Applications now open for Seed Funding - 2024/5 Round

Apply now for the 2024/5 round of seed funding from the Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health at the University of Melbourne.

The University of Melbourne Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health is funding a seed grant scheme to promote collaborative projects, with the research team composed of researchers from the Baker Institute and The University of Melbourne. The overall idea is that the establishment of successful cross-institutional teams will increase the quality of our research as well as the opportunity to obtain external funding.

The research must be impactful and both the Baker and the UoM teams, must provide a meaningful contribution to the collaborative research project.

This year, the department will be offering $100k and $50k research grants,eachfor a term of 12 months, Nov 2024 – Oct 2025. We invite proposals led by early to mid-career researchers, 3 to 10 years post-PhD, aiming to strengthen their CV and their opportunity to obtain external funding (additional team members may be at any career stage).

Application is by submission of the form attached to this announcement by Monday 16 September 2024 to cardiometabolic-dept@unimelb.edu.au

Shortlisted teams will be invited to present a full application as a short pitch (10 min presentation + 10 min Q&A) the pitch session to be held in early October 2024.

Aim for the project to start in November 2024.

For any questions, contact us at cardiometabolic-dept@unimelb.edu.au

The establishment of successful teams will increase the potential to progress to successful externally funded grants. The research must be impactful, with the collaborative team providing a meaningful contribution to the Baker Department and University.

Criteria

1. Impactful research aligned with the goals of the Department of Cardiometabolic Health https://medicine.unimelb.edu.au/school-structure/baker-department-of-cardiometabolic-health
2. Meaningful collaboration between a Baker Institute and University research group lead by a member of the Cardiometabolic Health Department. A background of collaboration will be valued, and funding will be dependent on collaborative milestone achievements in a manageable timeline.
3. The ability to outline a clear pathway to a further grant application.

Eligibility

1. Principal investigator (CIA) on a proposal must be within 3 –10 years of award of PhD by the submission date, 16^th of September 2024 (or the equivalent allowing for career disruptions).
2. The proposed research project team must include at least one researcher based at the Baker Institute, and at least one researcher based at the University of Melbourne
3. Maximum of 1 submission per Principal Investigator.
4. Investigators on current seed funding grants are ineligible to apply.
5. Previously successful CIAs are ineligible to submit as CIA on a new application, but may form part of the investigator team.

Application and selection

1. Complete the application form and submit by Monday 16^th of September 2024
2. Applications will be reviewed and ranked (by a panel of non-conflicted assessors) on expertise of the research team, project feasibility and novelty, research alignment with the Department goals to improve the lives of people with, or at risk of, cardiovascular disease (CVD), obesity and diabetes.
3. Selected applications will be invited to present a short pitch (10 min presentation + 10 min Q&A) in a hybrid session to be held in early October 2024.
4. Application and pitch session talk will form the basis of a final rank and award of seed funding.

Terms and Conditions

• Investigators are to be appointed members of the Department of Cardiometabolic Health
• Submission of future grants based on the project to be submitted through the Baker Department.
• A final outcome talk and report based on the project to be presented to the Department in late 2025.

Application form

For more information, or to apply , please contact Cardiometabolic-dept@unimelb.edu.au