FAQs for Medical Research Advisory Group
1. What is MRAG?
MRAG is the ARC’s Medical Research Advisory Group. It is responsible for providing additional technical advice to the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) Eligibility Committee regarding medical eligibility for selected applications.
2. Who are MRAG members?
MRAG members may be individuals from current or past ARC Colleges of Experts or candidates with sufficient seniority to have broad overview of the research sector. All have expertise in relevant research areas and disciplines where technical advice on an application’s aims, methodology and objectives in the specific context of the ARC Medical Research Policy may be needed.
3. How is MRAG utilised?
The determination of whether an application incorporates medical research is complex. The NCGP Eligibility Committee considers whether applications meet the requirements outlined in the Grant Guidelines, and may recommend to the CEO that applications which do not meet the eligibility requirements be considered ineligible. This includes determining medical research eligibility with regard to the ARC Medical Research Policy.
Where the NCGP Eligibility Committee considers that additional expertise is required to determine eligibility, the application is referred to MRAG members for written advice. Once this technical advice has been received, the NCGP Eligibility Committee determines the medical research eligibility recommendations.
4. Will MRAG members rate my application?
No. MRAG members only provide written technical advice giving regard to an application’s aims, methodology and objectives in the specific context of the ARC Medical Research Policy. Other aspects of an application such as investigators, feasibility or benefit are not the subject of MRAG advice.
5. Could an individual who has assessed my application also give advice regarding its medical eligibility?
No. Medical Research Advisory Group Members will not be asked for advice on an application where they have undertaken an assessment.
6. Do MRAG members look at every medical research-related application in a scheme round?
No. Technical advice from MRAG members is only sought for selected applications where additional expertise is required to determine eligibility.