Apply for seed funding within the field of oral health
The KI-NDCS-NTU oral health steering group is pleased to announce the availability of limited competitive funds for grant applications by faculty, staff and/or trainees to strengthen collaborative interactions within oral health and innovations. The funds are to be used as “seed grants” aiming at starting or sustaining bilateral collaborations with Singapore within the field of oral health innovations and biotechnologies, in order to address emerging issues in global health.
This year, KI researchers may apply for seed money to write a larger grant proposal in the field of oral health innovations together with one or several partners in the KI-NDCS-NTU oral health network, in an interdisciplinary manner. The grant should target major granting agencies (e.g. EC, SSF, STINT, VINNOVA). Examples of areas include oral health robotics, tele-diagnostics, artificial intelligence and oral tissue bioengineering.
The maximal amount awarded will be 150.000 SEK per proposal to the KI applicant, which may be used to support the proposed period of project work costs.
The Singapore side of the KI-NDCS-NTU network includes: The National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS); The Nanyang Technological University: School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering (SCBE), College of Engineering (COE), School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE); and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMed). In the proposal the applicant shall indicate with a short description which partner/s and research PI/s will be collaborating.
The awarded projects should generally be initiated no later than January 1st 2021, although in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic there is some flexibility in the start date.
A local selection process is conducted in Singapore for groups that seek matching institutional seed funds in Singapore.
Assessment of applications
The applications will be evaluated by the KI-NDCS-NTU steering group and/or by an external committee of experts chosen within the network, led by the KI academic coordinator Assoc Prof Margaret Sällberg Chen and in accordance with the KI regulations of Conflict of Interest.
All applications are assessed on the basis of the following three criteria
- scientific quality and potential of the proposed project
- project feasibility and synergy
- prospect for long-term collaborative research, education, and innovation within oral health technologies
Scientific quality and potential of the proposed project
- Is the project original, innovative and challenging of current opinions or praxis?
- Does it include an innovative hypothesis, or does it seek to resolve important obstacles for continued progresses within the research area?
- Does the project involve new ideas, therapies or interpretations?
- If the project aims are achieved, will that significantly enrich knowledge in the particular research field and knowledge of health, disease and healthcare?
- Does the project have clinical relevance, and would the likely results be clinically implementable in the future?
Project feasibility
- Is there sufficient methodological know-how to implement the project in the manner described?
- Are there other experiences that in combination with the applicant´s various competencies strengthen the projects feasibility?
- Are materials, methods and collaborations well-chosen and adjusted for the hypothesis or problem area in question?
- What are the strengths and weakness of the chosen approach?
- Is the project ethically sound?
- Are the financial resources realistic in relation to the scope of the collaboration/grant application?
- Are the collaboration partners clearly indicated?
Prospect for long-term collaborative research, education or innovation within the global goal of oral health
- Is the research plan consistent with the expertise, research focus and infrastructure of all collaborating parties?
- Is the collaboration or collaborative idea credible?
- Is there a demonstrated clear and believable division of tasks and activities between the collaborating labs?
- Do factors exist that could emphasize the coherence of the proposed project, such as prior collaborative efforts as evidenced by common publications and/or grants?
- Does the application make clear that the achievement of the project goals is dependent on the participation and interaction of complementary skills and knowledge from both sides?
Assessment scale
5 points = outstanding
4 points = excellent
3 points = very good
2 points = good
1 point = insufficient
Written feedback to applicants
There will be no written feedback to the applicants. All applicants will receive an e-mail with a decision if they are granted funding or not.
Application process and deadline
The deadline for 2020 grant proposals is Wednesday Oct 21th 2020 at 17:00. Proposals must be submitted to KI Grant Office, to e-mail address grantsoffice@ki.se
Proposals submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
The application should be sent in as a single word or PDF file, be no more than 5 pages in total. It should consist of a research plan, budget plan, key references, and CV of the applicants (max 1 page each)
Please mark the application with Dnr 2-3691/2020.
Decision will be communicated no later Nov 31th and grant can be used from 1st of January 2021.
More information
For more information about the submission process, contact: