LCPC RESEARCH ARM TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO A RESEARCH INCUBATOR

What is it? An attempt to jump-start and sustain high quality, innovative palliative care research projects in Singapore that are likely to have a real world impact –Recognizes the wealth of clinical and scientific talent in palliative care –Takes into account the high constraints and competing priorities faced by palliative care providers

Mission To foster an environment that generates high quality and highly collaborative palliative care research projects and researchers

What does it do? Overseen by Eric Finkelstein, Executive Director for LCPC with inputs by faculty of Duke-NUS, Singhealth, AMRI, and local and international experts in palliative care research Offers support in the following areas for those who qualify: –Direct funding –Manpower –Subject matter/research expertise –Budgeting –IRB submission –Project management –Data collection –Statistical analysis –Manuscript writing Provides an efficient model for busy clinicians

What are the research themes? Priority for funding will be given to the following four areas identified in National Strategy for Palliative Care as having significant gaps in the current knowledge base: 1.Understanding and meeting patient/caregiver preferences regarding end-of-life care 2.Communication at end-of-life 3.End-of-life care financing and delivery models 4.Pain and symptom management at the end of life

Are there any funding priorities? As LCPC has limited funding for research, funding priority will be given to projects that: Fall within the listed research priorities Are likely to impact end-of-life care in Singapore Are likely to generate high quality research outputs (publications in top field and/or high impact journals) Provide training opportunities for aspiring palliative care researchers Are likely to better position the PI for future research studies

Who is eligible? Any Singapore-based researcher in any field, with a primary appointment in a local public hospital/public health institution/public university/academic medical center and salaried by the institution Researchers external to Singapore who plan to conduct the research in Singapore and have at least one Singapore- based co-investigator on their research team

How does it work? Prospective PIs discuss potential research ideas with a Senior LCPC or AMRI research team member If the idea has potential, PI submits a two-page research proposal to LCPC for review Screening by senior LCPC research team member and feedback Proposal scheduled for presentation at LCPC forum; presentation first screened by LCPC research team member

LCPC Research forums Once every two weeks beginning in February/March 2013 Involves 1 or 2 presentations of 30 to 40 minutes each During lunch hours (12-1pm) or in evenings (5-6 pm) to encourage busy clinicians to attend these meetings To be held at Duke-NUS and National Cancer Center on a rotating basis May be held in conjunction with AMRI forums If the PI is based outside Singapore, a Singapore based co- investigator from the research team to present the proposal and the PI to participate in discussions by Skype /telephone call

Audience Members of the LCPC and AMRI research team (possibly including local research advisory board (LRAB) members) Key members from PI’s team Any PI who receives LCPC funding will be expected to attend the forums and/or send a designated co-investigator to encourage greater feedback in the ongoing research forums, and to continue to build capacity Anyone interested in palliative care research will be encouraged to attend

What happens after the presentation? The audience provides feedback to the PI (with the aim of improving the proposed research plan) Based on the feedback, the PI makes modifications or expands the research plan Additional forum presentation(s) if required After the first or second presentation, if the proposal fails to meet standards for scientific merit/funding priorities, it is rejected from further consideration for LCPC support in that round Proposals not approved for funding can be resubmitted to LCPC in subsequent rounds after taking into account the recommendations of LRAB/ ERAB

How are proposals assessed? If shortlisted for funding consideration (after the first or second presentation): The PI to submit a revised presentation/proposal and a project budget (with help from the business manager at LCPC) Review and scoring of the revised proposal by a local LCPC Research Advisory Board (LRAB) Proposals with total costs (direct plus indirect) above $150,000 to be sent to an external advisory board (ERAB) for review and comment On a quarterly basis, LCPC Director will decide which proposals to fund (based on feedback from the Research Director and advisory boards and on budget availability)

What happens after a proposal is approved for funding? The proposals will be funded and the PI will be responsible for carrying out the proposed work The PI will be strongly encouraged to take advantage of the LCPC resources rather than hiring his/her own staff LCPC will encourage the PI to include at least one LCPC researcher as a Co-investigator if that would strengthen the research

Proposals approved for funding The PI or a delegate will be expected to make regular updates on the project status at the research forums This will provide an opportunity to address any concerns that may arise with the research in a timely manner

PRESENTATION TEMPLATE

Research Proposal Presentation (Template with presentation guidelines) Note: All information is furnished to the Lien Centre for Palliative Care (LCPC) with the understanding that it shall be used or disclosed for evaluation, reference, and reporting purposes only. LCPC RESEARCH INCUBATOR MEETING (Date)

Presentation-Guidelines 30 to 40 minute presentation (with questions) – Roughly slides

Title Title of Research (Brief, include the variables included in the study, the type of relationship among the variables the population to which the results may be applied, Avoid single-word titles)

Research team Investigator name RolePositionDepartmentInstitution

Specific Aims & Hypotheses Explain the nature of the research project Primary aim/s – Hypotheses (primary outcome to be tested) Secondary aim/s – Hypotheses (secondary outcomes) Why/how is this project novel ?  1-2 slides

Significance Explain the context of the problem and why it is important to solve it – What is already known ? – What are the gaps in knowledge?-Discuss the prior work(literature) on the proposed problem, gaps identified, and how your proposed research will provide additional knowledge  1-2 slides

Research Design Methodological Overview Participant recruitment and data collection (if applicable) Inclusion/exclusion criteria (if applicable) Statistical analysis Plan including primary and secondary outcome variables Sample size and power calculation Timeline  3-4 slides

Preliminary work (if any)

How does this project meet funding criteria for LCPC Does this project fall within priority research criteria? What is the likely real world impact of this study on end-of-life care in Singapore? Will the research result in a grant submission to ? If so, who is the funding agency? Will it generate publications? If so, how many and what are the target journals? How will the research strengthen the credentials of the PI for future research opportunities? Will the research provide training opportunities for aspiring palliative care researchers Will there be other research outputs?  2-3 slides