ARC DISCOVERY and LINKAGE Opportunities for Medical Research: Diversify Research Funding Winthrop Professor Colin Raston November 2010 Centre for Strategic Nano-Fabrication

ARC DISCOVERY: the Fundamentals - support Funding range: $20,000 - $500,000 p.a. Duration of Funding: 1- 5 years (usually three years). Research Types supported Pure basic research Strategic basic research Applied research Research Types Not Supported Clinical medical and dental research!!!!!!! …….

ARC DISCOVERY: the Fundamentals Dates for the award of a PhD (or having achieved equivalent status) to be eligible for Discovery Projects Fellowships and/or Early Career Researcher (ECR) status: Early Career Researcher (ECR) - on or after 1 March Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship (APD) - on or after 1 March Other fellowships – ARC consultation paper! - Prof Margaret Sheil, CEO ARC - Woolnough Lecture Theatre, am Friday Dec 3

Know the College of Experts members Biological Sciences and Biotechnology (BSB)Biological Sciences and Biotechnology (BSB) Engineering and Environmental Science (EE)Engineering and Environmental Science (EE) Mathematics. Information and Communication Sciences (MIC)Mathematics. Information and Communication Sciences (MIC) Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences (PCG)Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences (PCG) Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences (SBE)Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences (SBE)

Selection Criteria Investigator/s track record - 40%Investigator/s track record - 40% Relative to opportunities Proposed project content – 60%Proposed project content – 60% Significance and innovation - 30% Approach and Training (including appropriateness of budget) - 20% National Benefit - 10%

Collaboration - Chief Investigators (CIs) Research Team versus single CI – CI with ARC DP (LP) Australian Partner Investigators (PIs), eg CSIRO International collaboration - Partner Investigators (PIs) Multi-institutional versus single institution Not an ARC LIEF (LE) application - Large equipment requests can be a problem Research training Outcomes and outputs - deliverables Mentoring How to optimise your rankings? Establish Strategies

Long-term strategies Connect with the east coast Check the rules carefully Form long lasting collaborative research teams Keep the Track Record in check for all CIs (and PIs) ARC or NH&MRC or both!!!! ….. Maximum number of DP grants including fellowships 2 ≤ 1 as sole CI Success rate ~ 20%

ARC LP: Partner Organisation (PO) Industry (PO) - broad definition ‘Product’ to sell to industry Deliverables and publications (outcomes versus outputs) Research ‘training’ for the industry Funding ‘opportunity’ for industry Tax relief Community commitment Industry access to major infrastructure International collaboration – PI and PO Protected IP

Models for developing partnerships Through scholarships - Summer vacation - Honours Workshops and ‘Breakfast’ meetings Industry site visits Marketing - trade displays Through Alistar Robertson etc. Office of Industry and Innovation Technology roadmaps with the company ………

Challenges Expect delays - testing your commitment? Awareness and agreement for partnership Setting realistic achievables Setting realistic budgets Financial commitment - including in-kind$ More than one ‘industry’ IP agreements Dealing with different personnel in each organisation Funding up to five years!

High in innovation (25% weighting) APAI’s and/or other personnel including APDI’s Short term versus multiple year support (up to five years) Large equipment requests can be a problem Strong commitment form industry - 20% cash for the ‘alliance’ - in-kind + cash = ARC support ≥ $500k/year possible – separate process Other issues

Maximum number of LP grants 4 4 APAI only Success rate ~ 50% Proven model – Postdoctoral Research Associate + APAI $25k/year from PO $100k in kind support $125k request from ARC

Current ARC LP iCeutica - drug delivery - Raston, Iyer, Lim, Bosch (PI) - PRA + APAI Chimere Pearls - medical applications of pearl nacre - Raston, Iyer, Bond, Dunlop, Wood - PRA + 3APAI NanoDynamics- process intensification - Raston, Jachuck (PI) - APAI Requested ARC LP The Perth Mint - applications of nano- Au, Ag, Pd, Pt - Raston, Iyer - PRA + APAI

ARC consultation paper -Prof Margaret Sheil, CEO ARC - Woolnough Lecture Theatre, am Friday Dec 3

Final word You are doing science for a reason in engaging with industry – convey your passion and excitement about your research and ideas as clearly as possible. Seek advice/feedback from all the sources available.

Questions