The Cardiovascular Lipid Research Grants (CVL) are awarded for the purpose of advancing clinical research in the fields of cardiovascular disease including stroke, lipid disorders and associated areas. The proposals should predominantly involve clinical research in humans.

Applications are invited from medical graduates who have entered the field of research (or returned after an appropriate break) within the last five years (eg the applicant has initiated or has been awarded a PhD/MD within the last five years). Applications will not be accepted from senior researchers including professors, associate professors, or CIAs for successful NH&s;MRC applications.

The principal applicant must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia. Grant recipients must conduct the majority of the research within Australia.

Grants will be awarded for one year.

Funding for CVL Grants will be up to $55,000 (including GST) per annum and will be awarded to cover part salaries, equipment, research materials and expenses. Travel to conferences will only be funded to the value of $1500. Equipment will be funded only if it is essential for the conduct of the research.

Grant recipients must notify the CVL Grant Coordinator of any other funding obtained (or applied for) for the duration of the CVL grant. Only one CVL Grant will be allocated to a single applicant in a given year although applications will be accepted and reviewed for more than one project. Applicants will not be eligible to receive funding from more than one Pfizer Australia Research Grants program in the same financial year.

Applications will be reviewed by two independent reviewers and by the Australian Physicians Independent Committee (APIC), which is composed of leading physicians and researchers from around the country. Pfizer will also review proposals involving any Pfizer compounds. The APIC is responsible for independent objective evaluation and recommendations of funding proposals for research projects. All decisions of the APIC are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

All personal information provided in your application, project summary and assessment details will be kept by the CVL Grant Coordinator, Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd and only be used for the purposes of administering this application, and if successful, the grant. Your personal information will be disclosed to reviewers as noted above. Applicants have the right to access their personal information at any time. If you wish to do this please contact the CVL Grant Coordinator. The details of all successful applications will be published on the CVL website.

The funding is not being used to influence or reward the recipient for present, past or future use or support of Pfizer medicines or to influence the outcome of clinical trials.

If you are a successful recipient you will be required to provide Pfizer Australia with a Tax Invoice inclusive of GST from your institution. This Tax Invoice must include the institutions’ ABN.

The application must be submitted via the online CVL application form which can be accessed from the CVL website.

If you have any questions regarding the completion of the application form please contact Trudy Snape on (02) 9850 3973.

Required Documents:

• Completed Grant Application form
• Study Proposal
• CV – Principal Investigator only
• Publication list
• A letter from the supervisor or department head supporting the project
• Human Research Ethics Committee approval letter, if applicable (funding will not be granted until the ethics approval letter has been received by the CVL Grant Coordinator)

CVL grants are awarded with the expectation that timely submissions for presentation will be made at appropriate medical meetings or research forums and that papers will be submitted for publication in appropriate peer-reviewed medical journals. The grant recipients will be required to provide Pfizer with an opportunity to review any proposed publications. A copy of all published papers must be sent to the CVL Grant Coordinator. Furthermore, Pfizer Australia will be acknowledged for sponsoring the research.

It is a requirement of CVL Research Grants that protocols that receive funding are not altered following the review process.

We understand that applicants may apply for funding from other sources. Please inform the CVL Grant Coordinator if you do receive funding prior to grants being awarded.

Twelve months after receiving funds, grant recipients will be required to provide a 500-word research summary to the CVL Grant Coordinator.

Pfizer Australia reserves the right to publicise the names of the grant recipients, their institutions, titles and summaries of their research projects, following consultation with the APIC.

All decisions of the APIC are final.