Research and grants

The Research stream, part of SHPA's Specialty Practice program, is a network of SHPA members of all grades of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and assistants who work as researchers or participate in or are interested in research. 

Members can use the Online CPD discussion forum to discuss strategies and resources involved in research.

Why join?

Join the Research Interest Group to access SHPA's network of research experts and peers through the discussion forum. You don’t need to specialise in research to join the Research Interest Group.

If you are an experienced research pharmacist, you can apply to join the Research Practice Group. Belonging to the Research Practice Group gives you all the benefits of the Research Interest Group, plus opportunities to support fellow SHPA members and contribute to important SHPA work. Members of the Research Practice Group are also eligible to nominate for election to the Research Leadership Committee.

Grant and career opportunities

There are no grant opportunities currently open.

The former National Translational Research Collaborative

In July 2019, the Research stream of Specialty Practice was established as a new member-only platform for the discussion of pharmacy research practice and innovation. In conjunction, a new entity will be developed for the conferring of research grants, a process previously administered by the former National Translational Research Collaborative (NTRC).

In the interim, the below former NTRC information is available to assist with members interested in preparing grant applications.

Guidelines, resources and successful grants

Grant recipients must prepare a report in a format suitable for inclusion in a SHPA journal or publication. By publishing reports, all SHPA members are able to gain from the research or experience of grant recipients and use this knowledge to implement changes in their own workplace. Publication in a journal other than a SHPA journal or publication may be approved by the Research Grants Committee. Reports not published in a SHPA publication are included below.

All grant applications are made online via a dedicated SHPA SmartyGrant Portal.

All research grants follow a two-step process:

  • An initial Expression of Interest incorporating a literature review and identification of the research gap
  • If shortlisted, applicants will be asked to submit a full research proposal from which the winning applicant is chosen. 

Example documents

Additional resources

Guidelines for writing reports

Professional development activities
Guidelines are available to assist recipients who are reporting on a conference and for those reporting on a study tour. Grant recipients are advised to follow these guidelines when writing their reports.

Research projects
Reports of research projects must adhere to the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research (JPPR)’s author instructions pertaining to covering letter, title page, manuscript preparation, references, tables and figures. These instructions are available on the JPPR Author Instructions page. Complying with these instructions will ensure that there are no unnecessary delays in approving the report.

Submitting your report

  • Please ensure your submission complies with the instructions pertaining to covering letter, title page, manuscript preparation, references, tables and figures in the Information for Authors, and all instructions in the Referencing Guide.
  • Please note that once a manuscript has been accepted by an SHPA publication, authors will be required to assign copyright to that publication.
  • Original signatures of the authors are required. With multiple authors, signatures may be submitted on separate forms.
  • Published articles may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without permission from the publisher. Authorisation to copy items for internal or personal use is granted by SHPA for users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center Transactional Reporting Service or Copyright Australia Limited.
  • It is imperative that you submit a copy of your final report to grants@shpa.org.au to ensure you receive your final grant payment.

Example grant reports

Hospira Young Pharmacist Award 2015
From turning ships to hoisting sails: An international preceptorship with Chief Pharmacists in Stockholm and London
Angela Young, Central Australia Health Service, NT

Fresenius Kabi Cancer Services Grant 2015
FK Grant Supports Visit to Peter Mac
Ian M McPherson, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Qld

Fresenius Kabi Cancer Services Grant 2010
Oncology pharmacy: unravelling the complexities
Anna Shi, Toowoomba Hospital, Qld

Pfizer Pharmacy Grant 2015
Pfizer Pharmacy Grant to attend the 2015 Australian Clinical Trials Alliance Symposium
Kelvin Robertson, The Townsville Hospital, Qld

Auditmaker Clinical Audit Grant 2011
Pharmacist-led implementation of a vancomycin guideline across medical and surgical units: impact on clinical behaviour and therapeutic drug monitoring outcomes
Cameron Phillips, Flinders Medical Centre, SA

Previous grants

2019 Pfizer Young Pharmacists Grant

  • Dr Elizabeth (Libby) McCourt
  • Tessa Lane and Dr Jacinta Johnson (joint recipients)

Leadership Enrichment and Advancement in Pharmacy (LEAP)

The LEAP Program was a one-week career-changing opportunity for nine established and one emerging pharmacy leader to immerse themselves in an intensive international networking and learning experience, including the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition. View their reflections ⟶

2018 Pfizer Young Pharmacists Grant

  • Cindy Lau, Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney was awarded $10,000 to undertake a preceptorship with renowned pharmacist and pharmacometrics expert Professor Sebastian Wicha, investigating the toxicity threshold of antibiotics used to treat bacterial infection.

2018 Juno Pharmaceuticals Research Grant

  • Melissa Ankravs, Melbourne Health Senior ICU Pharmacist and Team Leader was awarded $30,000 for her project looking into the effect of antipsychotic medications on patients with delirium in the Intensive Care Unit

2017 Pfizer Young Pharmacist Grant

  • Diana Sandulache, Senior Education Pharmacist at Alfred Health won for her preceptorship proposal. Diana will observe US residency programs in practice, and learn strategies to develop structural pharmacy training programs and identify methods for incorporating advanced and different residencies into acute care programs.
  • SHPA Pain Management Leadership Committee member, Benita Suckling, was awarded a $3,000 for her Opioid Stewardship Preceptorship proposal. Benita travelled around Australia to observe and collaborate with leading pharmacists working in the field of pain management and opioid stewardship.

2017 NTRC Research Capability Development Grants 

The following NTRC members won grants to develop their research skills through focused training at the SHPA NTRC Research Bootcamp, a one-day pre-conference event at SHPA’s Medicines Management 2017 Conference in Sydney.

  • Ms Chin-Yen Yeo, Clinical Pharmacist and SHPA Resident, Blacktown Hospital.
  • Mrs Laura Johnstone, Pharmacist, Lady Cilento Children's Hospital
  • Ms Carly Wills, Medication Safety/Renal Pharmacist, Prince of Wales Hospital
  • Miss Hong Lor, Clinical Pharmacist, Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA Pharmacy
  • Mrs Marianne Jovanovic, General Medicine Clinical Pharmacist – Team Leader, Monash Health
  • Mr Galahad Gu, Senior Operating Theatre and Peri-Operative Medicines Pharmacist, Eastern Health 

Gilead Pharmacy Advancing Clinical Excellence (PACE) Research Grant

Awarding $40,000 (incl. GST) to support translational research in the areas of cancer pharmacy and/or infectious diseases pharmacy.

Celgene Collaborative Care in Cancer Research Grant

Awarding $20,000 to support an inter-disciplinary, inter-departmental or multi-site research methodology.

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