ANZCA Foundation update: March 2023
17 March 2023
New this month: 2024 grant deadline approaching; new PPR grants; please support Environment and Sustainability grant; Covid study among most cited; $2.9m announced for SNaPP study; join us at the Foundation cocktail reception
Deadline for 2024 research grant applications approaching
It is time to get your grant applications in! The deadline for applications for ANZCA Foundation research grants for projects to commence from January 2024 is 5pm, Monday, 3 April. The Research Committee and ANZCA Foundation strongly encourage all interested investigators to submit applications for funding. Applications from Aboriginal, Torres Strait Island, Māori, and novice or emerging investigators are particularly encouraged, as are our researchers from regional centres.
Applicants who have previously been unsuccessful, are also strongly encouraged to reapply. Subsequent applications, when revised to address issues highlighted in constructive expert feedback received from grant reviewers of previous applications, are very often successful.
Consideration of opportunity
Investigators, particularly women, are reminded that our applications forms now allow applicants to document the impact of career disruptions due to events such as pregnancy and childbirth on the opportunity to develop research track records, for consideration in the grant review process. If you are affected please complete the relevant new section.
New ANZCA Professional Practice Research grants
Potential applicants are also reminded that the two most highly ranked applications for the new ANZCA Professional Practice Research grants, being offered for the first time in the currently open funding round, will be guaranteed of 100 per cent funding, provided they are deemed to be of fundable quality. To encourage research in this important field, these will also be assured of funding regardless of whether there are more highly ranked project grant applications. Please also refer to the new professional practice guide on the ANZCA Library website pages for resources to assist in the development of applications.
Please support the Environment and Sustainability Grant
Many fellows and trainees are deeply concerned about the environmental footprint of anaesthesia, perioperative medicine, and pain medicine, and there is great potential to implement more sustainable clinical practices while achieving equivalent or better patient outcomes. The capacity for such improvement is assisted by and reliant upon high-quality research, so the foundation has increased the funding available for its new Environment and Sustainability Research Grant from $15,000 to $25,000 in the current grant round.
We are still urgently seeking donations to support the full funding of this exciting award, which will be critical to its success. I encourage anyone interested in contributing to this important initiative and future sustainability to contact me at the foundation, or, please donate via our online giving portal, easily found by searching ‘ANZCA gift options’.
We greatly appreciate Dr Brenton Sanderson’s continuing leadership and support of this initiative, as well as the small number of generous donors who have previously given to help get this award off the ground.
Supported Covid-19 study among most cited
The foundation was recently advised that the study ‘Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Elective Surgical Patients in Victoria: A Prospective Cohort Study (COVID Prevalence)’, led by Professor Paul Myles was among the top cited papers in the ANZ Journal of Surgery in 2021-22. Authors also included ANZCA investigators David Story, Andrew Davidson, Niki Tan, Andrew Jeffreys, and David A. Scott.
The study, for which the ANZCA Foundation and Professor David Story brokered a grant of $30,000 from the Medibank Better Health Foundation (supplementing Safer Care Victoria funding), aimed to determine the prevalence of active SARS-coronavirus-2 infection during a second wave of patients admitted for elective surgery in Victoria.
The study found a very low approximate prevalence of 1 in 833 among asymptomatic elective surgery patients. On that basis, the investigators were able to recommended that re-commencement of elective surgery be considered, along with mandated coronavirus screening, a significant outcome influencing the ability of patients to once again access urgently needed surgery, anaesthesia, and perioperative care.
ANZCA clinical trials network – new website content on trials and outcomes
Exciting updated content on current and completed ANZCA Clinical trials Network-endorsed trials, including key trial findings, has recently been added to the ANZCA CTN web page under ‘Our clinical trials’.
$2.9 million from MRFF for SNaPP Study
The foundation congratulates ANZCA fellow Professor Kate Leslie AO and her team on recently being awarded $2.9 million from the Australian Medical Research Future Fund, for the Sugammadex, neostigmine and postoperative pulmonary complications (SNaPP) study.
The SNaPP multicentre clinical trial will be administered by the ANZCA CTN and will compare the reversal agents neostigmine and sugammadex. The study will look at pulmonary complications, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness to provide high-quality evidence for future practice.
Join the foundation at the ANZCA Annual Scientific Meeting
With the return of the full face-to-face annual scientific meeting, we are delighted to be able to once again hold the ANZCA Foundation Cocktail Reception for all our wonderful foundation friends and supporters during the meeting.
The function will be held in the Sydney International Convention Centre from 6.30 pm on Sunday 7 March. The ANZCA Named Research Award winners will be acknowledged, and presented with certificates by Research Committee deputy chair Dr Matthew Doane. Please join us to celebrate and recognise the leadership and achievements of our inspirational researchers, amid good company, and an excellent range of drinks and canapes.
An exciting special guest speaker is about to be confirmed! Guests can register through the ASM meeting registration page.
ANZCA Melbourne Awards and Scholarship for 2024
These prestigious grants, which have supported emerging researchers and research higher degree students since 2015 through the greatly appreciated philanthropy of Governor Patron, Dr Peter Lowe, have now been awarded for 2024.
The ANZCA Melbourne Emerging Anaesthesia Researcher Award (AMEARA), has been awarded to Dr Shervin Tosif of Austin Health, for his study ‘Dexamethasone and Albumin in Major Abdominal surGEry to Protect the Endothelial Glycocalyx: DAMAGE Translational Trial’.
The ANZCA Melbourne Emerging Researcher Scholarship (AMERS) was awarded to Dr Jess Davies, also from Austin Health, for her study ‘Translating environmental sustainability evidence into clinical practice in Australian hospitals’.
The ANZCA Foundation warmly congratulates Dr Davies and Dr Shervin and wishes them well as they pursue these important studies.
ANZCA Researcher receives Fulbright Scholarship
The foundation warmly congratulates Professor Alicia Dennis, a member of the ANZCA Research Committee, obstetric anaesthesiologist and Director of Anaesthesia Research at the Royal Women’s Hospital, on receiving a highly prestigious 2023 Australian Fulbright Future Scholarship.
Professor Dennis will use her Fulbright Future Scholarship to undertake The Hopeful Hearts Project at Harvard Medical School to advance understanding of the mechanisms of high blood pressure in people with preeclampsia.
Thanks to our President’s Patrons and donors
The foundation extends its thanks to Dr Andrew Jeffreys from Western Hospital, Victoria, who has recently become a President’s Patron. We also especially thank Dr Alexander Cottle from Cairns, Queensland, who became a President’s Patron in June 2020, for his ongoing generous support.
Thank you to all of our generous donors and particularly our Patrons, who regularly support our efforts to assist the wonderful work of our fellows in research, and global and Indigenous health.
Support the foundation
There are several ways you can give through the foundation, to support research and education programs needed to help continuously improve patient outcomes.
Contact us
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For queries relating to the research grants program, please contact: