Gilead has launched its 2020 fellowship research grants program with $250,000 in total funding available for successful applicants across Australia.
The fellowship, now in its ninth year, aims to help bridge the gap in Australian research funding, providing support to projects that have a local community focus and which often struggle to secure funding or face high competition.
The company said applications are sought from research projects with a clinical and ‘real-world’ focus, ideally engaging with local communities and aimed at enhancing patient outcomes in HIV, chronic viral hepatitis, haematological malignancies, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, inflammatory diseases, and invasive fungal infections.
According to Dr Paul Slade, acting general manager and senior medical director at Gilead Sciences Australia, “Gilead was founded by scientists, and today science and research remains at our core, as we continue in our aspirations to cure diseases. Despite our size, we are one of the top 10 investors in clinical trials in Australia and we are committed to improving the lives of the people we treat through further Australian research and development projects.
“We are very proud of the Gilead Australia Fellowship Research Grants Program and the impact we have already seen over the last eight years from previous recipients. We are excited to see this year’s applications and look forward to supporting the next generation of Australian researchers through the Fellowship."
Last year’s recipients were split across six projects and included Dr Paul Yeh from the University of Melbourne. Dr Yeh's research project is looking at genetic factors in stem cell transplant donors and the potential impact on the outcome of stem cell transplants.
“I’m really happy with how the project is going,” said Dr Yeh. “We’ve already achieved what we set out to in this first stage, and the next stage will now determine whether there is value in running genetic sequencing on donors – important information to help transplant physicians utilise this valuable resource."
“The contribution from Gilead’s Fellowship Grant has enabled us to perform the sequencing, and helped progress this project. Winning this prestigious award and receiving Gilead’s support has made a significant difference.”
Total funding under the 2020 fellowship program is $250,000 with the maximum amount awarded to an individual project being $60,000. Applications close 16 August 2019 with recipients announced in January 2020.
More information is available online.