National Health and Medical Research CouncilNHMRC – EU Collaborative Research Grants Scheme

Dr Nick Johnson

Research Programs Branch

NHMRC

• Our priority actions include:• Create new knowledge through support of discovery research• Build Australia’s future capability for research and translation

• International collaborations have an important role to play in achieving NHMRC’s priority actions

• NHMRC encourages international collaborative research through :– NHMRC – EU Collaborative Research Grants Scheme – NHMRC – National Institute of Health Research Collaborative

Research Grants– Californian Institute of Regenerative Medicine Collaborative Research

Grants– Global Alliance for Chronic Disease

National Health & Medical Research Council

NHMRC – EU Scheme• The NHMRC – EU Scheme provides a contribution to Australian

institutions and researchers who are participating in leading international collaborative research under Horizon 2020 (and FP7)

• Participation in international projects allows Australian researchers to engage with world leading researchers on well-funded projects of the highest calibre

• Grants are for up to five years duration• Funding of up to $500,000 per EU application (not intended to cover

the entire cost of participation)• $4 million available for the scheme in 2015• Expected to open via RGMS in January 2015 for the following

applications:– 2014 topics for Horizon 2020 ; and– FP7 recipients who received outcome after the close of the 2013 NHMRC –

EU call (3 July 2013)

NHMRC – EU Scheme: Key changes for 2015• Funding capped at $500,000 per EU application (previously $1

million) but annual limit removed to increase flexibility• NHMRC has limited the number of topics that will be supported• Applicants receiving funding directly from EC are not eligible for

NHMRC funding• Application form simplified to reduce red tape (NHMRC scrutinises

the request budget but does not perform peer review)• EU grant agreement must be provided to NHMRC before funding

may commence

NHMRC – EU Scheme: eligibility requirements• Only applicants successful through the EU process are eligible to

apply to NHMRC• Only one NHMRC – EU Scheme application will be accepted and

funded for each successful EU application (one Chief Investigator A, one Administering Institution)

• All Australian CIs, and the Australian Administering Institution, are to be listed on the EU application

• Funding may not be sought where the EU is providing funds for the Australian component

• CIs must be based in Australia for the duration of the grant

Topics by NHMRC• Unlike for FP7, NHMRC will only support selected topics as part of

H2020:Societal Challenges

Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing Personalising health and care

• Selected topics are relevant to the Major Health Issues set out in the NHMRC Strategic Plan 2013-2015, including the National Health Priority Areas.

• Selected on advice from NHMRC Research Committee

Eligible 2014 topicsSingle stage– PHC-07-2014: Improving the control of infectious epidemics and foodborne

outbreaks through rapid identification of pathogens

Two stage– PHC-01-2014: Understanding health, ageing and disease: determinants, risk

factors and pathways– PHC-05-2014: Health promotion and disease prevention: translating 'omics'

into stratified approaches– PHC-06-2014: Evaluating existing screening and prevention programmes– PHC-10-2014: Development of new diagnostic tools and technologies: in vitro

devices, assays and platforms– PHC-13-2014: New therapies for chronic non-communicable diseases– PHC-17-2014: Comparing the effectiveness of existing healthcare

interventions in the elderly– PHC-23-2014: Developing and comparing new models for safe and efficient,

prevention oriented health and care systems– PHC-32-2014: Advancing bioinformatics to meet biomedical and clinical

needs.

Eligible 2015 topicsSingle stage– PHC-09-2015: Vaccine development for poverty-related and neglected

infectious diseases: HIV/AIDS – PHC-15-2015: Clinical research on regenerative medicine– PHC-21-2015: Advancing active and healthy ageing with ICT: Early risk

detection and intervention

Two stage– PHC-03-2015: Understanding common mechanisms of diseases and their

relevance in co-morbidities– PHC-16-2015: Tools and technologies for advanced therapies– PHC-18-2015: Establishing effectiveness of health care interventions in the

paediatric population– PHC-22-2015: Promoting mental wellbeing in the ageing population

Application process1. Australian researchers enter into discussion with EU collaborators2. Submit joint application to EC (Australian investigators and

Administering Institution must be named on EC application)3. EC outcome announced4. Australian researchers submit application via RGMS to NHMRC – EU

scheme. Only one application per EU application, therefore only one CIA and one Administering Institution permitted. Application includes:

1. Grant Proposal (research plan, timeline/s, outcomes and significance)2. Formal notification of EU outcome3. Proposed budget (salaries, direct research costs, equipment)4. EC application (provided as an attachment)

5. NHMRC checks applications for eligibility and scrutinises budgets6. If necessary, budgets will be reduced to keep funding within the $4

million allocation7. Funding recommendations made to Minister for Health for approval8. Funding commences

NHMRC – EU grants funded (FP7)

Round Applications Funded2007 72008 12009 62010 12011 92012 52013 12*

* In the 2013 round all eligible applications were funded to 45% of their NHMRC adjusted budget.

For more information• More details for each funding can be found on the NHMRC

website: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants/apply-funding

• Contact your Research Administration Officer in the first instance

• NHMRC’s Research Help Centre• Email: help@nhmrc.gov.au• Phone: 1800 500 983 (or +61 2 6217 9451 for international callers)