Clinician Scientist – Individual Research Grant Program (Singapore)

Deadline: 03-Aug-2026

The Clinician Scientist-Individual Research Grant (CS-IRG) supports clinician scientists in Singapore to conduct internationally competitive basic, clinical, and translational medical research, including investigator-initiated clinical trials. The grant provides up to S$2.028 million per project for research lasting up to five years to develop innovative therapies, diagnostics, and healthcare interventions.

About the Clinician Scientist-Individual Research Grant (CS-IRG)

The Clinician Scientist-Individual Research Grant (CS-IRG) is designed to strengthen clinician-led medical research by supporting innovative projects that address important healthcare challenges and improve patient outcomes.

The programme encourages high-quality, investigator-initiated research that advances medical knowledge, develops new treatments, improves diagnostic methods, and translates scientific discoveries into clinical practice. It supports research across the full spectrum of basic, clinical, and translational science, helping clinician scientists generate evidence that contributes to better healthcare delivery and medical innovation.

Funding Amount

The grant provides:

• Maximum funding: Up to S$2.028 million per project.
• Funding includes up to 30% indirect costs.
• Project duration: Up to 5 years.
• Indirect costs are not applicable to research scholarship budgets.

Programme Objectives

The CS-IRG aims to:

• Support internationally competitive medical research.
• Advance clinician-led scientific innovation.
• Encourage investigator-initiated clinical trials.
• Develop novel therapies and medical interventions.
• Improve diagnostic technologies.
• Address national and global healthcare challenges.
• Strengthen translational research from laboratory to patient care.
• Build long-term clinician scientist research capacity.

Research Areas Supported

The programme supports projects across all medical research themes, including:

• Basic biomedical research.
• Clinical research.
• Translational research.
• Investigator-initiated clinical trials.
• Development of innovative therapies.
• Medical diagnostics.
• Healthcare interventions.
• Patient-centred research.

Researchers are encouraged to propose innovative projects that demonstrate strong scientific merit and potential clinical impact.

Why This Grant Matters

The CS-IRG enables clinician scientists to pursue independent research that improves healthcare outcomes and advances medical science.

The programme helps researchers:

• Translate discoveries into clinical applications.
• Develop new treatment approaches.
• Improve disease diagnosis and management.
• Generate evidence for better healthcare practices.
• Build internationally competitive research careers.
• Strengthen Singapore’s clinical research ecosystem.

Who is Eligible?

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Hold a primary salaried appointment at a public healthcare institution or autonomous university in Singapore.
• Demonstrate an independent research track record.
• Be employed for at least nine months per calendar year with a local public institution.
• Submit only one application as Principal Investigator per grant call.

Each application may have only one Principal Investigator.

Eligible Qualifications

Medical and dental applicants must hold:

• MBBS.
• MD.
• BDS.
• Equivalent recognised medical qualifications.

Healthcare professionals such as:

• Nurses.
• Pharmacists.
• Optometrists.
• Allied health professionals.

are eligible if they hold:

• A PhD or
• An equivalent postgraduate qualification.

Non-clinically qualified or non-practising healthcare professionals may also be considered on a case-by-case basis if:

• The proposed project involves human clinical research.
• They possess a PhD or equivalent qualification.

Special Eligibility Provisions

The following applicants are also eligible:

• A*STAR Clinician Scientist Scholars under the National Science Scholarship (MBBS-PhD or MD-PhD) schemes, provided they hold the required appointments and apply through an eligible host institution.
• Recipients of NMRC Talent Awards, who are exempt from the standard appointment requirement.

Eligible Research Activities

The grant supports:

• Basic biomedical research.
• Clinical studies.
• Translational research.
• Investigator-initiated clinical trials.
• Development of diagnostics.
• Therapeutic innovation.
• Healthcare intervention research.
• Human clinical research.

How to Apply

Applicants should follow these steps:

1. Confirm eligibility with the host institution.
2. Develop an independent medical research proposal.
3. Define clear research objectives and expected outcomes.
4. Prepare a detailed project budget.
5. Demonstrate scientific innovation and clinical relevance.
6. Obtain institutional endorsement.
7. Submit the completed application within the grant call deadline.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are generally assessed based on:

• Scientific quality.
• Innovation and originality.
• Clinical significance.
• Translational potential.
• Research feasibility.
• Principal Investigator’s research track record.
• Potential healthcare impact.
• Overall project design and methodology.

Application Tips

To strengthen your application:

• Present a clearly defined clinical problem.
• Demonstrate strong scientific rationale.
• Highlight innovation and potential patient benefits.
• Develop realistic milestones and timelines.
• Include a robust research methodology.
• Show evidence of previous research achievements.
• Explain how the project advances healthcare practice.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common issues:

• Submitting more than one application.
• Weak research methodology.
• Unclear translational or clinical relevance.
• Limited evidence of independent research capability.
• Poorly justified project budget.
• Insufficient description of expected healthcare outcomes.
• Failing to meet eligibility requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Clinician Scientist-Individual Research Grant (CS-IRG)?

The CS-IRG is a competitive research grant that supports clinician scientists conducting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, including investigator-initiated clinical trials.

How much funding is available?

Applicants may request up to S$2.028 million per project, inclusive of eligible indirect costs.

How long can projects last?

Projects may be funded for up to five years.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include clinician scientists and qualified healthcare professionals employed by eligible public healthcare institutions or autonomous universities in Singapore who meet the programme requirements.

What types of research are supported?

The programme supports basic, clinical, and translational research, including investigator-initiated clinical trials, diagnostics, therapies, and healthcare interventions.

Can allied health professionals apply?

Yes. Nurses, pharmacists, optometrists, and other allied health professionals are eligible if they hold a PhD or an equivalent postgraduate qualification.

Can A*STAR Clinician Scientist Scholars apply?

Yes. Eligible A*STAR Clinician Scientist scholars and NMRC Talent Award recipients may apply, subject to the programme’s specific eligibility provisions.

Conclusion

The Clinician Scientist-Individual Research Grant (CS-IRG) provides substantial funding of up to S$2.028 million to support clinician scientists conducting high-impact medical research in Singapore. By funding innovative basic, clinical, and translational research, the programme aims to accelerate the development of new therapies, diagnostics, and healthcare solutions that improve patient outcomes and strengthen the nation’s medical research capabilities.

For more information, visit NMRC.