The Health Research Board
The Health Research Board is a statutory body that promotes, funds, commissions and conducts medical, epidemiologica and health services research in Ireland. The HRB encourages research that translates into improved diagnosis, understading, treatment and prevention of disease and improves efficiency and effectiveness of the health services. The HRB works closely with partners in Northern Ireland, the United States and Europe to promote health research on the island of Ireland. Futher information can be found at the official website.
Summer Student Scholarships
Application forms for summer student scholarships will be available from February 2006 for undergraduate students in biomedical sciences, medicine, dentistry, health services research and other health related disciplines to support their participation in research during the summer months.
Each year the HRB funds summer students to do a short research project. At the end of the summer students present their results and findings and the Watts medal is awarded to the student who delivers the best presentation. The purpose of the student scholarships is to encourage an interest in research and to give the student an opportunity of becoming familiar with research techniques.
These scholarships must be held at a university, hospital or research centre in the Republic of Ireland. The number of scholarships awarded in 2005 was in the region of 30 - 40.
Eligibility: Undergraduate students in the biomedical sciences, medicine, dentistry, health services research or other health related disciplines, other than those in their final year, are eligible to apply for funding. Each student should submit only ONE application to this scheme. Each supervisor should support only ONE applicant. Please note that students who were funded in 2005 are unlikely to be funded again in 2006.
Conditions of Grant: The student will be expected to work under the supervision of a senior member of his or her Department on a project of direct interest to the Department. Students will be required to furnish a report at the end of the period of the grant, the normal duration of which will be 8 weeks.
Value of Award: The amount payable will be €200 per week for a maximum of 8 weeks.
Selection Procedures: Selection will be on the basis of the quality of the proposal and the academic performance of the student.
Watts Medal and Poster Competition: The Watts Medal and Prize will be presented by the Board for the best project report submitted by a holder of a HRB summer student scholarship. Students will also be invited to participate in a poster competition for which a First, Second and Third prize will be awarded.
Proposed Calendar of Grant Schemes for 2005/2006
For Summer scheme students the call date is February 2006 and the deadline is mid-April 2006.
Preparing a Good Grant Application: The ingredients of a successful grant application are good ideas, sound methodology and a clear, well-written application. The Health Research Board (HRB) receives an average of 500 grant applications each year (this includes applications for fellowships, project grants, programme and equipment grants). The average success rate of these applications is about 25%.
Successful Grant Application: The proposed research should be based on a significant hypothesis or research question and oriented towards research for health and social gain which includes basic and translational research, health services research* and practice based research. Specific methods should be directly related to each aim of the project. Likewise, the specific aims/objectives should be related to each hypothesis. All aspects of the application should be clear and focused. It is best to define all assumptions, limitations and alternative approaches. In general, the ideal approach is for the applicant to address all possible problems before the reviewers do.
* For further information on issues such as study design and sampling researchers working in health services research, epidemiology and public health might like to refer to The Pocket Guide to Grant Applications by Iain K. Crombie and Charles du V Florey, published by the British Medical Journal and available from the BMJ Bookshop via the BMj website.
How Grant Applications are Assessed: Reviewers judge the strengths and weaknesses of the research grant applications by assessing how well it answers the following questions:
- Is the hypothesis valid?
- Are the aims/objectives logical?
- Are the procedures feasible, adequete and appropriate for the research proposed?
- Is the research likely to produce new data and concepts or confirm existing hypotheses?
- What is the significance and originality of the proposed study in the research area?
- Are the principal investigator and the staff qualified to conduct the proposed work as judged by their track record, demonstrated competence, academic credentials, research experience, productivity and publications?
- Are the facilities, equipment and other resources adequate for the proposed work and is the environment conducive to productive research?
- Is the proposed study cost effective?
- Is the project likely to lead to publications in international peer-reviewed journals or other publications?
In most grant application forms 4 key questions are typically posed and in preparing the grant application the applicant should ask him/herself the following questions:
(1) Aims/Objectives (what do you intend to do?)
Hypothesis: Is the hypothesis valid and important in this particular sphere of investigation and is it feasible to test this hypothesis using available methods?
Objectives: Are the specific aims ligical, carefully chosed, well defined, clearly stated and reasonable? What steps are going to be taken to achieve the aims?
(2) Significance (why is the work important? Describe the background and put the proposal in context)
Background: Have I collected thoroughly, reviewed crticially and organised logically the data and events that led to the present proposal and does this background information justify the next step, which is the proposal? Have I made a clear distinction between (a) what others or collaborators have done, (b) what I have done and (c) what I intend to do?
Literature: Have I demonstrated a thorough understanding and a balanced knowledge of the pertinent literature and have I emphasised or clarified discrepanceis?
Gaps to be Filled: Will the results of the research fill a defined gap in our knowledge or advance our understanding of this subject? Or will the research facilitate the development of valuable techniques or experimental models, lead to rational treatment for some pathological condition or change existing practices?
Importance: Is this research likely to yield new conclusions that will have general theoretical value or practical clinical significance or impact the delivery or organisation of practices or health services?
(3) Preliminary Studies (what have you already done?)
Feasibility: Have the preliminary studies demonstrated that the methods, procedures, techniques and protocols are feasible, adequate and appropriate and that the hypothesis is therefore readily testable?
Experience of Investigator: Does my professional background, research experience, past progress in the topic, knowledge of recent internatioal developments in the field and preliminary experiments as outlined in this application demonstrate that I am qualified to perform the study, that I have the technical competence and skills needed for the proposed work and that my results will be reliable and inspire confidence in my peers?
(4) Research Plan (how are you going to do the work?)
Design: Is the research plan original, appropriate, valid, carefully designed, straightforward, well organised, logically conceived and lucidly described?
Methods: Are the methods robust and appropriate for the proposed investigation and are they described in adequate detail? Do the methods correspnd to the specific aims?
Innovations: Am I using innovative procedures to overcome difficult technical problems? Are these innivative procedures feasible and will within my competence and experience? Do I have evidence or modelling data to show that these new approaches are feasible? Do these new procedures have obvious and clearly described advantages over the standard techniques now in use? Have I provided pilot data if available?
Advantages: Have I anticipated and adequately discussed potential difficulties and obstacles in the approach chosen? Have I carefully considered the advantages and disadvantages of each method?
Limitations: Have I recognised the limitations of the methods and how these limitations can influence the analysis and interpretation of the results? Have I involved external collaborators where my research team has limited experience in the use of special methods?
Difficulties Anticipated: Am I fully aware of difficulties that may be encountered in the implementation of the research plan and of the specific methods? Have I convinced the reviewers that I will be able to circumvent anticipated, as well as unexpected, difficulties or propose logical and appropriate alternatives to any methodological obstacles that might be encountered?
Sequence: Have I developed my research plan in a carefully focused, step-by-step, ordered manner? Have I drawn up a good project management work plan indicating the feasibility of completing the project in the time frame allocated?
Analysis of Data: Have I given careful attention to the type of data results that could be expected so that I can analyse only valid and relevant data? Have I provided an analysis to justify the sampling strategy and sample sizes with estimates of statistical power? Have I detailed the handling and analysis of the data in my application?
Interpretation of Anticipated Results: Have I demonstrated an awareness of the underlying principles and the associated complexities of the area under study so that I can interpret my results appropriately?
It can also be helpful to seek a pre-submission review of the draft application by experienced colleagues if time permits.
HRB eGrants
To Register: To apply for a grant through the eGrants system you must be registered. You can register at the HRB eGrant site for applicants.
