NMRC Singapore Translational Research (STaR) Investigator Award

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Background

The STaR Investigator Award is a prestigious award offered by the MOH to recognise and support internationally renowned and outstanding investigators in Translational and Clinical Research (TCR), Health Promotion, Preventive Health, Population Health and Health Services Research (HPHSR), and/or Health Technology.

Areas of Research

This programme is open to applications on all research areas. Applicants focusing on translation of research and innovations into healthcare in the following strategic areas (covering both expertise in technology as well as use case areas) will be prioritised:　  

• Medical Technology (MedTech), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science and Digital Health

• Epidemiology, Population Health and Implementation Science

• Precision Medicine

• Healthy and Meaningful Longevity

• Family Medicine and Primary Care

Funding Details

For more details on funding details, please refer to NMRC's website here (internet accessible link).

Eligibility Criteria

1. Applicants should hold a clinical qualification (e.g. MBBS, MD, BDS or equivalent) with specialty training beyond medical or dental school (including specialists, family physicians and public health practitioners)^1,2.

2. Applicants should have a strong track record of scientific achievement, conduct cutting edge translational and clinical research (TCR) or research in Health Promotion, Preventive Health, Population Health, Health Services Research (HPHSR) or Health Technology, and produce outstanding research output with clinical and health impact.

3. Applicants who are health science / healthcare professionals with non-medical degrees, such as nurses, pharmacists and other allied health professions listed on MOH’s website here, and possess PhD or equivalent qualifications are eligible to apply. Those without PhD or equivalent qualifications, but possess relevant research track record can be considered for award on case-by-case basis.

4. Applicants working in human clinical research, including epidemiologists and biostatisticians, and whose research is clinically relevant and has potential health impact, will be considered as exceptions on a case-by-case basis³.

5. All applicants must be doing research in clinical settings or doing research with clinical and healthcare applications/relevance.

6. Applicants with non-medical degrees conducting laboratory based research are not eligible.

7. Applicant must hold the following appointments:
• A primary appointment in a local public hospital/public health institutions/national specialty centre/public university/Academic Medical Centre and be salaried by the institution;
• A regular-rank faculty/academic appointment in one of the academic medical centres (AMC) or medical school within 3 months of award conveyance⁴.

6. Agree to fulfil at least 9 months of residency in Singapore for each calendar year over the duration of the grant award (Host Institution must provide a letter, to commit that the STaR applicant will spend at least 75% of their time in Singapore upon award);

7. Applicant must generally not be beyond retirement age at the point of first award¹;

8. All research must be conducted in Singapore at a public research institute, hospital/centre or medical school.

9. Applicant should not have outstanding reports from NMRC grants and other national grants.
   Applicant may only submit one application to the human capital/talent awards (i.e. STaR, CSA, HCSA, CIA and TA) for each round of grant call.

10. Applicant is only allowed up to 2 resubmissions following an unsuccessful first submission.

Notes:

¹ Existing holders of NMRC Human Capital Awards (i.e., STaR, CSA, HCSA, CIA/CIDA) and Transition Award are exempted.

² Clinicians with recognised specialty training are:

1. Clinicians who are accredited by the MOH Specialists Accreditation Board (SAB), Dental Specialists Accreditation Board (DSAB) and Family Physicians Accreditation Board (FPAB).
2. Clinicians who do not fulfil the above but are able to demonstrate completion of specialist training in countries which do not have specialist boards/colleges and are holding consultant positions as a specialist may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

³ Applicants who are submitting on an exception basis are to submit their CV (with track records including publication records and grants held as PIs/Co-PIs in the past 5 years) to the Secretariat to determine their eligibility prior to submitting a full proposal.

⁴ An applicant without regular-rank faculty/academic appointment pledged by the AMC/medical school can be considered, if the PHI demonstrates that there is existing framework and governance that allow sustained research career / opportunities available to the applicant, as well as the availability of a conducive and facilitation structure where high quality research can be undertaken.

Submission

All applications must be submitted and endorsed by:

1. Institution's Head of Department online via IGMS (internet accessible link) and

2. Institution’s Director/ CEO / Dean of Medical School on 'Other Attachment Template’ [if Duke-NUS is selected as the Academic Institution (AI)] through Host Institution Research Office

• Letters/emails of support from the applicant’s respective ACP chairs for the putting up of applicant for a regular-ranked faculty/ academic appointment at Duke-NUS is required (if applicant do not have any regular ranked appointment)

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.

• STaR/ CSA/ HCSA/ CIA applications will not be routed to Dean, Duke-NUS for endorsement via IGMS. AI’s endorsement is now required under ‘Other Attachment template’ of the application form zipped package instead.

Contact Person

Ms Joefina Lim

Email: joefina.lim@mohh.com.sg

Additional Information

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

• For more information on STaR, please visit NMRC's website here (internet accessible link).