The Medical Research Future Fund is now fully capitalised, with $20bn in the kitty. Joy is not entirely unconfined

The medical research community has long grumbled about aspects of MRFF funding allocations. The Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes is using a Department of Health stakeholder survey on the grants process to call for “greater clarity … on how review processes and funding decisions are made.”

AAMRI’s suggestions include, more information for applicants on the rationale for funding calls, more information on success rates, composition of assessment panels, monthly updates on outcomes and stats on success rates by gender, career stage, state and research organisation.

Overall AAMRI warns, “A number of leading researchers and research organisations are taking the view that the best way to achieve funding success in the MRFF is to engage a government relations advisor or lobbyist, with a view to influencing research funding areas and to try and get advance notice of what funding rounds are on the horizon.”