*****PLEASE CIRCULATE TO RESEARCH COLLEAGUES AS APPROPRIATE****

Dear All,

As you may already know from earlier publicity, Dr Peter Craig from the Chief Scientist Office (part of the Scottish Executive Health Department) is visiting the University this Friday (5th December 2003) to talk to University researchers about the various funding schemes available through the CSO. Dr Craig, who is Research Manager for the Public Health and Mental Health priority research areas and a member of the Health Services Research Committee, will be presenting an information session for research staff/students from 2pm to 4pm in the Court Room in the Cottrell Building. If you would like to come along to pick up some useful tips on applying for funding from the CSO, simply book a seat by phoning Sylvia Barnes on ext 7041 or emailing her on sb18@stir.ac.uk. If you're not sure whether the session would be of use to you or not, some further info about the Chief Scientist Office follows:-

Background The Chief Scientist Office supports and promotes high quality research aimed at improving the services offered by NHS Scotland, and the health of the people of Scotland, and advises the Scottish Executive Health Department on how research contributes to improvements in health and healthcare. Research is commissioned in the following specific priority areas:- cancer; cardio and cerebrovascular disease; mental health; public health; and primary care, and importance is also placed on the following: ageing and quality of life; child health; obesity and ill health, diabetes, asthma; infection (eg. resistant microorganisms, "environmental" infections, emerging pathogens); and clinical applications of biomedical technology. Genetics and healthcare has also recently been announced as a new research initiative. Obviously these research areas cross a number of disciplines, and may thus be of interest to a wide range of departments at the University.

Types of funding There are a number of schemes to which University researchers can apply, some of which are open to any discipline, provided the proposal fits within the CSO's research priorities. For more details of each, see http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/cso/ and click on Applying For Funding:- * Project grants (up to £150K over 3 yrs) - open to applicants from any discipline * Small grants (up to £15K for up to 12 mths) - open to applicants from any discipline * Specific research programme calls (eg. Health Technology Devices) * Visiting research fellowships (for experienced researchers from outside Scotland to visit for up to 12 mths) * Research training fellowships (for healthcare professionals to increase their research skills over a period of 1 to 3 yrs) * Postgraduate studentships

Stirling successes: A number of departments have been successful with their applications to the CSO over the past 4 years, raising over £450,000 in total :- Applied Social Sciences = 3 projects; Management & Organisation = 1 project; Nursing & Midwifery = 5 projects; Psychology = 3 projects

Forthcoming CSO deadlines: 9th January 2004 & 30th April 2004 - full project grant applications to the Biomedical and Therapeutic Research Committee 15th January 2004 - outline applications to the Health Technology Devices Programme 1st March 2004 - outline applications to the Genetics & Healthcare Initiative 31st March 2004 - full project grant applications to the Health Services Research Committee April 2004 - likely deadline for next research training fellowship round

Hope you think this will be of interest to you - if so, remember to register via Sylvia (see above) and we'll see you there on Friday!

Best Wishes

Julia ************************************************************************** **** Julia Campbell Research Funding Officer (jobshare with Claire Jones) Planning & Research Office Room 3B1 Cottrell Building Ext 6690 Fax 6688 Email: jec3@stir.ac.uk Julia's hours of work: Tues all day, Wed am, Friday all day Claire's hours of work: Mon all day, Wed pm, Thurs all day ************************************************************************** **