Writing a research application

1. Writing a research application Ewa Ehrenborg

2. Research application • Write a grant application • 3-4 students/group • Follow-up November 14th , 21st and 22nd – 20 min/group • Send in title by Friday November 29th • Use the application form provided • Send in your application by noon, December 20th • Oral presentations on January 15th and16th • Each group will act as opponent for one other group • Assessment form

3. Research application:new for HT2013 • Include writing a “popular science” project summary • Early discussions/feed back - start with groups with topics relating to lectures at start of course → timetable issues regarding groups

4. Choose your own project within the “broad” topic allocated • Interesting • Relevant • Supply provisional title by November 29th • Application form – Popular science description • Research plan should be a maximum of 3 A4 pages (12-point text, single spacing) • Provide a short reference list (max 20)

5. Group 1 • 1A Regenerative cardiology: • Karl-Henrik.Grinnemo@karolinska.se • 1BThyroid diseases: • Jens.Mittag@ki.se • Group 2 • 2A Cell death in metabolism: Joelle.Magne@ki.se • 2B Diabetes and co-morbidities • Jing.Wang@ki.se • Group 3 • 3AInflammation in CVD: D.Johansson@ki.se • 3B Immunological aspects of gastric disease: Ola.Winqvist@ki.se • Group 4 • 4ACoagulation: • Angela.Silveira@ki.se • 4BMicroRNA and vascular disease: • Lars.Maegdefessel@ki.se • Group 5 • 5A Inflammatory lung diseases: Johan.Ockinger@ki.se • 5BAllergy: • Hans.Gronlund@ki.se • Group 6 • 6A Aneurysm: • Hanna.Bjorck@ki.se • 6B Vascular remodelling: Cecilia.Osterholm.Corbascio@ki.se

6. The role of the mentor • Discussion partner • Facilitate the process and discuss the strategy NOT: • Decide what to study • Write the application • Responsible for making contact

7. Examples of previous titles • The role of Natural Killer T cell subtypes in different stages of asthma • An in vivo comparison of the cardiovascular effects of coffee diterpenescafestol and kahweol in relation to diabetes

8. Follow-up meeting • November 14th, 10.30-15.00 (6 topics – TBA) • November 21st, 13.30-15.00 (3 topics – TBA) • November 22nd, 13.00-14.30 (3 topics – TBA) • Separate schedule on the web • Present your plans • Each research team ~ 20 min • Support and discussions

11. Summary/abstract • Relevant (what is your research question?) • Clearlywritten • Easy to follow

12. Research programme • Title • Hypothesis/Aims • Background • Work plan includingmethods • Importance/ impact of results • References (max 20) 3 pages

13. Research plan - Title • Informative • Interesting - attention catching • Not too long • Should not contain abbreviations

14. Research plan - Aims/Hypothesis • State clearly the aims of the research • Explain the scientific hypothesis • Most important part of the application • State very clearly • Is it novel? • Is it realistic? • Is it possible? • Is it well planned?

15. Research plan - Background • Introduce the field (generally + specifically) • Place the proposed research in the context of what is already known (or not known) • How would the proposed research add to current knowledge?

16. Research plan - Work plan • Define clearly the proposed research • Which research questions can the work answer • Whom will carry out the work? • What facilities are needed? • What are the critical steps?

17. Research plan - Methods Describe the methods of choice • Explain the choice • Are they the best to meet the objectives? • If novel, how do they compare with already known methods? • Novel methods require detailed description • Validation • Sample size (refer to the work of others)

18. Research plan - Importance/Impact Explain how the proposed research would contribute significantly to: • scientific knowledge • society • health care • specific patients • commercial interests

19. Research plan - References • Relevant publications (key papers) • May include previous work published by the applicant • Cite full reference (according to instructions)

20. Help the reader to understand - clearlystate the hypothesis and aims • include an overviewslide (strategy & context) - relevant background - welldescribed work plan - appropriatemethods - includetitles in the references

21. What is the evaluatorlooking for? SCIENTIFIC

22. Scoring the research question Low = Unclear wording, poorly constructed or previously conducted Mid = Interesting but conventional High = Innovative and extremely important.

23. Scoring the methodology Low = Materials, methods or applications are not entirely accurate Mid = Correct, but not original methodology High = Unique materials and techniques. Innovative, well thought through

24. Oral presentations • January 16th and17th • 15 min presentation/group + 5-10 min discussion • 3-4 students/group – all students should present • Everybody in the group should be able to present all parts of the application – lottery • Each group will act as “opponent “for one other group • Assessment form

25. Replacement assignment Consists of two parts: • Your own research project • Application (filled in forms + research proposal) • Submit a relevant article that the application is related to and explain your choice • Powerpoint presentation of the application • Opponent for an application from another group • Application will be e-mailed to you before January 8 (KI mail address) • Critically assess the hypothesis, strategies, methods and importance of the study ( ̴ one A4 page) To be e-mailed to ewa.ehrenborg@ki.se by January 17

26. Take home message • Clearly state the hypothesis/aims and how it will be tested • Specify what should be measured and why • Explain how the experiments/strategy can contribute to an increased understanding - couldinclude an overviewfigure with strategies & pathophysiologicalcontext