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Reminder for MSC-Seed Grant Call

The Mind-Science Centre (MSC) is an academic research centre at the Department of Psychological Medicine under the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. The Centre aims to be a knowledge centre of excellence for psychological research, education and service with a non-drug approach.  The Centre also aims to focus its research to the local context with community-based translational programmes that can be scaled nationally.


(A) Aim

  • The Mind-Science Centre Seed Grant (MSC-Seed) aims to bring exceptional and novel research ideas into fruition to prove their value, efficacy and feasibility. The focus of the research should be translational in nature.


(B) Eligibility Critera

  • The Principal Investigators (PIs) must be a staff under NUS/NUH, defined as a minimum of 6 months employment with the institution.
  • Funding requested should be for new research ideas and not for supplementing existing projects/ collaborations.
  • For proposals involving patients, the PI or co-I should be SMC registered (if applicable); or should be able to demonstrate ability to access patients through SMC registered collaborators.
  • Only one PI is allowed per application.
  • Each PI is allowed to submit up to two applications.
  • MSC-Seed only funds research conducted in Singapore, but can involve overseas collaborators.


(C) Funding Quantum and Duration

Award Categories Capped Amount Maximum Duration
A S$ 100,000 24 months
B S$ 50,000
C S$ 20,000

 

  • The number of awards to be given out will be flexible and not pre-determined.
  • A maximum of S$300,000 will be awarded in total for the MSC-Seed Grant Call 2017.
  • The final approved budget will be administered and managed by the main applicant (PI) and his/her respective Department.


(D) Research Themes

The MSC-Seed is open to application on all research themes with translational value. However, there will be strategic consideration for applications which focus on the following priority areas:

  • Cognitive Enhancement (e.g. subjective cognitive complaints; biomarkers linked to cognitive decline; sleep)
  • Emotional Resilience (e.g. therapies including art therapy, sensory reminiscence therapy, exercise)


(E) Review Process

  • All MSC-Seed applications will be evaluated by the Mind-Science Centre Academic Board. The review process will take about 3 months after the application closes.
  • Projects will be evaluated largely based on scientific merit, research value, impact and relevance to both the Asian society and MSC’s goals.
  • Successful candidates will be notified via email.


(F) Reporting Requirements

  • Recipients are required to provide a progress report to MSC at the midpoint of the estimated project duration.
  • Recipients are to submit a final report of the project to MSC within 3 months from the project completion date.
  • All publications and presentations of this project must acknowledge “NUS Mind-Science Centre” as the funding body.
  • Please refer to document MSC Guidelines for Managing Grants section 7 and 8 for more details.


(G) Use of Funds

  • The funds can be employed for the purposes of Manpower, Equipment and Other Operating Expenses (Publications, Equipment Usage Charges etc.)
  • Please refer to document MSC Guidelines for Managing Grants section 10 for list of non-fundable items.
  • The PI is responsible for obtaining all the necessary approval from the appropriate Board/Office (where applicable).


(H) Schedule and Deadline Details

  • The MSC-Seed Grant Call will be held in November 2017.
  • The outcome would be made known in March/April 2018 and projects are expected to start by August 2018.
Date Deadline
Call for Proposal November 2017 31st January 2018, 5pm
Announcement of Results March/April 2018
Application for Approval/ Preparation May 2018 – July 2018
Commencement of Project August 2018 or earlier
Submission of Progress Report Midpoint of the estimated project duration Second disbursement (Category A), or final disbursement (Category B and C), or one year from the first disbursement, whichever is earlier
Submission of Final Report Project completion Within 3 months of project completion

 

  • All applications should be submitted online to Mr. Jonathan Wong (pcmwyzj@nus.edu.sg) by 31st January 2018, 5pm. Please ensure that all online submissions are endorsed by the corresponding host institution’s Research Director/Head of Department by the closing date.
  • Late or incomplete submissions will not be entertained.

 

Click here to download the MSC-Seed Application Form and Guidelines for Managing Grants.

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