Medical research fund unveiled

Here's how to qualify.

According to a report, applications for the Health & Medical Research Fund opened today.

The Food & Health Bureau administers the fund, to build research capacity to encourage, facilitate, and support health and medical research, and formulate health policies.

Research proposals are invited on public health, human health, health services and Chinese medicine; prevention, treatment and control of infectious diseases; and, advanced medical research in paediatrics, neuroscience, clinical genetics and clinical trials.

The fund invites applications from locally based academics, researchers, and healthcare practitioners from the public and private sectors. Collaborative research with non-local institutions is also encouraged.

Applications will be vetted on scientific merit, local relevance, the administering institution's research capacity, applicants' track records, translational potential/value, the proposals' value for money, and research ethics.

The deadline is December 13.