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MRFF 2026 Traumatic Brain Injury

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Key dates

  • Proposals open in Sapphire: 4 February 2026
  • UQ R&I Notice of Intent due: 13 May 2026
  • Minimum data requirements in Sapphire: 20 May 2026 
  • Applications due to UQ R&I: 27 May 2026
  • Applications close: 17 June 2026

Overview

The Traumatic Brain Injury Mission (the Mission) aims to enable or support research designed to improve the lives of all Australians who experience a traumatic brain injury.

The objectives and intended outcomes of this grant opportunity are aligned with the following Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities 2024-2026:

  • Consumer-Driven Research
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing  
  • Priority Populations
  • Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health

A person must not be named as a Chief Investigator (CI) on more than one application submitted to a Stream of this grant opportunity.

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

  • Stream 1 (Priority area 2.1, Targeted Call for Research): test the efficacy and complete a process evaluation of novel treatments, clinical indicators and/or interventions for moderate to severe traumatic brain injury in reducing time spent in acute care and/or improving long-term patient outcomes.
  • Stream 2 (Priority area 2.3, Targeted Call for Research): conduct research to support effective national adoption and best practice use of clinical guidelines and protocols for mild traumatic brain injury, including integration of prognostic and predictive approaches, and assessing and addressing barriers to implementation and inequalities including in all of:
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
    • people affected by family, domestic and sexual violence
    • older people
    • rural, regional and remote populations in geographically diverse areas
    • culturally and linguistically diverse populations.

This grant opportunity is intended to support projects that progress research that addresses a specific health need.

Funding is available for grants up to $1.5 million (stream 1) or $2.0 million (stream 2) for projects of up to 5 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. 
  • Download guidelines and application templates from GrantConnect. Familiarise yourself with the key MRFF, NHMRC and UQ documentation (see below). 

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 MRFF Funding Application Certification form (below).
  • UQ Research Office will review your application and provide you with feedback as requested in NOI (eligibility & compliance; 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 Support

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.

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.

Readership and researcher support

Before applying, we recommend you:

Key documents

MRFF

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

NHMRC

UQ forms and resources

Contact UQ R&I