Request for Proposals: CS-IRG New Investigator Grant (Singapore)

The CS-IRG-NIG is a step for the new investigator towards winning a first independent national level grant. Applicants with substantial research experience will not be accepted under this category.

Themes

• The CS-IRG-NIG is open to application on all research themes. Applications are assessed based on scientific merit and relevance to Singapore, but should prioritisation be required between meritorious applications, the following seven disease areas have been identified as national priorities for research:
  • Cancers and neoplasms
  • Cardiovascular
  • Eye
  • Infection
  • Mental health
  • Metabolic and endocrine
  • Neurological

Funding Information

• The CS-IRG-NIG will provide a funding quantum of up to S$260,000 per project (inclusive of up to 30% indirect costs5) for up to 2 years.
• Projects involving prospective patient/subject recruitment may apply for up to 3 years’ duration.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants who are applying under new investigators’ category (CS-IRG-NIG) 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 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).
• Demonstrate relevant interest in research as evidenced by recent past work, including but not limited to clinical work, publications, participation in research studies etc.
• Have access to a laboratory or clinical research program that carries out research in Singapore.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Awardees of the following grants as PI/Co-PI3 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 grants4.
• Applicants must not have received external competitive funding exceeding $500,000 (direct costs only), to conduct their own research project as the PI.

Evaluation Criteria

• Selection of successful proposals would be based on the following evaluation criteria:
  • Scientific excellence
  • Feasibility of study in local context
  • Productivity
  • Overall impact in local context
  • Suitability of applicant to be an independent investigator and to assume the role of a PI

Application Requirements

• Please prepare your application using the templates available on the IGMS online submission system and upload these documents to the relevant sections in IGMS:
  • Research proposal
  • CV template (PI, Co-I/Collab, Mentor)
  • Research Team Signatories and Other Supporting Details
  • Data Sharing Plan (Applicable for CS-IRG only)
  • Any softcopy document must be uploaded to IGMS in Word Document or PDF format (please do not submit scanned PDF format except for signatories). Please adhere to the page limit where specified and reformat softcopy such that all blank or irrelevant pages are removed.
  • The applicants are required to complete the grant submission using the IGMS online submission system.
  • For applications involving mentor, please upload the completed mentor CV under the Mentor section in IGMS.
  • Once you have completed your application in IGMS, please proceed to download a copy for your safekeeping.
  • Resubmission attempts are capped at two times, and please note that funding is not guaranteed for resubmitted proposal. (Resubmission refers to proposals resubmitted based on RP/ External Reviewers’ comments. It is not a re-written proposal from a new perspective. If more than 50% of the proposal is to be revised, it should be submitted as a new application).
  • In any single grant call, each PI is allowed to submit up to one application per grant type.
  • Note that Co-Investigators need to hold at least an adjunct position in a local public institution. Researchers from overseas institutions or private companies can only participate as collaborators. The terms of collaboration with overseas research institutions and private companies must conform to NMRC’s existing policies.
  • PI’s, Co-Investigators’ and Collaborators’ CVs are limited to 3 pages each. Please indicate NA if the required information is not applicable. Please take note that NMRC will not be responsible for any missing information not provided in the CV.
  • Mentor’s CV is limited to 2 pages (for applications involving mentor).
  • Use Arial font size 10 for all attachment/text.
  • Plagiarism (without permission from author or reference made to source) will be referred to Host Institution for investigation and may be subjected to disciplinary actions.
• Please note that applications are subject to rejection upon submission if:
  • Any of the required documents was not submitted
  • Wrong template (e.g., outdated, different programme’s) was used for any of the required documents (Please use latest templates as available in IGMS)
  • Any of the Proposal or CV documents exceeds page limits
  • Missing or incomplete declarations (e.g., past funding received, concurrent grant applications)

For more information, visit NMRC.