Research Grants
BMRC supports and provides funding for research activities that will contribute to the vision of Singapore becoming a premier centre for biomedical research and development.
Our calls for proposals are aligned tightly with Singapore's current and future needs in the biomedical sciences.
Current Calls
2. A*STAR - NZ Health Research Council Joint Grant Call for Proposals 2009
4. A*STAR - UK Medical Research Council Joint Grant Call for Proposals 2009
5. Singapore Stem Cell Consortium (SSCC) Call for Proposals
Introduction
The Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Hungary National Office for Research and Technology (NKTH) jointly announce the second call for proposals under the A*STAR – NKTH Master Collaboration Agreement signed on 9 October 2007.
The goal of the call for proposals is to promote R&D collaboration between (i) Hungarian-based public and private institutes, and (ii) Singapore public sector research organizations including A*STAR RIs, through joint scientific projects.
A*STAR and NKTH intend to hold 3 joint calls for proposals (one each in 2008, 2009 and 2010), covering fields of mutual interest such as physical sciences, communications, computational science, nanotechnology, energy and new materials, chemistry and pharmacology, biomedical sciences including biotechnology and pharmaceuticals and medical devices and technologies. The first joint call for proposals was held in 2008.
A*STAR-NKTH Joint Grant Call 2009
For 2009, joint proposals in the following areas are invited to be submitted:
(A) Biomedical Devices for Disease Diagnostics and Therapy
(B) Computational Sciences and Bioinformatics
(C) Chemistry (for Analysis, Diagnosis and Drug-Related Applications)
Applications are now open! All submissions are due by 14 September 2009, 5:00 pm SST. The application forms are available here:
ASTAR-NKTH JGC 2009 Proposal Details
PSF01B - Budget Proposal
PSF16 - Capability Indicators
Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of experts that will help identify proposals that are innovative, demonstrate a high level of scientific pursuit, challenge paradigms and set international benchmarks.
Each research team must be made up of at least one Singapore-based researcher and one Hungary-based researcher. The research project, which can last up to 3 years, must be conducted in Singapore and in Hungary. A*STAR will fund the research costs of the Singapore-based researcher, while NKTH funds the research costs of the Hungary-based researcher. The total value of a combined grant award will typically be in the range of S$440,000 to S$1,100,000 (approximately €200,000 to €500,000).
Application to A*STAR and NKTH will be separate; however the team of researchers must jointly submit the same project description in English. For application to A*STAR, an original application (hard copy) endorsed by the Host Institutions and a soft copy (Word format) must be submitted to A*STAR through the Singapore PI’s Host Institution research offices. Queries on the initiative and submission of forms by Singapore-based researchers should be addressed to the following A*STAR email address:
A-STAR_NKTH_Grant_Call@a-star.edu.sg
The Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the New Zealand Health Research Council (NZ HRC) jointly announce the first call for research proposals under the A*STAR – NZ HRC Memorandum of Understanding signed on 6 October 2008.
The objective of this call is to promote and encourage collaborative research and development activities amongst researchers from Singapore public sector research organizations, including A*STAR research institutes and New Zealand-based public institutes, in the area of Metabolic Diseases, considered in the broadest sense as any disorder or defect of metabolism (including but not limited to cardiovascular disease and diabetes).
Similar information on the grant call can also be obtained from the following websites:
(1) NZ HRC - International Investment Opportunities Fund (under HRC/A*STAR Joint Initiative)
(2) NZ HRC - Partnership Funding Forms Download Page (under HRC/A*STAR Joint Initiative)
All submissions are due by 10 July 2009, 5:00 pm NZST (10 July 2009, 1:00 pm Singapore time).
A single original signed application form (comprising of all required signatures in the application form) should be submitted by Singapore and New Zealand PIs to NZ HRC Secretariat through the New Zealand PI.
Instruction regarding the submission of the application form to the NZ HRC Secretariat can be found on the “Request For Proposal” and “Application Guidelines” documents.
A-STAR_NZHRC_Grant_Call@a-star.edu.sg
BMRC - NMRC Joint Grant Call for Proposals 2009
This Call for Applications is now closed.
Introduction
A*STAR’s Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) and the MOH’s National Medical Research Council (NMRC) are making a joint grant call for research proposals. This collaborative effort serves to create synergy among the basic researchers and clinician scientists.
BMRC funds basic biomedical and translational research that is relevant and important to human health. NMRC funds research projects that are translational and/or clinical in nature. Technology-driven proposals with little biological or clinical application will not be funded by BMRC and NMRC.
Eligibility
Researchers from all local publicly funded institutions including restructured hospitals, national specialty centres, research institutes and universities are eligible to take part in the BMRC/NMRC grant call.
There shall be only one Principal Investigator (PI) for each Grant application. The research must be conducted in Singapore.
Researchers from overseas institutions and private biotechnology companies can participate as collaborators. However, the terms of collaboration with overseas research institutions and private biotechnology companies must conform to both Councils’ prevailing policies.
Application
Applications to A*STAR can be made electronically at: http://bmrcgrants.a-star.edu.sg. An original application (hard copy) endorsed by the Host Institution must be submitted to BMRC, A*STAR through the Host Institution’s research office.
Applications to NMRC should be submitted in both hardcopy and softcopy format. The latest version of the application forms can be downloaded from NMRC website at: http://www.nmrc.gov.sg. An original application (hard copy) endorsed by the Host Institution and a soft copy (Word format) must be submitted to NMRC through the Host Institution’s research office.
PIs can choose to submit their proposals to either BMRC or NMRC. Duplicate submissions will be rejected by both Councils. Both BMRC and NMRC have incorporated a new Health Research Coding (HRC) system in the application forms. Please visit our websites for more information. Applications will be peer reviewed and funding decisions will be made by the respective Councils. The review process may take up to 6 months.
Funding for case control and cohort studies will be capped at $1.5 million over 3 years. The hypotheses to be tested in these studies should be achievable within the 3-year funding period.
The closing date for all applications is 4 June 2009, Thursday, 5pm.
Please contact Ms Lee Wanyu at lee_wanyu@a-star.edu.sg or Ms Sophine Giam at giam_ling_fung@a-star.edu.sg should you need further clarification for BMRC applications. Please contact Ms Lin Jing at lin_jing@moh.gov.sg for NMRC applications.
The Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Medical Research Council UK (MRC) jointly announce the first call for proposals under the A*STAR – MRC Memorandum of Understanding.
The goal of the call for proposals is to promote R&D collaboration in Infectious Diseases between (i) UK-based public institutes, and (ii) Singapore public sector research organizations including restructured hospitals, national disease centres, research institutes, local universities and A*STAR Research Institutes, through joint scientific projects. To aid these interactions, a full portfolio of A*STAR’s activity can be found at http://researchers.a-star.edu.sg/ and MRC’s activity can be found at http://www.mrc.ac.uk/ResearchPortfolio/index.htm.
A*STAR and MRC aim to foster greater convergence of research between Engineering, Biology and Medicine with the aim of tackling Infectious Disease and applying new technologies in Infectious Disease research.
Applications will open on 1 April 2009 and all submissions are due on 25 June 2009. A panel of experts will review and identify proposals that are innovative, demonstrate a high level of scientific pursuit, challenge paradigms and set international benchmarks.
Applications must be submitted using MRC’s Electronic Application and Assessment (EAA) System. The MRC’s EAA system website and usage guidance can be found here:
In addition, the Singapore-based PI is required to submit the necessary information in the following annexes and upload onto the MRC’s EAA website under the “Case for Support” (please also see special instructions for Annex B):
All submissions are due by 25 June 2009, 4:00 pm London time (25 June 2009, 11:00 pm Singapore time).
Others
Queries on the initiative and submission of forms by Singapore-based researchers should be addressed to the following A*STAR email address:
Singapore Stem Cell Consortium (SSCC) Call for Proposals
This Call for Applications is now closed.
Introduction
The Singapore Stem Cell Consortium (SSCC) is an initiative of the A*STAR Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) with the aim of establishing a coordinated and focused translational research and development programme in stem cells. It seeks to catalyze the translation of basic stem cell research into clinically viable stem cell therapies for chronic, debilitating diseases, by building strong linkages between basic science and clinical research groups. It aspires to develop enabling platform technologies for eventual therapeutic use of stem cell research. It also has an interest in using stem cells to create models of mammalian development and disease states, as well as providing cellular assays for the identification of novel signaling molecules, pathways, and the development of new drugs. The SSCC is now inviting research proposals for experimental work which has as its major focus, the production, differentiation and application of stem cell populations to improve our understanding of, or create remedies for, human disease.
The objectives of this grant call are to be achieved through innovative, collaborative, inter- and multi-disciplinary investigations.
The results of BMRC's past calls for proposals can be found here.