Application for Malaysian Society of Haematology Research Fund (ver 2.0 Updated 28 Mac 2025)

The society recognizes the need for fostering the culture of research that would lead to further advancement of the practice of haematology in Malaysia and abroad. In order to facilitate and enhance such research activities, MSH make available research grants to eligible organizations and individuals. Applications for the grants can be made in accordance to the following guidelines.

Eligibility

Individuals intending to make an application must be a life or term associate member of the MSH and must have been a member for at least one year on the date of application and be of good standing. Applications can also be made on behalf of an individual, in such a case the supervisor must make the application. The individual applying on behalf shall fulfil the same criteria that is required of an applicant and will be fully responsible for the conduct of the research project. For an applicant to be eligible to apply again, there must not be any outstanding or pending end-of-project reports from prior research grants and the MSH research committee must have received an abstract or output report for the applicant’s previous research project.

Research area

The scope of research that is eligible for application can cover any aspect of haematology in including various subspecialties within haematology, such as molecular biology and biochemistry, virology, transfusion and apheresis science, immunology, cell biology, epidemiology and diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, and other relevant fields

Funding

The maximum amount for each grant will typically be RM50,000 per research project. However, in exceptional circumstances, the funding could be increased to RM100,000. The number of grants available annually is not fixed. Instead, the grants will be awarded based on two main factors, merit of the proposal and availability of funds. The purpose of the grant is to cover expenses related to the research project, specifically salary and consumables needed for the research. Quotations for any reagents or outsourcing of tests and services, if relevant, should be submitted together with the application. Use of the grant for purchase of equipment or travel is generally forbidden. However, if there are strong justifications for purchasing equipment or funding travel, it may be allowed. In such cases, the applicants are required to provide clear and convincing reasons for why these expenses are essential to the research. Additionally, applicants are required to submit a budget along with their application This budget should detail how the grant money will be allocated.

Application and selection

Interested applicants are requested to fill up the online application form which is available at the MSH members only accessible portal https://portal.mshweb.org and upload the proposal and other relevant documents as outlined in the application form. Research-fund-application-form should also be emailed to mshoffice@haematology.org.my. Applications will first be reviewed by members of the MSH research committee. If needed, the committee may invite external reviewers if additional expertise is required. Notification timeline: Applicants can expect to be notified of the outcome of their application within 4-6 weeks from the submission date.

Funding

Each research grant will have a duration of up to two years.

Reporting

A progress report including the summary of use of the funds is required every 6 months. This may be submitted to mshoffice@haematology.org.my. Upon completion of the project, an end-of-project report is required and this should be emailed to mshoffice@haematology.org.my. Recipients of the research grants are encouraged to present their research findings in scientific meetings or conferences, either in the form of abstracts or publications. MSH must be acknowledged in all these presentation and/or publications. In addition, grant recipients must submit an abstract or publication report of their research project to the MSH research committee within one year of the project’s completion and this may be uploaded to the MSH website.

Responsibility

The grant must be used only for its intended purpose and the grant recipient is solely responsible for its use. Any deviations from its intended use as outlined in the approved budget must be reported to the MSH research committee in writing. Any unused monies from the grant shall be returned to the society at the end of the project’s duration. Audits may be conducted periodically to ensure that recipients are using the funds appropriately and in accordance with the guidelines.