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Noticeboard message 2003
Urgent Research into Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is pleased to announce research funding to produce and evaluate tests to reliably distinguish between SARS and other viral diseases with 'flu-like symptoms' for national use in Australia.
The NHMRC is calling for researchers to develop a research consortium to address the following issues within a three month timeframe:
- Agreed national protocols for culturing the SARS coronavirus
- Validated national protocols for detection of virus by RT-PCR, with positive and negative control materials that are non-infectious
- Validated national protocols for the detection of SARS antibody by ELISA, using non-infectious antigen
- Validated national protocols for detection of SARS antibody by indirect immunofluorescence, using non-infectious target cells
- Other relevant diagnostic tests, if appropriate.
To achieve this the consortium will consult widely with local and overseas experts to ensure that Australia has access to the best and most up-to-date information and to ensure that scientists with new ideas are able to join the consortium.
Members of the research consortium who have expertise of working in a high level containment laboratory will be able to work on live SARS coronavirus, but only within the National High Security Quarantine Laboratory in Victoria. Non-infectious material can be provided for scientists working outside that facility. All members of the consortium will need to comply with all relevant safety standards and ethical guidelines. Please note: the NHMRC reserves the right to broker collaborations to conduct the proposed research.
Total one-off discretionary funding of up to $100,000 is available over three months.
A proforma application form can be obtained from the NHMRC Website (see the "hot issues" button) at http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/research/sars.htm. Should you have any queries please contact Professor Judy Black (02) 9351 6121 on matters of content and Mr David Clarkson on (02) 6289 9507 for administrative matters. Applications should have been received no later than 5pm on Wednesday 14 May 2003.