Research support

MRFF 2025 Genomics Health Futures

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Key dates for MRFF 2025 Genomics Health Futures 

  • Proposals open in Sapphire: 14 August 2025
  • UQ R&I NOI Close: 21 January 2026
  • Minimum data requirements in Sapphire: 5pm ACT time 21 January 2026
  • Applications due to UQ R&I: 21 January 2026
  • Applications close: 5pm ACT time 4 February 2026

Overview

This grant opportunity will provide financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:

  • Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): develop and implement pharmacogenomic approaches to identify new medicines and enhance medication efficacy.

Funding under Stream 1 is available as follows: 

  • Topic A: Cancer therapies 
  • Topic B: Antimicrobials 
  • Topic C: Medicines for other infectious or chronic diseases
  • Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct genomics research to optimise the diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and prevention of high-priority and high-burden diseases among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

The amount available for a single grant in each Stream are as follows:

  • Stream 1 – the minimum amount for a single grant is $1.0 million, and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $4.5 million.  
  • Stream 2 – the minimum amount for a single grant is $5.0 million and the maximum amount available or a single grant is $10.0 million. 

How to Apply

Internal notice of intent process

All researchers intending to submit an MRFF application are required to submit a mandatory internal Notice of Intent. NOIs will be collated centrally and distributed to Faculties and Institutes in order to provide maximum support to the UQ research community.

Step 1. Sapphire updates and scheme reading

  • Register for Sapphire and update your full profile 'My Profile and CV'. The Grant Opportunity will be run through the new National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants management system, Sapphire, which replaces RGMS. If any team members are new to Sapphire and need a login/password, start early. The NHMRC require at least three working days to create new Sapphire accounts. 
  • Familiarise yourself with the key MRFF, NHMRC and The University of Queensland (UQ) documentation.

Step 2. Completing the application

Step 3. UQ R&I internal review and feedback

  • Ahead of internal review, ensure all online components are complete and valid in Sapphire and CIA has initiated the Certification process. Application errors will be signalled and can be corrected during the Certification stage.
  • To initiate internal review, email your completed Funding Application Certification to UQ R&I at mrffgrants@research.uq.edu.au.
  • Internal review by UQ R&I/feedback provided (compliance/eligibility/grantsmanship).

Step 4. Final submission

  • Final submission by UQ R&I to NHMRC.

Letters of Support

Signing for all letters of support from UQ is co-ordinated through the Research Office. All Letters of support for MRFF applications, including those led by other institutions, must be accompanied by a completed Funding Application Certification (see below) and authorisations of any enumerated contributions or additional UQ staff beyond the lead CI listed in the letter.  We strongly recommend working with your local school/institute research professionals to complete this process.

To provide time for review and signature, we ask that UQ researchers submit draft letters to mrffgrants@research.uq.edu.au no later than two weeks before the external closing date.

Partner Letters

We would encourage applicants to provide drafts of partner letters of support for review by the Research office before organising their final signature to ensure eligibility and compliance. A template Letter of Support is provided below.

Non-UQ Lead Applications

  • The administering organisation should provide you with a draft letter of support. UQ information from the CEO letter below may assist you in completing the letter.
  • Complete a generic Funding Application Certification, and get it countersigned by your Head of School/Institute.
  • Submit both to mrffgrants@research.uq.edu.au, along with evidence for any additional co-contributions.

Readership and researcher support

Before applying, we recommend you:

Key documents

Before applying, please review the full suite of documents available from GrantConnect, the Australian Government grants information system and:

NHMRC

UQ