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7 July 2022

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1. $78.92M investment into health research 


Last week we were thrilled to announce a $78.92 million investment towards new and innovative research into some of Aotearoa New Zealand's most pressing health concerns. Our congratulations to all 53 successful recipients who have received HRC Programme and Project Grants (including Rangahau Hauora Māori, Pacific and General categories) in this funding round.  

The $78.92 million awarded includes 4 Programme Grants ($19.99 million in total), five Rangahau Hauora Māori Project Grants ($5.87 million in total), 3 Pacific Project Grants ($3.53 million in total) and 41 General Project Grants ($49.51 million in total).

HRC Chief Executive Professor Sunny Collings says this large investment supports outstanding research ideas and innovations that have been explicitly designed with impact and equity in mind.

View the 2022 Programme Grant recipients

View the 2022 Project recipients (including Rangahau Hauora Māori and General categories)

View the 2022 Pacific Health Project recipients

You can also read our media release about this announcement on our website

2. New HRC application dates


We can now confirm the application opening and closing dates for our Programme Grants and Emerging Researcher First Grants. All the information that you will need to apply for these grants will be available on HRC Gateway on the open date.

HRC Programme Grants
Open date: 1pm, 10 August 2022
HRC Gateway due date: 1pm, 14 October 2022
 
HRC Emerging Researcher First Grants
Open date: 1pm, 11 August 2022
HRC Gateway due date: 1pm, 29 September 2022
 
HRC Pacific Emerging Researcher First Grants
Open date: 1pm, 11 August 2022
HRC Gateway due date: 1pm, 29 September 2022
 

Key change to the Emerging Researcher First Grants and Pacific Emerging Researcher First Grants for 2022:

As part of our focus on investing in people and creating more stable and sustainable career development opportunities, salary support (and overhead) for the first named investigator can now be requested. These grants support emerging researchers who are seeking to establish independent careers in health research. Up to a maximum of $250,000 for three years is available.

3. Call for nominations for Pacific members of the HRC Biomedical Research Committee 

 
To help strengthen Pacific health expertise on the HRC's Biomedical Research Committee (BRC), we are calling for nominations (including self-nominations) of individuals with the following attributes:
  • Understanding of and experience working within Pacific worldviews and protocols and their application in research.
  • Expertise in the biomedical field of health, either as a clinical practitioner or as a biomedical health researcher.
  • Optionally or additionally, the member may have expertise with health policy where it intersects with the biomedical field.
There are two potential vacancies on the BRC:
1). A full member with a 3-year term (with the possibility of serving a second 3-year term), for which:
The appointee will be an established researcher with a recent record of relevant high-quality research in the field. Preferably, the appointee will be an internationally competitive researcher within the basic to clinical research spectrum, with experience as a peer reviewer and/or science assessment committee member for the HRC or equivalent agencies.
 
2). A co-opted member for a 1-year term, for which:
The appointee will be an emerging researcher with a developing track record of relevant high-quality research within the basic to clinical research spectrum. This position will allow the appointee to be mentored while gaining experience in peer reviewer and/or science assessment for the HRC.
 
The closing date for nominations is 1pm on Friday 30 September 2022.
 
We encourage you to please circulate and put forward potential candidates who may be suitable for consideration of appointment.
 
Please contact Dr Miguel Jo-Avila with any questions and nominations.

4. Funding opportunities for health delivery research now open


The goal of the HRC’s investment in health delivery research is to fund research that directly contributes to a primary outcome of improved health delivery by informing decisions or changes to policy, practice or systems in the New Zealand health and disability sector.

We are pleased to advise that registrations for Round 2 of our investment in health delivery are now open with the following two funding opportunities: Registrations opened in HRC Gateway: 5 July 2022
Registrations close in HRC Gateway: 1pm, 4 August 2022
Applications close in HRC Gateway: 1pm, 1 September 2022
 

Key change to the Health Delivery Research Activation Grant for 2022:

We have increased the maximum term of this grant to 18 months, noting that applicants are encouraged to consider an appropriate term relative to their activation activity.
  • 2022 Health Delivery Research Career Development Award 2This award is a development opportunity for health professionals (clinical or non-clinical) and academic health researchers to undertake a funded placement in a health delivery research team, health sector setting or health delivery policy setting. Funding includes salary supplemented by a $20,000 contribution to the host organisation. This grant is designed as an alternative pathway into health delivery research.

    Registrations opened in HRC Gateway: 5 July 2022
    Registrations close in HRC Gateway: 1pm, 4 August 2022
    Applications close in HRC Gateway: 1pm, 1 September 2022
 

Key change to the Health Delivery Research Career Development Award for 2022:

The maximum term for this award is 1 FTE over 12 months. However, applicants may now undertake this award part-time over a term of up to 24 months (e.g. 0.5 FTE over 24 months). Applicants may also undertake this award part-time over shorter durations.
 
Please note: We recommend that you refer to the HRC Gateway funding calendar for updates and additional round information. Here you will find the upcoming opening, closing and results dates for our various funding opportunities, which is updated as more become available. By clicking on the name of the individual round you are interested in, you will be provided with more information, including eligibility criteria, a brief description of the application process, and who to contact if you have any questions.

5. Increased value for Māori and Pacific Health Research Summer Studentships


We are pleased to announce an increase in the value of our HRC Māori and Pacific Health Research Summer Studentships. These awards will now be worth $7,500 each, up from $5,000. The studentships will continue to be paid in two instalments, with the first half of the award paid at the start of the studentship, and the second half paid upon acceptance by the HRC of the final report.
 
The change in value is in effect beginning from the 2023 Māori and Pacific Health Research Career Development Award rounds that are currently open.
 
Please note: any applicants that have already submitted a Summer Studentship application to the 2023 Māori or Pacific Health Research Career Development Award rounds will not be required to resubmit or revise their application. The new, higher value will automatically be awarded to successful applicants.

6. Ngā Kanohi Kitea Community Advancement Grants: closing date for applications extended


We have now extended the deadline for applications for our revamped Ngā Kanohi Kitea Community Advancement Fund to 26 July 2022

This fund provides an opportunity for iwi, hapū, other Māori organisations, and Māori researchers or research teams to undertake self-identified health research that can make a direct and significant difference to the health and wellbeing of their communities. 

7. Ethics Summer Studentships opening soon


Applications for the HRC's Ethics Summer Studentships will open on HRC Gateway on 15 July 2022. The purpose of these studentships is to enable students to train with a research team during the summer break with a focus on ethical challenges. 
 
The HRC Ethics Committee (HRC EC) has requested that the applicants' submitted topics are related to ethical issues associated with health in one of the following areas:
  • common factors in public and participant complaints about research
  • research ethics or resource allocation in a pandemic
  • the Te Ara Tika principles and their application in research
  • ethics and infectious diseases
  • Māori health
  • big data
  • data sharing
  • genetic research
  • health disparities
  • ethics issues arising from health strategy and/or health research strategy
  • non-consensual research
  • immortalised, patient-derived tissues for health research and clinical investigation
  • predictive risk modelling and healthcare
  • the challenge of ensuring equity in health and research in Aotearoa New Zealand.

8. HRC staff movementsSia Cocker


We are pleased to advise that Potesia (Sia) Cocker (top right), who has recently returned to the HRC from parental leave, has accepted a new role within the HRC as Research Investment Coordinator, Pacific Health Research. We are delighted that Sia is taking up this opportunity to build on her many contributions to date by supporting our mahi in the Pacific health research space.
Marian
Stepping in to fill the vacancy left with Sia moving to this new position is Marian O'Brien (left), who has accepted a permanent role as administrator for the HRC. Marian has been supporting the HRC since last year in a temporary role, and we are thrilled that she will continue to provide us with support.
Orin Robb
We are also pleased to have Orin Robb (bottom right) join the HRC team as Research Investment Manager (fixed-term). Orin and his partner recently moved to Auckland after 10 years in Wellington. Orin completed a Master’s in molecular biology at Victoria University of Wellington, developing DNA-based biosensors to detect hormones involved in mammalian fecundity, and is currently undertaking further studies in Tikanga and Mātauranga Māori. 

Orin has supported a wide range of contestable and science-based investments through previous roles at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Ministry for the Environment. He has worked closely with policy professionals, local government, science-providers, community organisations, and Māori entities to support them on their funding journey. Orin believes strongly in the value of the HRC and the science community, and he encourages you to reach out if you have any questions about the HRC’s health delivery research funding.

Recently we said farewell to Falegau Lilomaiava Silulu who was Research Investment Coordinator in our Pacific Health Research team. While we are very sad to see Falegau go, we are excited for her as she pursues a career in research. All the very best, Falegau!

9. Cancer Society: Māori Cancer Researcher Awards 2022


This year the Cancer Society is again offering its Māori Cancer Researcher Awards in partnership with Hei Āhuru Mōwai. Details of the awards andCancer Society how to apply are below.
 
Māori Cancer Researcher Awards 2022
To be eligible, applicants must:
  • Be of Māori descent
  • Be resident in Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Have academic supervision that includes at least one Māori supervisor. Those unable to identify a Māori supervisor are encouraged to get in touch before applying.
  • Intend to enrol or already be enrolled in a Research Masters or PhD. Those who have not yet enrolled for their proposed course of study but are intending to do so may apply for this scholarship. In this case, any award will be conditional on the applicant’s successful enrolment in either a Research Masters or PhD at a New Zealand Wānanga or University.
Each Masters Scholarship will comprise the following components and will last for one year (12 months):
Stipend of $35,000
Tuition fees of $10,000
 
Each PhD Scholarship will comprise the following components and will last for three years (36 months):
Stipend of $40,000 per year
Tuition fees of $10,000 per year
Tikanga contribution of $10,000 across the course of the award
 
Part-time students are welcome to enrol, noting that for such students the scholarship would be pro-rated. The award will not be granted for a period longer than the equivalent of one year (Masters) or three years (PhD) fulltime.
 
This year, the Cancer Society requests that anyone who is thinking of applying register with them through the form on their website. Registrations are due by 1 August 2022.  Applications close 26 August 2022 at 12 noon. The application guidelines and form can be found here.

10. Recent health news


Breast cancer research shows promise for future vaccine development - Malaghan Institute (part-funded by the Breast Cancer Foundation and the HRC's Independent Research Organisation Fund)

Risk factors for acute rheumatic fever: A case-control study - The Lancet (Professor Michael Baker, funded by the HRC Rheumatic Fever Research Partnership, supported by the HRC, New Zealand Ministry of Health, Te Puni Kōkiri, Cure Kids, and Heart Foundation)

Study to find the presence of mate wareware/dementia in Māori - Radio Waatea (Dr Makarena Dudley, HRC Rangahau Hauora Māori Project Grant)

Nitrate risk to unborn babies to be measured in HRC-funded study of drinking water - Stuff (Dr Tim Chambers, HRC Project Grant)

New HRC grants at Victoria set to improve whānau healthcare - Te Ao Māori News (Professor Bev Lawton and Dr Clive Aspin, HRC Programme and Rangahau Hauora Māori Project grants)

11. Conferences and events


Australia New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine Conference 2022

1-4 September 2022
Canberra | Australia (or attendance virtually)ANZSPM logo

The conference theme 'Better care for all: Inclusivity, equity and collaboration' is an important theme for our time. It conveys the need to improve the care we all depend on through a more inclusive approach to palliative care that is reliably available when and where it is needed. Key elements of this theme are meeting the needs of broader populations, cultural competence, and meeting the personal and ethical challenges of working in this space.

Check out the conference website for more information and to register.

About Update

 

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Update is a fortnightly e-newsletter about the health research sector, compiled and distributed by the Health Research Council of New Zealand. Short, topical items about health research funding, policy, activities, consultations, and publications are welcome. Please contact Suzy Botica, the HRC's senior communications advisor, for more details.