RESEARCH NOTES
FUNDING FOR RESEARCH: HOW TO NAVIGATE TOWARDS IT
As of late, other medical societies have recognised that local research in their particular area is lacking. Furthermore, these societies are now in a position to offer research grants and I can foresee that the quantum plus the number of grants available will rise over the next few years. Obviously to qualify successfully for these grants would require that your research area is in their field. These grants will be open to all on a competitive basis. These are early days and competition will be thin in its initial stages and securing a grant will be easier and more likely to be successful currently.
Pharmaceutical companies
By and large pharmaceutical companies tend to commission researchers to conduct clinical trials for their own purposes. However they are able to support researcher-initiated research, provide grants of variable quantum and these can be quite substantial. Obviously for them to justify supporting a project, the research area has to be within the field of the products they have interest in. Applying to the appropriate person in the company is crucial. The best place to start is at the research arm of the company or with the medical director who usually has a better understanding about and interest in research.
Commissioned clinical trials
While commissioned clinical trials are not perceived as the pinnacle of academic research pursuits, they do serve their purposes to the individual. Firstly one gets to know how clinical trials are conducted and has a better understanding of the research findings that are presented or published. One also learns about good clinical practice (GCP) which is crucial to all good research. In fact doing clinical trials is a good way to learn about the principles of research.
The other benefit is that usually these commissioned studies provide an honorarium to the investigator. Such generated funds can be ploughed back to support your own research interest. Furthermore it also enhances your chances of securing research grants from those companies for independent research.
International sources
These are of course many international research funding bodies like the National Institute of Health, (NIH) USA, the Medical Research Council (MRC) in the United Kingdom (List A). By and large these resources are open more to their own nationals. However there is nothing to prevent collaborations, but generally the principal fund applicant will need to be a national of that country. On the other hand, the World Health Organisation, a non-government affiliated organization, has funds for research which is open to all.
Steps to secure research funding
Once the research objective has been identified:
- Define the research area or field
- Estimate the cost of conducting your research dividing into manpower, equipment, writing material, travel
- Define the timelines of your budget so that granting bodies can visualize their own financial commitments according to your timelines.
- Examine available granting bodies and determine if your research area fits in with their priorities and interest, and the quantum they normally can support
- Determine your eligibility for the grant
- Identify eligible colleagues to collaborate with if the grant is not open to you.
- Submit comprehensive proposal with clear budget requirements
- Highlight areas where the granting body can see the synergy
- Submit progress reports to funding agency
- Establish a good track record
- Publish research findings
- Acknowledge granting body
In summary, securing research funding can be difficult, trying and frequently unsuccessful. Occasionally it requires collaboration with fellow researches who have access to research grants that are not necessarily open to us.
However with a good proposal, and the right approach i.e. being very motivated, enthusiastic, persistent and optimistic, it is not impossible to secure research funding.
Finally you need to establish a good research track record by delivering on the research. Success breeds success and once we are seen to be adept at conducting research, funding becomes easier to secure.
See next page for list of funding sources