Heartsite HeartHealth Information Service 1300 36 27 87 Heart Foundation Research Program

Heartsite www.heartfoundation.org.au HeartHealth Information Service 1300 36 27 87

Heart Foundation Research Program


Our motivation

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death in Australia.

It affects one in six individuals and claims one life every 10 minutes - currently 36 % of all deaths.


Our Vision

For Australians to have the best cardiovascular health in the world.

Our Mission

To reduce suffering and death from heart, stroke and blood vessel disease in Australia.


The Heart Foundation is an independent non-profit health organisation established in 1959.

The Heart Foundation is a federation, with eight state and territory offices in addition to a national group.

We are Australia’s most credible authority on healthy lifestyle.

Approximately 95% of our funding comes from donations and bequests.

The charity for life


The Heart Foundation takes a multi-faceted approach to improving the cardiovascular health of all Australians, our approach includes:

What does the Heart Foundation do?

Health professionals Public awareness

Schools Programs and services

Advocacy Research



Our Vision

To provide major advances in knowledge that will lead to improved cardiovascular health and better prevention and management of cardiovascular disease

Our Mission

To be the leading Australian advocate, supporter and champion of high quality cardiovascular research


Over almost 50 years, the Heart

Foundation has invested more than $189

million in research … this equates to a

value of $1.51 billion from improved

cardiovascular health.


• Lobbying Telstra to develop 000 emergency number

• Lowering cholesterol levels – lipid study

• Development of artificial pacemaker

Some of our achievements


• The Heart Foundation Research Program undergoes an external independent evaluation process each year

• Findings include:

Greater visibility in key cardiovascular research journals than the NHMRC (per dollar spent)

A leader in pro-actively establishing research relationships with other organisations and corporate partners to increase our research support

The Research Program is managed in a highly cost-effective, ethical and transparent manner

Research in review


• Support the highest quality research in the field of cardiovascular health and disease

• Support early to mid career researchers

• Support both people and projects

• Support biomedical, clinical and public health

research

We aim to:


• Research with the goal of understanding normal and abnormal human functioning, at the molecular, cellular, organ system and whole body level

• May include studies on human subjects that do not have a diagnostic or therapeutic orientation

Biomedical Research


• Research with the goal of understanding improving the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease; improving health and quality of life

• Research on or for the treatment of patients

Clinical Research


• Research that is primarily concerned with population-level factors, but also includes community-level and individual-level determinants of health

• Research with the goal of improving the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of health systems through changes to policy and practice

Public Health Research (including health services research)


People Support Project Support

• Career Development

Fellowships• Overseas Fellowships• Postdoctoral Fellowships• Postgraduate Scholarships• Summer Scholarships • Travel Grants

• Grants-in-Aid• Cardiovascular diseases

and depression strategic

research


In 2008 the Heart Foundation Research Program funded:

• 58 Grants-in-Aid

• 5 Career Development Fellowships

• 2 Overseas Fellowships

• 21 Postdoctoral Fellowships

• 22 Postgraduate Scholarships


People Funding


• Medical or non-medical graduates• For study towards PhD• Biomedical, clinical, public health applications are

assessed separately• Maximum three years • Part time applications will be considered• Applicants should not hold any other scholarship awards• Specialised scholarships: stroke and Indigenous health

Postgraduate Scholarships


Please note:

For scholarships, you need to apply in the

category according to your background,

rather than the category of research for

which you are applying!


Biomedical scholar:

Has relevant biomedical training

Usually holds a Bachelor of Science

Clinical scholar:

Has relevant clinical training

Usually holds MBBS

Public health scholar:

Has relevant public health

training

Must have a relevant project

Can be from broader fields


Assessment criteria and points

Postgraduate ScholarshipsUndergraduate record 10

Honours and/or postgraduate research training 10

Research project 30

Track record 10

Publications 10

Career direction 5

Host institution / Supervisor 10

Referee Reports (x2) 10 (5 per report)

Overall score 5

Maximum score 100


• Two years duration

• Biomedical, clinical and public health applications are ranked separately

• Part time applications will be considered

• Two levels:

PDF1: 0-2 years postdoctoral

PDF2: 2-5 years postdoctoral

Postdoctoral Fellowships


• Opportunity to gain experience in an overseas environment

• At least 24 months research experience• Biomedical, clinical and public health

applications are invited but are assessed together

• Two years overseas, one in Australia• Allowances - cost of living, accommodation,

travel to and from destination

Overseas Fellowships



Postdoctoral and Overseas FellowshipsTrack record: Independence, leadership, grants/awards, invited presentations.

20

Research output: Publications, patents, books. 25

Supervisor and host laboratory 10

Proposed research program 25

Potential for independent contribution to cardiovascular research

10

Referee reports (x2) 10 (5 per report)

Maximum score 100


• The Heart Foundation’s most prestigious award• For high quality researchers with proven record of

independent research• Four years duration• Includes a $30,000 project grant in the first year• Can only receive one• Two levels:

CDA1: 2-7 years postdoctoral

CDA2: 7-12 years postdoctoral

Career Development Fellowships



Career Development FellowshipsTrack record: Independence, leadership, grants/awards, invited presentations.

25

Research output: Publications, patents, books. 20

Proposed research program 30

Potential for independent contribution to cardiovascular research

15

Referee reports (x2) 10 (5 per report)

Maximum score 100


The Heart Foundation allocates research funding through a cost-effective, ethical and transparent review system.

Scholarships

Fellowships

The peer review process

Application submittedAssessed by four

independent assessorsAssessed & ranked by

Scholarships committee

Application submittedAssessed by two

independent assessorsInterview

Fellowships committee


• Awarded to researchers working in the area of CVD or related areas.

• Open to Australian citizens or permanent residents. • Researchers may only receive one travel grant per year.• Open to all early postgraduate scholars and junior

Postdoctoral Fellows to support presentation of cardiovascular related research at a relevant conference

There are three Travel Grant closing dates throughout the year!

Travel Grants


• Available during December-January holidays• 2nd or 3rd year students in relevant course• Applicants need to organise their own project, supervisor and

institution• Preference given to applicants with little or no research experience

across all disciplines• 6 to 8 weeks duration• Up to $2000

Summer Scholarships


Project Funding


• Funding for a particular research project

• Two years support

• Maximum of $64 500 p.a.

Grants-in-Aid


• The Heart Foundation has an agreement with the NHMRC regarding assessments of applications

• Applications are assessed by a panel of experts in the field, brought together by the NHMRC

NHMRC Partnership


• Grant-in-Aid applications will be submitted to the NHMRC via their online form.

• Supplementary questions for the Heart Foundation • The Heart Foundation will receive the NHMRC ranked

list• The Heart Foundation has a committee which examines

applications for relevance and feasibility

The Process


Considering applying?

• Check our website for all award instructions and read the conditions

• Any questions regarding eligibility, talk to your RAO


For closing dates, salaries and more information

• Talk to your RAO – your institute may have closing dates different to the Heart Foundation closing dates

• Check our website which is always being updated, there may be changes to instructions, there maybe special awards available

• Sign up for Research@Heart and our bulletins which announce all award closing dates and new awards


When you are ready to apply

• Ensure you submit your application through your RAO / Research Office


• With researchers

- Research@Heart newsletter

- Regular bulletins- Visits to most current

Heart Foundation researchers

- Dedicated research section on the Heart Foundation website

Keeping in touch…

• With the general public and our donors

- Inclusion of articles in Heart Foundation publications

- Researcher profiles

- Media articles

- Fundraising letters

- Donor functions



• Co-funding partnerships involve two funding bodies equally contributing to an award.

• The applicant benefits through being affiliated with both organisations

• The organisations benefit through being able to fund more researchers

• Current and recent co-funding partners include:

Co-funding relationships


• Established in 2003 • Research support to date: over $3.3 million, which has

funded 24 Scholars, Fellows and the Chair of Cardiac Nursing

• No involvement or impact on the peer review process• No direct relationship with supported researchers• No involvement in Heart Foundation evidence-based

guideline development

obrys

WM to check


• Adherence = medicines and lifestyle• Adherence about 50% to chronic treatments• Health care professional input important for consumer

adherence• Project: to develop an educational tool for GPs,

pharmacists and practice nurses to improve adherence• Wide stakeholder buy-in• Research institutions have been contacted for input


www.heartfoundation.org.au

Thank you!

Documents

Heartsite HeartHealth Information Service 1300 36 27 87 Heart Foundation Research Program