2021 MSC Seed Grant
Introduction
Mind Science Centre (MSC) aims to innovate Mind Health with biological and social science and translational research in the community to build an undefeated mind and improve health outcomes now and the future.
It is a leader in research and community intervention programme development to build emotional resilience and optimise cognitive performance, across life trajectory, focusing on conditions that affect child development, youth mental health and brain ageing, in an Asian population.
The Seed Grant aims to catalyst and support cross campus and disciplines research and collaborations in emotional resilience, cognitive enhancement and digital mental health.
Research theme
The MSC Seed Grant 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:
- Emotional Resilience (e.g. therapies including art therapy, sensory reminiscence therapy, exercise)
- Cognitive Enhancement (e.g. subjective cognitive complaints; biomarkers linked to cognitive decline; sleep)
Evaluation Criteria
Projects will be evaluated largely based on scientific merit, research value, impact and relevance to both the Asian society and MSC’s goals. Selection of successful proposals would be based on the following evaluation criteria:
- Category 1: Research Design and Personnel
- Category 2: Research Relevance and Impact to Centre’s Goals and Aims
- Category 3: Alignment with MSC’s short-medium term (1-3 years) goals & priorities.
All MSC Seed Grant applications will be evaluated by the MSC Academic Board.
Click HERE to view the Seed Grant Selection Criteria in detail.
Successful candidates will be notified via email.
Eligibility Criteria
- 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 Grant only funds research conducted in Singapore, but can involve overseas collaborators.
Funding Quantum and Duration
Award Categories
Capped Amount
Maximum Duration
A
S$ 100,000
B
S$ 50,000
24 months
C
S$ 30,000
Capped Amount: S$100,00
Maximum Duration: 24 months
Capped Amount: S$50,000
Maximum Duration: 24 months
Capped Amount: S$30,000
Maximum Duration: 24 months
The number of awards to be given out will be flexible and not pre-determined.
The final approved budget will be administered and managed by the main applicant (PI) and his/her respective Department.
Grant Call Schedule and Process
Date
Deadline
Call for Proposal
01 May 2021
01 August 2021, 5pm
Announcement of Results
September 2021/October 2021
Application for Approval/ Preparation
November 2021 - January 2022
Commencement of Project
February 2022 or earlier
Submission of Progress Report
Midpoint of the estimated project duration
Final disbursement, or 1 year from first disbursement, whichever is earlier
Submission of Final Report
Project completion
Within 3 months of project completion
Date: 01 May 2021
Deadline: 01 August 2021, 5pm
Date: September 2021/October 2021
Date: November 2021 – January 2022
Date: February 2022 or earlier
Date: Midpoint of the estimated project duration
Deadline: Final disbursement, or 1 year from first disbursement, whichever is earlier
Date: Project completion
Deadline: Within 3 months of project completion
Submission Mode and Deadline
All applications should be submitted online to Mr Khor Pock Pin (pockpin@nus.edu.sg) by 01 August 2021, 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.
Review Panel
The 2021 MSC Seed Grant Review Panel consisted members from the MSC Academic Board, chaired by A/Prof Rathi Mahendran and comprised of the following members.
MSC Academic Board
- A/Prof Rathi Mahendran, Chairman, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Psychological Medicine
- Prof Kua Ee Heok, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Psychological Medicine
- A/Prof Tan Chay-Hoon, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology
- Dr Tian Cheong Sing, Senior Consultant, Department of Psychological Medicine
- A/Prof Ng Tze Pin, Associate Professorial Fellow & Research Director, Department of Psychological Medicine
- A/Prof Roger Ho, Senior Consultant, Department of Psychological Medicine
- Adj A/Prof Johnson Fam, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Psychological Medicine
- A/Prof John Wong Chee Meng, Ex-Officio
Note:
- A/Prof Wong and A/Prof Tan abstained from scoring due to potential conflict of interest.
- Ideally each proposal will be independently scored by each member of the MSC Academic Board. Where some members are unavailable, a minimum of 3 members of the Board is required to provide a valid assessment of the proposal prior to approval.
- Should the Chairperson decide the members do not have the technical/scientific expertise to evaluate the academic/scientific merit of a proposal, appropriate subject matter experts will be utilized to provide advice to the Academic Board and/or to independently score the technical content of such proposals.
- Proposals must obtain at least Average in all categories to be shortlisted for consideration.
- The average score will be used to discriminate between multiple proposals i.e. funds will be awarded to proposals with the highest score and drawn down subjected to availability of the pool and MSC Centre Director approval.
- Should two or more competing research projects end up with the same final average score, the Chairman of the MSC Academic Board will make the final recommendation to the Centre Director.
Click HERE to view the Seed Grant Selection Criteria in detail.
Awarded Projects
The 2021 MSC Grant Call was publicised and circulated by the Secretariat of NUSMed, NUHS Research Office and ODPRT in May 2021.
In total, we received 21 applications, from which 7 were shortlisted based on the highest scores for presentation. After a detailed proposal interview, the Review Panel agreed to award 3 grants to the successful applicant with selected research project. The three grants worth a total of $150,000, which will be funded by philanthropic donations.
Project Reference
Project Title
PI
Host Department
A-21-0002
Effectiveness of “Where-there-is-no-psychiatrist Integrated personal Therapy” (WIT) among community dwelling older adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Assistant Professor Shefaly Shorey
Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies
A-21-0003
Impact of different types of higher dietary protein intake on sleep quality in Singapore older adults
Assistant Professor Kim Jung Eun
Department of Food Science and Technology
A-21-0004
Establishing Bio-marker associations between pro-inflammatory cytokines, cortisol and psychiatric resilience phenotypes in Singaporean adolescents
Associate Professor Wong Chee Meng, John
Psychological Medicine
Project title: Effectiveness of “Where-there-is-no-psychiatrist Integrated personal Therapy” (WIT) among community dwelling older adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
PI: Assistant Professor Shefaly Shorey
Host department: Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies
Project title: Impact of different types of higher dietary protein intake on sleep quality in Singapore older adults
PI: Assistant Professor Kim Jung Eun
Host department: Department of Food Science and Technology
Project title: Establishing Bio-marker associations between pro-inflammatory cytokines, cortisol and psychiatric resilience phenotypes in Singaporean adolescents
PI: Associate Professor Wong Chee Meng, John
Host department: Psychological Medicine
The results call was announced in Oct 2021 and circulated by the Secretariat of NUSMed and NUHS Research Office, after the Letters of Agreement were sent to the recipients for acceptance.
FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS
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 MSC Guidelines for Managing Grants section 7 and 8 for more details.
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 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).
