Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
Public consultation now open on draft guidance for the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
NHMRC is seeking public feedback on draft guidance for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as part of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
The updated PFAS fact sheet includes revised health-based guideline values for PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS; a newly established health-based guideline value for PFBS; and information on GenX chemicals. The draft PFAS fact sheet is supported by an NHMRC Statement on PFAS in drinking water.
For further information, visit the NHMRC review of PFAS in Australian Drinking Water webpage.
Submissions on the draft guidance can be made on the public consultation website and will close Friday 22 November 2024.
A person getting a glass of water from the tap.
Nominations now open - 2025 NHMRC Biennial Awards
The NHMRC Biennial Awards celebrate leadership and outstanding contributions to the health and medical research sector.
Each award category recognises a group or an individual who has made a special contribution in an area of importance to NHMRC. These awards have been carefully reviewed and the criteria for each has been updated for 2025, and we are pleased to announce the details.
There are 6 award categories, including a brand new award for 2025:
- Consumer Involvement Award
- Ethics and Integrity Award
- Research Quality Award
- Science to Art Award
- Outstanding Contribution Award*
- Peer Review Excellence Award (NEW)*.
Nominations for the 2025 Biennial Awards are currently open and will close on Friday 31 January 2025 at 17:00 AEDT.
*Nominations for these awards are by invitation only and will be identified by the office of NHMRC.
NHMRC presents: Speaking of Science - Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Professor Belinda Parker
Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, with 9 people losing their lives to the disease every day.
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, NHMRC is hosting co-Head of the Cancer Metastasis and Evolution Program and group leader of the Cancer Metastasis and Personalised Immunotherapy Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Professor Belinda Parker for Speaking of Science.
Professor Parker will discuss her research into breast cancer, focusing on developments in risk prediction and tumour microenvironment interactions as well as precision therapies and translating that into practice. There will be a Q&A session at the end, so we encourage you to attend and ask questions!
The webinar will take place on Tuesday 29 October 2024 from 2:00PM–3:00PM AEDT.
Celebrating Open Access Week 2024: NHMRC Open Access Policy
Did you know that NHMRC’s Open Access Policy requires scholarly publications arising from all research it funds be made immediately freely available and accessible?
Researchers can comply with NHMRC’s Open Access Policy in 2 ways:
- Version of record open access (journal-based open access); or
- Author accepted manuscript open access (repository-based open access).
Not all routes to open access require payment of a fee. NHMRC recommends that authors consider this factor when deciding where to publish their work.
NHMRC supports open access because it works to ensure:
- publicly funded research is available as soon as possible,
- greater impact of the research NHMRC funds,
- knowledge sharing and rapid innovation, and
- advances in human health, both in Australia and globally.
If you’d like to learn more about open access, Open Access Australasia is holding 3 events (October 22 – 24) discussing new approaches and initiatives. For more information, visit Open Access Australasia’s website.
NHMRC signs the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment
NHMRC is committed to supporting and promoting high-quality research that benefits the health of Australians. Responsible research assessment is a crucial part of ensuring that research is conducted with integrity, excellence, and impact.
NHMRC’s Research Quality Strategy and ongoing engagement with the San Franscisco Declaration on Research Assessment are examples in which NHMRC has demonstrated its leadership and commitment to continuous improvement of research assessment.
In continuing to work towards capturing the full value and diversity of research outputs and outcomes, NHMRC has signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment.
Forecast opportunity: Targeted Call for Research on oral health care in Australia 2024
NHMRC is considering opening a grant opportunity in late-2024 that aims to support research into better understanding the apparent gap in the translation and implementation of effective population-level oral health (including health services) interventions.
Oral health must be considered as an integral part of general health and embedded in the primary care setting. The design and implementation of interventions and policy changes based on this research would reduce overall health system demands and costs in the long-term.
Full details of this forecast opportunity are available on GrantConnect. Interested parties can watch the forecast opportunity (by clicking the star icon) to be alerted via email of any updates to the notice, including publication of grant guidelines.
Please contact the Research Help Centre for further information.
Invitation for public submissions: The Australian and New Zealand Living Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Mangement
The Stroke Foundation is seeking NHMRC approval under section 14A of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992 for its Australian and New Zealand Living Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management.
Consultation on new and updated draft living recommendations is now open until Wednesday 20 November 2024 at 17:00 AEDT.
The draft living recommendations include:
- New weak recommendation for lobar intracerebral haemorrhage and excluded intracerebral haemorrhage from existing recommendation. Updated consensus-based recommendation to include hemicraniectomy.
- Recommendation updated to include direct oral anticoagulant treatment following new published trials.
- New weak recommendation for continuous positive airway pressure uses in sleep-disordered breathing. New practice points on suspected sleep-disordered breathing, and on continuation of treatment for previously diagnosed sleep disorders.
- Weak recommendation for psychological and social support for carers, replaces previous consensus recommendation.
Find out more about The Australian and New Zealand Living Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management on the Stroke Foundation website.
At the intersection of science and art with Dr Caleb Dawson
How does science intersect with art?
As a scientist, Dr Caleb Dawson of WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) strives to be creative and think out of the box. Yet, his role as an artist is merely to be a keen observer and sharer, and he says it is his privilege to see these microscopic scale discoveries first, and his joy to reveal them to the world.
Focusing on the intersection of science and art, Dr Dawson has shared how imaging techniques led to his greatest scientific discovery of breast-specific immune cells that live in the walls of breast ducts.
Read our InFocus story on Dr Dawson’s research and find out how to submit your own nomination for the 2025 Science to Art Biennial Award on NHMRC’s website.
Partnership Projects 2024 Peer Review Cycle 3 (PRC3) partner waivers due
The due date for NHMRC-approved administering institutions to submit partner waiver requests for applications in Partnership Projects 2024 PRC3 is Wednesday 30 October 2024 at 17:00 AEDT.
Please contact the Research Help Centre for further information.
Cancer Australia - grant opportunity key dates
The following Cancer Australia grant opportunity has opened for applications:
- 2024 Improving First Nations Cancer Outcomes: Partnerships for Cancer Research Grant Opportunity (GO7216)
- Minimum data due by Wednesday 4 December 2024 at 17:00 AEDT
- Applications close on Wednesday 12 February 2025 at 17:00 AEDT.
2024 NHMRC-CIHR Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA): Indigenous Health Research
The NHMRC is providing $3 million to support Australian researchers participating in the joint NHMRC-Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) 2024 Grant Opportunity. This Grant Opportunity runs through CIHR’s Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) and will fund Canada-Australia joint research teams addressing any of the recognised forms of dementia in Indigenous populations.
NHMRC and CIHR held a joint applicant webinar on 25 September 2024. Please contact NHMRC at international@nhmrc.gov.au for a copy of the webinar presentation and FAQs. CIHR is also providing a Partner Linkage Tool to help facilitate connections between researchers.
Key Dates:
- Applications opened Wednesday 21 August 2024
- Minimum data due Wednesday 6 November 2024 17:00 AEDT
- Applications close Thursday 12 December 2024 17:00 AEDT.
Please refer to GrantConnect for more information.
Key NHMRC grant program dates
NHMRC grant opportunities are funded through the Medical Research Endowment Account (MREA).
Opening soon:
The Centres of Research Excellence (CRE):
- Applications open on Wednesday 23 October 2024
- Minimum data due by Wednesday 20 November 2024 at 17:00 AEDT
- Applications close on Wednesday 4 December 2024 at 17:00 AEDT.
The 2025 grant opportunity will include 5 application streams:
· Basic Science Research
· Clinical Research
· Health Services Research
· Public Health Research
· One Health Research.
In addition, priority funding is available for one venom research grant through the CRE in Basic Science Research, Clinical Research, Health Services Research or Public Health Research streams.
There will be a new question that all applicants need to address about how the proposed research could benefit Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health and contribute to Closing the Gap targets. This stems from national consultation as part of the Indigenous Research Excellence Criteria Review that found there is strong support for adoption of an approach where all NHMRC applications answer such a question.
This was endorsed by the NHMRC Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus and is in line with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and NHMRC’s health priority to promote wellness and health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. For more information please see the fact sheet on our website.
This grant opportunity was forecast on GrantConnect. Information will be available on GrantConnect on the application open date.
Please contact help@nhmrc.gov.au for further assistance.
Medical Research Future Fund - grant opportunities key dates
The following MRFF grant opportunities have opened for applications:
- 2024 Brain Cancer Discovery and Translation Grant Opportunity (GO7224)
- Minimum data due by Wednesday 22 January 2025 at 17:00 AEDT
- Applications close on Wednesday 5 February 2025 at 17:00 AEDT.
Details on how to apply for MRFF grant opportunities and all MRFF close dates are available on GrantConnect. Applicants are reminded that only applicants who completed minimum data by the due date can submit an application. It is also the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they meet all eligibility requirements, including limits on the number of times a person can be named as a Chief Investigator on applications submitted to a grant opportunity.
Applicants should ensure:
- their Sapphire account is active or access to Sapphire has been requested,
- their organisation is an approved MRFF eligible organisation before the close date, and
- any intended participating institutions are listed in Sapphire or request that a new participating institution be added by emailing help@nhmrc.gov.au, including the institution's website address (URL) and ABN (if applicable).
MRFF grant assessment committee self-nomination
Register your interest to become a member of a MRFF grant assessment committee.
HMRO seminar - Alison Bourgon "Optimizing the benefit and impact of Canadian research - CIHR's new frameworks for inclusive research excellence and knowledge mobilization"
The Health and Medical Research Office (HMRO) will host a seminar on Tuesday 19 November 2024 at 10:00AM–10:45AM AEDT and will be joined by the Director General of Science Policy, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Alison Bourgon.
In this session, Alison will discuss the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s new frameworks that will guide the agency in achieving its commitments to ‘advance research excellence in all its diversity’ and to ‘integrate evidence in health decisions’.