PREPARE Vaccines & Therapeutics Co-operative Strategic Grant

Objective

The Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness and REsponse (PREPARE) is a national programme set up by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to support and strengthen Singapore’s key research capabilities, translational platforms, and expertise that can be harnessed to detect, respond to, and contain future infectious disease threats. The National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) serves as the administrative host of PREPARE.

PREPARE is funded by RIE2020 White Space under the Human Health and Potential (HHP) domain and supports five co-operative programmes that focus on bringing researchers and clinicians together across institutions to enable expedited and more efficient translation and productisation. The strategic grant calls administered by PREPARE are designed to align Singapore’s strategic plans to support epidemic preparedness and response.

The key objectives of the Vaccines & Therapeutics (V&T) Co-operative are to build local expertise and capabilities to enhance resilience in vaccines and therapeutics against infectious threats, and to establish a pipeline from discovery to clinical development for seamless and fast-tracked development of vaccine and therapeutic clinical candidates.

Funding Details

• Individual track: Up to $1.5M per project (inclusive of 30% indirect costs) over up to 2 years.

• Programmatic track: Up to $3M per project (inclusive of 30% indirect costs) over up to 2 years.
  

Eligibility Criteria

1. Research team (Lead PI and at least one Co-I) must comprise researchers from at least two local institutions.

   Note: Researchers from overseas institutions or private companies can only participate as collaborators.

2. Only one Principal Investigator (PI) is allowed per application.
   

3. Applicant applying as PI is required to fulfil the following criteria at the point of application:

• Holds a primary appointment in a local publicly funded institution and salaried by the institution.

• Should have PhD or MD/MBBS/BDS qualifications. (Exceptions would be made on a case-by-case basis).

• Is an independent investigator (with PI status in institution) with a demonstrated track record of research, as evidenced by the award of nationally competitive funding (international funding to be considered on a case by case basis), substantial publication record in the past 3 years.

• Has a laboratory or clinical research program that carries out research in Singapore.

• Holds a minimum of 9 months employment (per calendar year) with local Singapore institution(s). Upon award, the PI must agree to fulfil at least 6 months of residency in Singapore for each calendar year over the duration of the grant award.

• Has no outstanding report from previous BMRC, NMRC grants, and other national grants.

• For proposal involving patients, the PI should be SMC registered; or should be able to demonstrate ability to access patients through SMC registered Co-Is or collaborators.

Submission

1. Interested applicants must complete the ‘PREPARE Open Grant Call Application Form (Final)’.
   

2. Please email 1 endorsed PDF (with signatures, including all pictures, tables, charts and various attachments) and 1 softcopy in WORD format (without signatures, including all pictures, tables, charts and various attachments) through your Host Institution’s Research Office to the PREPARE Grant Secretariat at PREPARE_Grants@ncid.sg by 11 March 2024 (Monday), 5pm.

3. Endorsements from respective Head of Department (HOD) and Host Institution’s Research Director (or equivalent) are required prior to submission. This is to ensure that there is organisational support for the PI to participate in the grant call.
   

Contact Person

PREPARE Grant Secretariat

Email: PREPARE_Grants@ncid.sg

Additional Information

Please refer to the files or the website here for more information.

PREPARE Open Grant Application Guide (Final).pdf

PREPARE Open Grant Call Application Form (Final).docx