CR Roper Fellowship
Apply for the CR Roper Fellowship for research in an appropriate field of biomedical and health research
Individuals with a doctorate in an appropriate field of biomedical and health research can apply for this fellowship to undertake research into clinical or non-clinical areas. This is a full time research position, however fractional appointments will be considered.
Fellowships are awarded primarily on the basis of merit but, all else being equal, they provide an opportunity for the Faculty to promote strategic areas of research. The scoring of applications follows the principles used in assessment of NHMRC Investigator Grants.
Successful candidates will have up to 10 years of relevant postdoctoral experience. The fellowships are expected to predict success in obtaining a nationally competitive fellowship, or an academic appointment at the University of Melbourne. Faculty trust fellowships are not initial research appointments. Although not mandatory, it is expected that candidates will have submitted an application for a NHMRC Investigator Grant or equivalent.
Prior overseas postdoctoral experience will generally be an advantage but is not mandatory. Candidates who are already employed at a level equal to, or more senior than, the fellowship being sought are less likely to be successful than someone of equal merit but currently employed at a lower level.
Successful applications will contain clear evidence of internationally competitive research excellence with a strong potential for candidates to develop as self-directed health and medical researchers either independently or as a member of a research team. In the latter case, the research must be clearly identifiable with the fellow. The candidate's record will be judged relative to opportunity, taking into account career interruptions for family commitments or other reasons.
Details
- Open for applications: To be advised
- Area of research: Clinical or non-clinical areas of biomedical and health research
- Level of appointment: B or C
- Term of appointment: 3 years
- Commencement: January
- Funding type: Fellowship
- Prior qualifications: PhD
How to apply
- Read the position description and specific information outlined above
- Read the scheme guidelines
- Read the frequently asked questions
- Complete the application form and proposal and obtain the relevant signatures
- Submit the application via SmartyGrants by the scheme close date
- Arrange for two referee reports to be submitted to MDHS grants by scheme close date
Position description
The PD for the CR Roper Fellowship is available via clicking on this link.
FAQs
Please download the FAQs to find answers to the most common queries.
Previous recipients
-
Dr Thomas Gebhardt
Dr Gebhardt graduated with a MBBS from the Medical School of Hanover in 2002, before completing a postgraduate MD/PhD Program of Molecular Medicine at the Hanover Biomedical Research School. Dr Gebhardt was awarded his Medical Doctor by Thesis in 2004 and his Doctor of Philosophy in 2005.
Dr Gebhardt worked in the lab of Prof Francis Carbone in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology between 2005-2013, during which time he established an independent research group and later on became laboratory head at the Doherty Institute.
Dr Gebhardt’s CR Roper Fellowship aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms that regulate two fundamental processes in T-cell biology: the execution of effector functions within infected tissues and the generation and maintenance of cellular memory within nonlymphoid organs.
-
Dr Jerome Sarris
Dr Sarris was awarded his BHSc with ACNM in 2004, completed a MHSc with the University of New England in 2008, and his PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Queensland in 2009. In 2010 Dr Sarris was awarded an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship, which allowed him to undertake his postdoctoral training at The University of Melbourne, Swinburne University, and Harvard Medical School.
Within just four years of completing his PhD, Dr Sarris had been a co-chief investigator on 15 clinical trials (with over 3.8 million dollars of collaborative grant funding), accrued 80 publications (95% were first or senior author) and had been awarded two NHMRC Project Grants as CIA. He presented widely (over 60 presentations), and regularly disseminated his research to the public via media interface.
Dr Sarris is based at The Professorial Unit in the Department of Psychiatry, which facilitates collaboration between researchers within the Melbourne Clinic – Australia’s largest psychiatric hospital. Dr Sarris is using his CR Roper Fellowship to conduct rigorous clinical trials (double-blind RCTs) using nutraceuticals for the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders.
-
Dr Natalie Hannan
Dr Hannan runs a team in the Translational Obstetrics Group (Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology) with a strong focus on developing therapeutic strategies to treat serious pregnancy complications (particularly pre-eclampsia). Her team are working towards two key strategies 1) repurposing drugs that are safe in pregnancy and 2) placental targeted delivery. She completed a PhD from Monash and Prince Henry’s Institute 2008, followed by a post-doc at Prince Henry’s Institute, which she finished in 2010 to commence an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship at the University of Melbourne (from 2010-2014).
Her research has been funded through major NHMRC Project Grants, philanthropic and internal grants, and she has been recognised through prestigious research awards and honours (Victorian Tall Poppy Award, Fresh Science finalist, the veski Inspiring Women Fellowship, among others).
Upon applying for her CR Roper Fellowship, Dr Hannan had received over $1 million in research funding and had publications clustered in the top journals of her field (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism and Biology of Reproduction). She had also developed a strong track record of community engagement and a broad range of national and international collaborations.
Through her CR Roper Fellowship, Dr Hannan aims to investigate the role of Corin/ANP in early placental development and pre-eclampsia. She also intends to preclinically interrogate the potential of two novel therapeutic strategies for pre-eclampsia with a view to translation into the clinic.
Resources and Information
Applications for the Faculty Trust Fellowships (for funding commencing in 2022) are via SmartyGrants - Apply Here
Scheme documentation for the 2021 round for funding commencing 2022:
Download the Faculty Trust Fellowship Proposal Template (word doc).
Download the position description for the CR Roper Fellowship (PDF).
Download the scheme Guidelines (PDF) and FAQs (PDF) documents for eligibility criteria, application questions and the submission process.
Download the Referee Report template
Download the Grant-In-Aid policy (PDF) document on the use and management of the grant-in-aid funding included in the fellowship support package.
For all enquiries, please contact MDHS grants.