding discovery (or discoveries) in clinical or experimental biomedical research that has had an important impact on biomedical science, clinical science, or the way in which healthcare is delivered.

To be eligible for the Ramaciotti Medal, the greater part of the nominee's work leading to the discovery (or discoveries) must have been conducted in Australia and they must still be actively engaged in this work.

The applicant must be peer nominated and the final recipient is selected based on a recommendation by the Ramaciotti Foundations Scientific Advisory Committee to Perpetual. Many past winners are highly regarded individuals in the top echelon of the biomedical research industry.

The person nominating should make a submission which includes the following:

• A citation (not more than three pages) outlining the background to and consequences of the nominee’s discovery (or discoveries) and their recent scientific achievements.
• Brief curriculum vitae of the nominee and a list of selected publications (not more than two pages per item). Submissions must be received in Research Development and Support by 15 May 2020 to Dr Marina Delpin. The Medal recipient will be notified in September.

Ramaciotti Health Investment Grants

Grants of up to $150,000 - These Grants are awarded to individuals in universities, public hospitals or institutes for a contribution towards the undertaking of health or medical research with a potential path to clinical application within five years. A Health Investment Grant is intended to provide enabling research support for an autonomous early career investigator who is taking or has recently taken a substantive position. It is expected that up to five grants will be awarded in 2019.

Flinders is able to submit one application per department, up to a maximum of three applications overall. If you are intending to apply, contact Gareth Rees by 6 April 2020.

A Health Investment Grant is subject to the host institution providing a matching grant of the amount requested and raising the balance (if any) of the full cost of the proposed project. The matching grant must be cash for cash (not in-kind) but can include the salaries of project personnel (excluding the salary of the Chief Investigator).

The Heart Foundation Health Postdoctoral Fellowships are now open.

Postdoctoral Fellows are early-career cardiovascular health researchers, developing research skills and independence. This fellowship is the first step in fostering tomorrows research leaders, developing the sustainability of cardiovascular research in Australia.

Fellows must be in their first three years post awarding of their PhD on the application closing date and be involved in any area of cardiovascular health research including biomedical, clinical, public health and health service delivery. 

Applications open on 16 March 2020 and close on 15 May 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 1 May 2020.

For advice and application assistance on the Health Professional Scholarship, contact Gareth Rees, Senior Research Grants Officer (NHMRC and Health), Research Development and Support.

For more information, visit the Heart Foundation website.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recognises that the Coronavirus Alert may be affecting many members of the Australian research community, including their current grant holders. If a grant holder’s circumstances have changed - for example, there has been a delay in Research Activity because of involvement in the clinical or public health response – the Administering Institution’s Research Administration Officers (RAO) can submit variation requests.

The NHMRC are advising that the grant holder is to work with their RAOs as their first point of contact for all grant administration matters. Variation requests are to be certified and submitted by the Administering Institution’s RAO.

Variations that may be relevant due to the impact of COVID-19 include:

• Deferral of commencement date
• Deferral of an in-progress grant and extended leave requests
• Extended end date
• Change to a research plan
• Change to chief investigators.

More details are available on the NHMRC Vary your grant page.

Please contact the Flinder's NHMRC team (RAOs) if you need to discuss any variation.

The Australian Research Council (ARC) released the following network message on 16 March 2020.

It includes details on extensions to submit grants applications and extensions to post-award reporting obligations and variations to current research projects.

"The Australian Research Council (ARC) is aware that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting researchers and research organisations across Australia in a variety of ways, including those involved with current ARC-funded research projects and those preparing ARC grant applications. 

While the ARC is monitoring the situation closely—including taking into account the advice being issued by the Australian Government, and in particular, the Chief Medical Officer—the agency is continuing to administer the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) in accordance with our standard processes to manage grant applications, peer review and post-award activities and has been working with affected Administering Organisations.

Under our standard processes, we offer our support to any administering organisations and their researchers directly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, including:

• Extensions to submit grant applications
  ARC Grant Guidelines allow for late grant applications to be submitted in exceptional circumstances (including natural disasters). In accordance with relevant Grant Guidelines, if administering organisations and their researchers have been directly affected by Coronavirus, Deputy Vice-Chancellors (Research) or equivalent may formally write to the ARC to request an extension due to exceptional circumstances. Noting, extension requests must be submitted in advance of the application deadline and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Extensions to post-award reporting obligations and variations to current research projects
  In relation to mandatory post-award reporting obligations, Research Office Directors can seek extensions to deadlines where the Administering Organisation or their researchers have been directly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Research Office Directors may also seek ARC assistance with post-award project variation approvals where research projects and researchers have been directly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. ARC Grant Agreements allow for post award variations to research projects due to changes in circumstances, including scope changes, personnel changes, suspensions and extensions to end dates. The ARC will consider any post award variation requests submitted by Administering Organisations on a case-by-case basis.

In the first instance, individual researchers are encouraged to contact their Research Office (Research Development and Support at Flinders), if they have any questions or require assistance with ARC grant applications and/or ARC-funded research projects.

We wish all our Administering Organisations and their researchers well during this time."

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has released a suite of resources, including a Toolkit for consumer and community involvement in health and medical research.

The NHMRC encourages researchers, research organisations, consumers and consumer/community health organisations to take advantage of this Toolkit throughout all stage of research, including the planning and preparation of grant applications, conduct of research and the evaluation of outcomes.

The Toolkit complements the Statement on Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research (2016) by providing further detailed information and tools on five individual areas of interest:

• Expectations and Value - Framework for Effective Consumer and Community Engagement in Research
• Measuring Alignment with Consumer and Community Expectations in Research
• Measuring Effectiveness of Consumer and Community Involvement in Research
• Considering Impact of Research from a Consumer and Community Perspective 
• Self-assessment of Consumer and Community Involvement in Research

The NHMRC acknowledges members of the Community and Consumer Advisory Group from the 2015-2018 and 2018-2020 triennia for their leadership and contributions in developing the Toolkit.

These resources are available for download and use from the ‘Download’ section of the NHMRC Consumer and community engagement webpage.

The NHMRC e-ASIA Joint Research Program (e-ASIA JRP) supports Australian participation and collaboration in leading international research. The e-ASIA JRP supports international joint research projects in the East Asia region.

The e-ASIA JRP selects research projects through an open call for proposals. Fields of cooperation are decided among the e-ASIA participating member organisations and funding is for up to three years. Funding of up to $3,000,000 is available.

NHMRC is supporting Australian researchers for the following research topics in the e-ASIA JRP 9th Health Research and Environment calls:

Health Research

• Infectious Diseases
• Mental Health
• Cancer

Environment

• Climate Change Impact on Human Health

Further information on the e-ASIA JRP 9th Health Research and Environment calls is available from the e-ASIA website.

Minimum data must now be entered into Sapphire by 5pm AEST, 29 April 2020. Completed applications must be submitted via Sapphire by 5pm AEST, 21 May 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 7 May 2020. For application advice and assistance, contact Lucy Sheehan-Hennessy, Research Grants Officer (NHMRC and Health).

The common application form must be first submitted to the e-ASIA JRP secretariat by the collaborative project Lead Principal Investigator (PI). The Common Application form is available from the e-ASIA website.

The updated call information and supporting documents can be found via the e-ASIA, GrantConnect and NHMRC websites.

The CRC Association has launched a new podcast - Innovation Thoughts. Hosted by CEO Tony Peacock, each episode sees Tony interview a different expert in science or industry.

Subscribe via your preferred podcast platform to be notified of new episodes, or see them on via the CRC Association social media channels.

There are three episodes currently available:

Episode 1 - Under the covers with Sleeptite

In this inaugural episode, Tony chats to Cameron van den Dungen, CEO of Sleeptite, a Melbourne-based research and manufacturing company that is developing a groundbreaking, non-invasive sleep monitoring system.

Earlier this year, Sleeptite was backed by the government's CRC-P program to the tune of $1.7M, and has partnered with RMIT University, Canadian biometric data specialist Hexoskin, and Melbourne based advanced manufacturer, Sleepeezee to develop this.

Episode 2 - A big break for cancer research

In this episode, Tony talks to Brett Carter, CEO of Cancer Therapeutics CRC, which was recently the centre of some very big news.

Episode 3 - Forging effective collaboration

'Collaboration' is a word that looks good on paper - but how do you actually make it work? In this episode, Dr Tony Peacock puts the question to Dr Mark Elliot, CEO of innovation specialist firm Collabforge.

The Australian Translational Medicinal Chemistry Facility (ATMCF) has an open call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for collaborative medicinal chemistry projects 2020.

Do you require assistance in finding the right biologically active compound for your target or disease of interest? Not sure that you have adequate funding for a medicinal chemistry project? The ATMCF can work with you, and their partners, to discuss shared risk options and/or other funding opportunities for cost leveraging on your project.

The ATMCF is a national drug discovery capability that applies medicinal chemistry expertise to translate biomedical research towards clinical relevance. Facilitated by Therapeutic Innovation Australia (TIA), and based at The Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), Parkville, the ATMCF collaborates with researchers to identify and synthesize bioactive compounds (small molecules) which are fed into medicinal chemistry optimisation against a range of potency, selectivity and pharmacokinetic criteria.

The ATMCF provides Australian researchers with an opportunity to:

• access subsidised medicinal chemistry
• access the Therapeutic Innovation Australia (TIA) Pipeline Accelerator for further cost reductions
• work with a team of medicinal chemists who have a proven track record in drug discovery and commercialisation outcomes

EOI are due 1 May 2020. To access the EOI template, email leanne.hawkey@monash.edu.

Nominations for the 2020 South Australian Science Excellence and Innovation Awards now close 5pm Friday, 22 May 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 13 May 2020. Please contact Dr Marina Delpin, Manager, Researcher Development, Training and Communication, as soon as possible if you are intending to nominate, as institutional endorsement is required.

The 2020 South Australian Science Excellence and Innovation Awards recognise outstanding achievements by leaders and tertiary teachers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine (STEMM).

For HDR applicants, contact the Office of Graduate Research for application advice and assistance. They have a number of resources developed to assist applicants. Please note that nominees for the PhD Research Excellence Award must be Australian citizens, and have had their PhD conferred up to 24 months prior.

Awards will be presented in four categories in 2020:

• Awards for Science Excellence
• South Australian Scientist of the year
• PhD Research Excellence Award

• Award for Excellence in Innovation and Translation
• South Australian Innovator of the Year
• Excellence in Science and Industry Collaboration (previously Excellence in Research Collaboration)
• Awards for Innovation in STEMM Teaching
• STEM Professional Award
• STEM Educator of the Year (split into School Teaching and Tertiary Teaching categories)

The Award for Excellence in Innovation and Translation is new for 2020 and is for exceptional innovators (including researchers and research teams) that are able to demonstrate innovation and translation and how this innovation has delivered a positive impact.

The South Australian Scientist of the Year and new Innovator of the Year category will receive a prize to the value of $25,000 each. Other category winners will receive a prize to the value of $10,000 to use towards their career development.

Award finalists will now be announced in June through the Science Excellence and Innovation Awards website and social media channels.

The gala dinner, originally scheduled for August will now be postponed due to the circumstances and restrictions around COVID-19. Inspiring Research will advise the new gala dinner date, when it is announced.

Winners will be announced at a gala dinner on Friday, 14 August 2020 at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

Why should you nominate?

• Recognition of your (and your teams) achievements by peers and decision makers.
• Finalists receive a compelling video of their journey that is available online for colleagues, peers, and others to access. It can also be used for future endeavours, as a record of your journey.
• Special invitations are extended to winners and finalists, such as invitation to the Prime Minister's Prize for Science Awards night.
• The gala dinner provides an excellent opportunity to network with luminaries such as the Vice-Chancellor's of each SA university, keynote speakers and peers and industry.

For more information, guidelines and to apply, visit scienceawards.sa.gov.au.

In 2020, a register of interest "Diversifying Research Income" will enable Research Development and Support (RDS) to target opportunities to researchers and support and work with those interested in applying for research funding other than ARC, NHMC and MRFF grant income. We invite interested researchers to complete a brief survey by Friday 20 March 2020.

By completing this survey, you are registering your interest to learn, explore and receive information about a broad range of research funding sources.

These may include:

• competitive research funding from local, state or federal government departments and agencies
• research tenders
• business and industry programs
• philanthropic organisation and foundations, other non-government organisations (NGOs)
• international schemes

Diversified research income streams can fund a variety of concurrent research activities and programs ranging from significant tender contracts and major, long-running research projects to smaller scale investments such as funding Honours or postgraduate projects, pilot studies or conference support.

Information from this survey will be used to inform RDS of your specific areas of research focus, expertise and interest and the research funding sources that you are interested in. This will enable the RDS to:

• send targeted emails directly to you to provide timely information on schemes and funding opportunities matched to your discipline, research interest and career stage; and
• invite you to relevant researcher training and development opportunities and information sessions that aim to increase awareness and upskill the research community.

Please note that two registers will run in 2020: 

• This one, "Diversifying research income" (closing 20 March 2020) and
• "ARC and NHMRC grants Intent to Apply" (opening 29 June 2020, closing 29 July 2020)
  

The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) has established an International Fellowship program to support outstanding Australian scientists/clinicians to strengthen their research experience by working in internationally renowned breast cancer research centres outside of Australia.

Please note that there is no scheduled closing date for this scheme. However, applicants should be aware that the Fellowships can commence at any time, and funding is available for one to two years. All applications will be considered at the time of submission.

For Guidelines and further details please see the NBCF grants website. For application advice and assistance, please contact Gareth Rees, Senior Research Grants Officer (NHMRC and Health).