Eligibility

Any individual(s) working at Fremantle Hospital and wishing to conduct research of a medical nature.

Applications will be considered from any area e.g. Clinical, Physiotherapy, Speech Pathology etc. It is not necessary for the Chief Investigator to have a degree in medicine, although projects must be proven to be medically/scientifically sound.

From this year, special encouragement will be provided to those new to the process of applying for grants. Please feel free to contact the Foundation for mentoring assistance in completing your application, as this will not affect your chance of success and could well help you to secure a grant.

Please  pay particular attention to the "Instructions for Completing Grant Application" below, as this will guide you in preparing your application.

Awards Available in 2011

Funding for 8 or 9 awards is usually available from the Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation up to a maximum of $15,000 each.

The Foundation is also delighted to announce that one extra research award will be available in 2011. The $15,000 Tony and Elva van Merwyk Research Award will be offered for a General Surgical or Vascular Surgery research project.

Please use the same application form for all Awards - the link to the application document is situated at the top of this page.

Purpose

To encourage the pursuit of medical research by those working at Fremantle Hospital.

Assessment

Award Applications will be assessed by the Scientific Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations on those projects considered fundable to the Board of Trustees of the Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation.


Philosophy used by the Scientific Advisory Committee

1. To provide "seeding grants" to encourage excellence in medical research and those working at the hospital. Projects would ideally then be expanded and be eligible for funding from larger organisations for additional work.
   
2. That the work undertaken with the Award will promote Fremantle Hospital and Health Service as a centre of excellence in medical research, medical education and clinical practice.
   
3. That the Award application process itself be used as a teaching tool to develop application skills amongst those working at Fremantle Hospital.
   
4. That the Award may be used to enable senior workers to develop a new area of expertise.
   
5. That the final report on the research of the Award funded project should be of the standard expected for publication in a peer review or scientific journal.
   
6. The Scientific Advisory Committee will look favourably on projects which are in conjunction with, or take into consideration, the needs of local industry.

Reports

An interim progress report will be expected prior to 1st July 2011, a final report (in both lay and scientific terms) at the completion of the project in addition to a financial reconciliation. The interim report must be received by 1st July if funding submissions for the following year's grant allocations are to be considered. Grant recipients are also required to support the Foundation through their involvement in endeavours to fundraise and promote medical research at Fremantle Hospital. It is a condition of the Award that all publications emanating from research using these funds will acknowledge the Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation, and you will forward copies of these publications to the Foundation.

Amount

Because of limited funding available, the maximum sum of any one Award has been set at $15,000. Requests for Awards exceeding $15,000 will not be considered. Unless a special case can be made, the Scientific Advisory Committee will not consider funding for computers or software.

Tenure

One year from 1 January 2011. In exceptional circumstances the term of the Award may be extended at the discretion of the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee but no additional funds will be allocated. All projects must be commenced in 2009.

Instructions for Completing Grant Application
Note: See top of this page for grant application writing session dates.

Aims of the Project

• List the specific objectives, aims, research questions or hypotheses to be tested.
  
• Outline the potential significance of the project.

• Briefly describe the project in lay terms so that it could be published in articles to be read by the general public.

• Give an introduction to the relevant scientific data and literature related to the project.
  
• Describe what generated the idea for this project.
  
• Provide details of relevant data that have led to development of the hypothesis being tested in this project.
  
• Sources referred to should be referenced by number and should be included in Section 12 "References to the work of other scientists".

• Give a detailed description of:
  - experimental design;
  - groups or populations to be studied and methods of recruitment;
  - primary and secondary endpoints to be measure/examined;
  - methods and/or tools of observation, measurement, data gathering, or 
    fieldwork procedures;
  - sample size or statistical power calculations, and;
  - statistical tests employed for the analysis of study data.
  
• Propose timelines for completion of the study.
  
• List the references that have been used to develop the background and research plan using the same numbering.

Publications of Investigators for Track Record Consideration

The lack of journal publications and the non-submission of final reports to the Foundation will be taken into account in assessing future funding applications.

Assistance to Award Applicants

Assistance is available to all applicants in preparing Award applications and this will in no way prejudice the Committee's final selection of successful projects.

To avail themselves of these services applicants should contact the General Manager of the Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation on 9431 2106 or email Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation who will arrange for a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee to assist you in preparing your application.

Applications

Please provide TWELVE (12) hard copies (original plus 11 copies) of the application to the Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation, including any relevant attachments, by the due date. Note that you are required to obtain the signatures of all investigators, plus your head of department and the head of administering institution (Chief Executive or delegate). Send your application to:

Angela van Dongen, Manager, Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation
Room 11, 5th Floor, G Block, Fremantle Hospital.

Also ensure that an electronic copy is sent to the Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation (MRF@health.wa.gov.au) by the due date (you will receive a receipt by email).

Please save an electronic copy of this application for your own records.

Any queries should be directed to Angela van Dongen on 9431 2106