An update from ARC CEO Professor Sue Thomas on ARC grants processes

Following on from previous Network Messages to the sector, Professor Sue Thomas would like to provide an update on the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) grant application and peer review processes, and outline further flexibility that the ARC is introducing for 2020 to support researchers on active ARC projects and researchers planning applications for future ARC support.

NHMRC Capping Rules - Investigator Grants & Ideas Grants

If you submitted an NHMRC Investigator Grant application to the 2020 round (submitted November 2019), you are only able to apply for one Ideas Grant this year. This is because there are capping rules which apply to the number of applications you are able to submit in a single round. 

Have you updated your Pure profile?

It is important to utilise opportunities during this interruption to advance your own research. For those of you with a Monash Pure profile, now may be an ideal time to update your profile in the Pure system, as this is also used to inform your external public page.

Sapphire Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to questions including 'how to begin an application', 'how to amend an application title', 'making changes to research teams', 'inviting CIs and AIs' and more are covered in our latest Sapphire FAQs.  We will be adding to this page continuously from now on with new Sapphire related questions as they arise.

Dr Simon Craig receives TSANZ / National Asthma Council Fellowship

Dr Simon Craig

Congratulations to Dr Simon Craig who has received a research Fellowship from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) and the National Asthma Council. The Fellowship will support Dr Craig’s research into seeking a global agreement on core outcome measures relevant to acute severe paediatric asthma.

Monash researchers awarded Stillbirth Foundation Australia grant for fetal monitoring device

Dr Vinayak Smith

Congratulations to Professor Euan Wallace and Dr Vinayak Smith who have received a grant from Stillbirth Foundation Australia to fund a clinical trial of their new wearable device, FetalKicks.

Professor Wallace and Dr Smith from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, teamed up with colleagues from the Faculty of Engineering, Professor Wenlong Cheng and Drs William Yap and Faezeh Marzbanrad, to develop a device that monitors fetal movement during pregnancy.

Dr Hashrul Rashid receives RACP Trainee of the Year Award

Dr Hashrul Rashid

Congratulations to Dr. Hashrul Rashid who was recently awarded the Trainee of the Year Prize by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) upon completion of his advanced training in cardiology. He is currently a specialist cardiologist and is completing his PhD with the Monash Cardiovascular Research Centre.

Invitation to participate in our survey – The impact of COVID-19 on research

Research Australia is working with its members across the pipeline to compile a comprehensive report for Australian governments to fully understand:

2020 Australia-Germany Joint Research Co-operation scheme

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 round of applications will progress as planned however a smaller number of proposals will be funded compared to previous rounds.

COVID-19 'Free to Access, Access to Free' e-resources

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of content providers are offering temporary free access to scholarly content and collections (removing paywalls), or offering free access to their content on platforms where Monash is already a subscriber (free to subscribers).

Ferring COVID-19 Investigational Grants

During this challenging time, Ferring remains committed to building families worldwide and to supporting them from conception to birth. Ferring is funding exploratory, basic and clinical research grants to collect data and expand knowledge on the effects of COVID-19 on reproduction, pregnancy and neonatal health.

Responding to Public Enquiries on COVID-19 'Cures'

Public interest in research has increased as a result of COVID-19, and many of our researchers are receiving a higher volume of queries from the public.

The Faculty have developed a standard response to help make it quicker for you to respond to queries from the public, approved by the Universities media and legal teams. Please see the COVID-19 intranet page.

AXA Exceptional Flash Call for Proposals on COVID-19

In response to the current COVID-19 crisis, the AXA Research Fund Team is launching a flash call for projects: Mitigating risk in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Mindful May

Being in isolation and working from home has changed our daily routines.  We all may be feeling alone and wondering "when is this going to end?"

Christie Bennett awarded PhD

Dr Christie Bennett

Congratulations to Christie Bennett from the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food who was last week awarded her PhD.

Christie's PhD was entitled 'Sleep during pregnancy: a novel opportunity to change the health of two generations.' Her research found that sleep in pregnancy does have a relationship with maternal diet and post-partum mental health.

What is psoriatic arthritis, the condition Kim Kardashian West lives with?

Dr Fabien Vincent

While psoriasis is a common chronic skin condition, less is known about psoriatic arthritis, a more debilitating disease that affects the distal and peripheral joints. Thanks to Kim Kardashian, psoriatic arthritis has been put in the spotlight. SCS’ Dr Fabien Vincent published an explainer in The Conversation about what the condition really is. Read the full story here.

2020 Prizes & Awards (P&A) Calendar

Please refer to the Prizes & Awards (P&A) Calendar for opportunities closing in 2020 here. Dates are subject to change for all prizes and awards, and many have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sustainable Healthcare: Medical Journal of Australia themed issue launch

Monash Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI) invites you to the online launch of the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) themed issue on Sustainable Healthcare. This is the first in a series of Planetary Health Dialogues.

REMINDER: NHMRC Ideas Grants Minimum Data

A friendly reminder that Minimum Data Compliance date for Ideas Grants is in 2 weeks.

29th April 2020 Publications

Pre-existing Comorbidity Burden and Patient Perceived Stroke Impact.
Sewell K et al published in International Journal of stroke.

Rare germline genetic variants and risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
Nguyen-Dumont T et al published in International Journal of Cancer

Anifrolumab in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Reply.
Morand EF The New England Journal of Medicine