|
|
|
|
AAMRI asks that Australia look after our existing talented scientists in upcoming budget
- The next generation of medical researchers are being squeezed out of funding programs.
- Success rates within the NHMRC grant program have fallen to historic lows.
- If funds are not directed to increase success rates in NHMRC grant schemes, Australia will find itself with a diminished and less experienced medical research workforce.
NHMRC Ideas Grants are the primary funding source for early- and mid-career researchers and their innovative research. Retaining our existing talent is far more efficient and cost-effective than recruiting hundreds of new or less-experienced researchers to fill the gaps.
"In real terms, NHMRC funding has flatlined over the last decade, and the total number of funded grants for innovative research projects has halved,” said Professor Kathryn North AC, AAMRI President.
Each year, the NHMRC is only able to fund 9% of applications received by this critical cohort of researchers. The loss of these researchers will set back Australian medical research decades, delaying the development of new therapies for cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease to name just a few.
AAMRI estimates show that the Australian Government should fund an additional 288 Ideas Grants per year through the NHMRC to support the next generation of researchers. This will enable them to make the medical research discoveries Australia needs to respond to future health challenges - outlined in AAMRI’s 2022 - 2023 Budget Submission.
|
|
|
Figure: Total number of funded grants and funded rate for NHMRC Project Grants (previous grant program) and Ideas Grants (current grant program) from 2013 to 2021
|
|
|
“Early- and mid-career researchers are at a critical stage of their career development where they are about to establish new research teams, but also face the greatest funding challenges to continue with their work,” said Professor North.
“Every time one of these highly skilled medical researchers is unable to secure funding to continue with their research, up to 20 years of investment in past training and expertise is lost.”
The additional grants should be specifically targeted at researchers who are in the first ten years of their career post-PhD, where the workforce continuity challenge is most fragile. A gender equity commitment should be made to ensure their fair allocation.
Without action, billions of dollars of previous investment, and a generation of knowledge and experience will be lost, as new economic challenges result in hundreds of early- and mid-career researchers leaving the health and medical research sector.
|
|
|
More ways to stay in touch:
Follow up on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
And LinkedIn
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
