Press Releases
Call for Health and Medical Research Fund applications
The Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) opens for applications today
(July 23).
Administered by the Food and Health Bureau (FHB), the HMRF was set up in
2011 by consolidating the Health and Health Services Research Fund (HHSRF)
and the Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases (RFCID). In
addition, the scope of the HMRF was expanded to cover advanced medical
research where Hong Kong enjoys comparative advantages including paediatrics,
neuroscience, clinical genetics and clinical trials. To this end, the
Administration has injected a sum of $1 billion into the new HMRF.
The HMRF aims to help build research capacity and encourage, facilitate and
support health and medical research; formulate health policies, improve
population health, strengthen the healthcare system, enhance healthcare
practices, advance the standard and quality of care and promote clinical
excellence through the generation and application of evidence-based
scientific knowledge derived from local research in health and medicine.
Under the current round of applications, the HMRF invites research proposals
in the following areas:
(a) Public health, human health and health services, Chinese medicine
(previously funded by HHSRF);
(b) Prevention, treatment and control of infectious diseases, in particular
emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases (previously funded by RFCID);
and
(c) Advanced medical research in specific areas, including paediatrics,
neuroscience, clinical genetics and clinical trials.
Collaborative research with non-local institutions is also welcome.
A spokesman for the FHB said, "The call for investigator-initiated grant
applications under the Health and Medical Research Fund underlines the
importance attached by the Government to support both basic and applied
research in medical and health matters."
Priorities will be accorded to the following research areas under the
current round of applications:
(I) Health and health services
(a) Public health theme
* Smoking
* Mental health
* Injury and poisoning
* Alcohol-related harm
* Major non-communicable diseases (NCD)
* Environmental pollution
(b) Health services
* Enhanced primary care
* Chronic disease management and palliative care
* Reducing avoidable hospitalisation
* Enhanced elderly care
* Health systems research
(c) Chinese medicine
(II) Infectious diseases
(a) Respiratory pathogens (including influenza)
(b) Technology platforms for infectious disease
(c) Emerging and zoonotic diseases
(d) Antimicrobial resistance
(III) Advanced medical research
(a) Paediatrics
(b) Neuroscience
(c) Clinical genetics
(d) Clinical trials
Applications will be subject to peer review. The vetting will take into
account scientific merit, local relevance, research capacity of the
administering institution, track record of applicants, value for money of
the proposals and research ethics.
The closing date for applications is November 16, 2012. Details of the
thematic priorities, application guidelines and application forms can be
obtained from the Research Fund Secretariat, Research Office of the FHB at
18/F, Murray Building, Garden Road, Central, or downloaded from the Research
Fund Secretariat's website at
www.fhb.gov.hk/grants.�@Enquiries can be made by fax at 2102 2444 or by
e-mail to rfs@fhb.gov.hk .
Ends/Monday, July 23, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:25
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