Monash University The ARC Linkage Program Leveraging your R&D dollars June, 2006 Dr Ian Mackinnon Programme Coordinator: Linkage Projects Executive Director: Engineering and Environmental Science Australian Research Council

Is a Commonwealth organisation which became an independent agency in July 2001 under the Australian Research Council Act 2001, within the Education, Science and Training portfolio. Administers funds on behalf of the Commonwealth for the purpose of supporting research in Australia Provides policy advice to Government regarding research Provides: –Support for the highest quality research, leading to the discovery of new ideas and the advancement of knowledge –Funds for the facilities and equipment that our researchers need so that they can compete with the best in the world –Support for training and skills development of our next generation of researchers –Incentives for our most talented researchers to work in partnership with leading researchers throughout the national innovation system and internationally, and form alliances with Australian industry The ARC

The ARC Community CEO – Professor Peter Hoj DCEO and COO – senior public servants 6 EDs – 3 year positions, coming from senior roles in universities or research organisations Approx 70 staff National office at 8 Brindabella Circuit, Canberra Airport Annual departmental budget approx $15 M to administer research funding of $556 M per annum College of Experts, 75 senior university and industry researchers contracted to the ARC for up to 3 years. A pool of active researchers who assist the assessment process via peer-review of proposals

Discovery (DP, IRD and Fed Fellows) excellent research by individuals and teams (FY $290M) Linkage (LP, LIEF and LX) collaborative research and infrastructure use - national & international (FY $160M) Centres (Centres and Research Networks) national centres of research excellence (FY $105M) National Competitive Grants Program (FY 05/06 $555M)

Commonwealth support for R&D Major Federal Research Agencies $M · DSTO · CSIRO · Other R&D Agencies, ANSTO, GA, AIMS etc SUB-TOTAL Business Enterprise Sector · IR&D Tax Concession · R&D Start 87.4 · Other Innovation Support SUB-TOTAL Higher Education Sector · Australian Research Council · Performance Based Block Funding · Other R&D Support and Research Training '' SUB-TOTAL Multisector · NH&MRC and Other Health · Cooperative Research Centres · Rural R&D · Energy and Environment 63.7 · Other Science and Technology Support 71.4 SUB-TOTAL TOTAL COMMONWEALTH Major Federal Research Agencies $M · DSTO · CSIRO · Other R&D Agencies, ANSTO, GA, AIMS etc SUB-TOTAL Business Enterprise Sector · IR&D Tax Concession · R&D Start 87.4 · Other Innovation Support SUB-TOTAL Higher Education Sector · Australian Research Council · Performance Based Block Funding · Other R&D Support and Research Training '' SUB-TOTAL Multisector · NH&MRC and Other Health · Cooperative Research Centres · Rural R&D · Energy and Environment 63.7 · Other Science and Technology Support 71.4 SUB-TOTAL TOTAL COMMONWEALTH

An Environmentally Sustainable Australia Promoting and Maintaining Good Health Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries Safeguarding Australia National Research Priorities

National Competitive Grants Program Discovery Discovery Projects early March 2006 Indigenous Researchers Development early May 2006 Federation Fellowships October 2006 Linkage Linkage Projects LP07R1: 5 th May 2006 LP07R2: 24 th November, 2006 Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities early May 2006 Linkage International Fellowships – 14 th July 2006 Awards – 5 th April, 14 th July, 13 th October, 2006 Thinking Systems 14 December 2005 Centres ARC Centres of Excellence TBA

Linkage Projects Primary aim –Encourage and extend cooperative approaches to research by strengthening links within Australia’s innovation system and within innovation systems internationally Participant roles –Chief Investigator, Partner Investigator –APAI (Aust. Postgraduate Award, Industry) –APDI (< 3 years from PhD), –Linkage Industry Fellowships (LIF) Partners –Private sector; private non-profit organisation; a Govt org with funds not committed to internal research or any other purpose of research, evaluation and/or consultancy. –Does not fund clinical medical and dental research & training –Eligibility ruling can be requested

Timing2 rounds per year; close May and November No. of active projects~1, allocation for current & new grants $110M % of total ARC funds20% Project duration1 – 5 years, normally 3 years Project size $20k to $500k (or more) p.a., average $101k p.a. (non-APAI) No. of CIs per project2.2 No. applications per yr~1,100 Success rate36.7% for LP06 R1 Partner Contributions If no APAI, match ARC with cash+in-kind If < $500K pa, match 20% of ARC as cash If > $500K pa, match 50% of ARC as cash Linkage Projects

Selection Criteria –Investigators’ Track Record20% –Project significance and innovation25% –Project approach and training20% –Project national benefit 10% –Collaborating Organisation commitment 25% Linkage Projects

LP Selection process Assessment by Australian based readers (who read and rank up to 20 applications), or by committee members only for smaller value applications Where received, provision of assessment reports to applicants, and receipt of applicant rejoinders Consideration of applications, assessment reports, and rejoinders by the Committee, who rank applications and form recommendations for funding (including duration and budget).

Application numbers by broad discipline area, LP05 and LP06 DisciplineLP05 Rd 1LP05 Rd 2LP06 Rd 1 BSB EE HCA MIC PCG SBE Total

Linkage Projects 2006 Rd 1 Ave. 1 st year funding Ave. $ funded as % ave. $ requested Ave. total grant size * LP$100, %$320,105 LA$31, %$109,757 Total$94, %$301,672 * These amount include 1/2 APAI amount for year 4.

Linkage Projects 1 st Yr Funding Applications Req’d ($M) Funded Allocated ($M) Success Rate (%) , , , , (R1)

Linkage Projects 2006 Rd 1 DisciplineApplicationsFundedSuccess rate BSB % EE % HCA % MIC % PCG % SBE % Total %

Linkage Projects 2006 Rd 1 ARC fundsPartner organisation funds Partner organisation $ for ARC $1 LP$56,658,515$82,552, LA$1,865,875$1,688, Total$58,524,390$84,240,

YearHostProject TitlePartner Org LP02 JCU Characterisation of snake venom components and screening venom for bioactive compounds Wilsha Holdings Pty Ltd LP02 UNSW Engineering of anti-platelet antibodies for the diagnosis and therapy of infants with bleeding disorders Australian Red Cross Blood Service LP02 Murdoch Univ Fungal glucanase genes for engineering disease resistance in plants Grain Biotech Australia LP02 Univ of Qld Metabolic engineering of sugarcane: production of a biodegradable bioplastic as a test-case Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations LP03 Macquarie Univ Generic modification and lyophilisation of micro- organisms for the generation of bacteriological quality controls BTF Pty Ltd Aust. Govt Analytical Labs LP03 Univ West Sydney Mammalian chitinases and gene therapy: new weapons to combat fungal and insect attack in mammals Westmead Hospital LP03 UNSW Specific gene inhibition through functional genomics and high through-put small molecule screening Quark Biotech Inc Cleveland Biolabs LP04 ANU New methods for directed molecular evolution of novel protein functions Evogenix Pty Ltd LP04 Griffith Univ Development of improved technologies for high throughput screening of potential diseased genes Corbett Research Pty Ltd LP05 Univ of Qld Biocatalysts mined from cytochrome P450 libraries: an innovative tool for accelerating drug development AstraZeneca R&D

Suggestions … LP is about collaboration – relationships matter Establish shared expectations and goals Sort out IP early and clearly; establish fundamentals of contractual arrangements as early as possible (e.g. while drafting proposal) Review the ARC draft funding agreement with University before proposal submission Appreciate the “cash leverage” – about 2:1 – within your organisation as an industry partner; understand IP implications Establish regular and alternate communication channels within the R&D group Recognise possible cultural differences in workplace (including where the work will be undertaken)

Primary aims –encourages institutions to collaborate to develop research infrastructure –supports large-scale cooperative initiatives for sharing expensive facilities –supports areas of research strength and researchers in recognised areas of research potential Funding –Applications request > $100,000 –ARC contributes at most 75% of the direct cost of purchasing equipment or establishing facility. Linkage Infrastructure

Timing1 round per year, closes May No. of grants per year~ allocation~$35M % of total ARC funds~7% Project durationN/A Grant sizeAverage about $400k No. of Orgs per grantAverage ~4 No. of applications/yr ~150 Typical success rate50%50%

Linkage Infrastructure st yr funding ApplicationsFundedSuccess rate % % % % % % %

Linkage Infrastructure Requested funds by funded applications Total ARC allocation Partner contribution (cash component only) % of average requested funds $45,130,007$37,314,577$30,337, %

Thank you