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MRFF 2025 Clinical Trials Activity

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The 2025 round is currently open to applications.

The 2024 round is currently under assessment and awaiting outcomes. 

Key Dates

  • Proposals open in Sapphire: 24 September 2025
  • UQ R&I NOI Due: 2 March 2026
  • Minimum data requirements in Sapphire: 5pm (ACT time) 4 March 2026
  • Applications due to UQ R&I: 11 March 2026
  • Applications close: 5pm (ACT time) 1 April 2026

Overview

The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:

  • Stream 1 (Incubator): conduct a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a new clinical trial for one or more treatments and/or management strategies for a rare cancer, rare disease and/or unmet need. 
  • Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a clinical trial of one or more treatments and/or management-based interventions for rare cancers, rare diseases and/or unmet need.
  • Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a clinical trial that supports the delivery of effective and high value care by targeting evidence gaps of value to health technology assessment processes in Australia.
  • Stream 4 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a prevention clinical trial aimed at reducing the risk, onset or progression of disease through early intervention strategies.

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

  • Stream 1: There is no minimum amount available and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $0.8 million over a maximum of 2 years.
  • Stream's 2, 3 and 4: There is no minimum amount available and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $5 million over a maximum of 7 years.

How to Apply

Step 1. Internal Notice of Intent (NOI)

All researchers intending to submit an MRFF application are required to submit an 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.

Submit UQ Notice of Intent

Step 2. Sapphire updates and scheme reading

  • Register for Sapphire and update your full profile  'My Profile and CV'. All Chief Investigators (CI) and Associate Investigators (AI) will need to have an active Sapphire account. Any team members without a Sapphire account should request one as early as possible. 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 3. Completing the application

  • Log into Sapphire and complete the application. Sections of the application will validate as they are completed.
  • Ensure all required data is entered into the application before the Minimum Data deadline (see Key dates above). Applications that do not meet this deadline will not be able to proceed.

Step 4. 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 the UQ Research Office at mrffgrants@research.uq.edu.au with your completed Funding Application Certification form.
  • UQ Research Office will review your application and provide you with feedback as requested in NOI (compliance & eligibility; refinement; or content grantscraft).

Step 5. Final submission

  • When your application is complete and fully compliant, the UQ Research Office will submit the application to the NHMRC through Sapphire.

Letters of Suport

UQ Letters

Most MRFF applications administered in Sapphire will not require a letter of support from UQ. This is usually only necessary if UQ is committing cash to the project.

We ask that UQ researchers submit draft letters for signing to us no later than two weeks before the external closing date. We strongly recommend working with your local school/institute research professionals to complete this process.

If you require a letter from UQ:

  • Draft a letter using the template in Key Documents below.
  • Collect authorisations of any enumerated contributions or additional UQ staff beyond the lead CI listed in the letter.
  • Send the draft letter, authorisations and a fully signed MRFF Funding Application Certification form to the Research Office at mrffgrants@research.uq.edu.au.

Partner Letters

We 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 partner letter of support is provided below.

Non-UQ Lead Applications

  • The administering organisation should provide you with a draft letter of support. We recommend you work with your local research support to complete the letter.
  • Complete and sign an MRFF Funding Application Certification form (see below), 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.

The UQ Clinical Trials Centre

The UQ Clinical Trials Centre collaborates with UQ Lead Investigators to provide end-to-end support in the design, conduct, analysis, publication, and translation of randomised controlled trials. UQ CTC welcomes collaboration requests for the upcoming NHMRC CTA scheme.

The team brings expertise in trial management, biostatistics, data systems, quality assurance, and Consumer and Community Involvement (CCI), which helps strengthen applications to maximise the potential for funding success.

For more information, please visit the UQ CTC Collaboration Website or contact the team directly at uqctc@uq.edu.au.

 

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