NMRC CS-IRG New Investigator Grant (CS-IRG-NIG)

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CS-IRG New Investigator Grant (CS-IRG-NIG) is a sub category of the CS-IRG to cater for new clinical investigators. Applicants with substantial research experience will not be accepted under this category.

Areas of Research

The following seven disease areas have been identified as national priorities for research:

1. Cancers and neoplasms
2. Cardiovascular
3. Eye
4. Infection
5. Mental health
6. Metabolic and endocrine
7. Neurological

Funding Details

The award includes up to $260k grant support per project for 2 years with up to additional 30% indirect costs provided to the host institution of the PI. Projects involving prospective patient/subject recruitment may apply for up to 3 years.

For more information about the funding details, please take a look at the website here (internet accessible link).

NIG-specific Eligibility Criteria 

• Applicants who are applying under the new investigators category have to work with a mentor for guidance in their research. This mentoring will provide support for a period of supervised research leading eventually to the clinical investigators conducting larger scale research projects independently. Please note that the NIG is intended to fund a new investigator’s independent project, and not to provide additional funding for the mentor's project (or clinical trial).  

• To be eligible for CS-IRG-NIG, the following requirements apply: 

• Awardees of the following grants as PI/Co-PI* at the point of application will not be eligible for the NIG: A*STAR Investigatorship, NRF Fellowship, NMRC CSA and STaR, MOE Tier 2 and 3 grants, MOH/NMRC IRG- equivalent grants^.

• Applicants must not have received external competitive funding exceeding $500,000 (direct costs only), to conduct their own research project as the PI.

Note:

*Co-PIs refer to PIs whose projects are jointly led by other PIs (e.g. projects under NMRC's Bedside & Bench grant). They are not the same as, and should not be confused with Co-Investigators (Co-Is).

^NIC Ageing Grants (with the exception of Health and Longevity Catalyst Awards) are considered IRG-equivalent grants.

Eligibility Criteria

• Grant application to be led by a Clinical PI:
• PI must be clinically qualified (i.e. with MD/MBBS/BDS) and preferably with post-graduate clinicalbtraining and experience

• Allied Health Professionals* who meet the following conditions may apply
• Non-medically trained PIs who are nurses, pharmacists or other allied health professions listed on the MOH's website* in clinical practice, doing research in clinical settings or doing research with clinical and healthcare applications/relevance, are eligible to apply.
• Applicants who are working in human clinical research, including epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and whose research is clinically relevant and has potential health impact, will be considered as exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
• Non-medically trained applicants conducting wet laboratory based research are not eligible.
• Applicants must possess a minimum academic qualification of a PhD or the equivalent training.
• Recipients of NMRC Human Capital Awards, Transition Award and NMRC Research Training Fellowship are eligible to apply.
•  *Please find the list of Allied Health Professionals is in MOH's website here.

• For proposals involving patients, the clinical PI or co-I should be SMC registered; or should be able to demonstrate ability to access patients through SMC registered collaborators.

• For some CS-IRG proposals it is recognized that some studies may be pre-clinical and do not require the PI to be SMC registered.

Additional Eligibility Criteria

1. Hold a primary appointment in a local public hospital/public health institutions/national specialty centre/public universities/Academic Medical Centres and salaried by the institution.

2. Demonstrate relevant interest in research as evidenced by recent past work, including but not limited to clinical work, publications, participation in research studies, etc.

3. Have a laboratory or clinical research program that carries out research in Singapore.

4. Hold a minimum of 9 months employment with a local Singapore institution. Upon award, the PI must agree to fulfill at least 6 months of residency in Singapore for each calendar year over the duration of the grant award.

5. No outstanding reports from previous BMRC, NMRC grants and other national grants. 

Submission

All applications must be submitted and endorsed by the Host Institution's Director of Research (DOR) online via IGMS (internet accessible link).

Note: SingHealth PIs are to please refer to your respective Institutional Research Administrators for guidance on internal deadlines and submission procedures set by your institutions.

Contact Person

Ms Jilessica Lee

Email: jilessica.lee@mohh.com.sg

Additional Information

• Please download the 'Application Guide and Template' documents from NMRC's website here (internet accessible link).

• For more information on CS-IRG-NIG, please visit NMRC's website here (internet accessible link).