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Open Fund - Individual Research Grant
01 Jul 2025 - 08 Aug 2025
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Please note that the last grant call under RIE2025 will be the July 2025 grant call. There is no planned grant call in January 2026. Subject to approval of the RIE2030 framework, the first grant call under RIE2030 is expected to be launched in July 2026.
01 Jul 2025 - 08 Aug 2025
The Open Fund - Individual Research Grant (OF-IRG) is provided to support the conduct of research proposals in basic, translational and clinical research that are relevant to human health and potential, including research that looks at the causes, consequences, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.
Research theme
OF-IRG is open to applications in all research areas. Applications are assessed based on scientific merit at the international level and relevance to Singapore, but should prioritisation be required between meritorious applications, the following seven disease areas have been identified as national priorities for research:
Cancers and neoplasms
Cardiovascular
Eye
Infection
Mental health
Metabolic and endocrine
Neurological
Evaluation criteria
Selection of successful proposals would be based on the following evaluation criteria:
Quality of the science
Capability of the research performers to conduct the research
Objectives of the research programme in context of HHP goals*
* The HHP Domain’s vision for RIE2025 is to be a leading hub that transforms and protects health, advances human potential and creates economic value through excellence in research and its application for Singapore, Asia and the world.
Eligibility criteria for IRG
Only one Principal Investigator (PI) is allowed per application. Applicants applying as Principal Investigator are required to fulfil the following criteria at the point of application:
Holds a primary appointment in a local publicly funded institution and salaried by the institution.
PIs should have PhD or MD/MBBS/BDS qualifications. (Exceptions would be made on a case-by-case basis).
Is an independent investigator (with PI status in institution) with a demonstrated track record of research, as evidenced by the award of nationally competitive funding (international funding to be considered on a case by case basis), substantial publication record in the past 3 years.
Has a laboratory or clinical research program that carries out research in Singapore
Holds a minimum of 9 months employment (per calendar year) with local Singapore institution(s). Upon award, the PI must agree to fulfil at least 6 months of residency in Singapore for each calendar year over the duration of the grant award.
Has no outstanding report from previous BMRC, NMRC grants, and other national grants.
For proposals involving patients, the PI should be SMC registered; or should be able to demonstrate ability to access patients through SMC registered Co-Is or collaborators.
Grant call frequency
There will be two grant calls per year (January and July).
Funding quantum
The OF-IRG will provide a funding quantum of up to S$1.625M (inclusive of up to 30% indirect costs^) and up to 5 years.
^Indirect costs is not applicable for research scholarship budget
[NOTE] The maximum supportable project duration will be capped at 4.5 years for the July 2025 grant call. No-cost extension will not be considered for 4.5-year projects awarded in this grant call.
Submission
The RIE2025 OF-IRG grant call is closed.
Review panel
The composition of the OF-IRG Local Review Panel (2025-2026) is listed in the table below.
OF-IRG Review Panel 2025-2026
S/N | Name | Institution |
|---|---|---|
1 | Prof Chng Wee Joo (Co-Chair) | Group Director, Research Office, National University Health System Vice President (Biomedical Sciences Research), National University of Singapore |
2 | Prof Thomas Coffman (Co-Chair) | Dean, Duke-NUS Medical School |
3 | A/Prof Angela Koh Su-mei | Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore Associate Professor, SingHealth Duke-NUS Cardiovascular Sciences Academic Clinical Programme |
4 | Prof David Lye | Director, Infectious Disease Research and Training Office, National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Tan Tock Seng Hospital Deputy Executive Director, Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness and Response (PREPARE) Group Head (Research), Interim Communicable Disease Agency |
5 | Prof Dean Ho | Provost’s Chair Professor Director, The N.1 Institute for Health (N.1) Director, The Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM) Head, Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore |
6 | A/Prof Tan Gek Yen Gladys | Director, Biological Defence Programme, Defence Medical & Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories |
7 | Prof Han Weiping | Director, Laboratory of Metabolic Medicine, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Honorary Joint Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Ling School of Medicine, National University of Singapore Professor, Signature Research Programme in Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School |
8 | Prof Jonathan Loh Yuin-Han | Deputy Executive Director, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR |
9 | Prof Kanaga Sabapathy | President Chair’s Professor Professor and Chair, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University Singapore Joint Research Director, Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre Singapore |
10 | Dr Khoo Chin Meng | Head and Senior Consultant, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital Assistant Professor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore Director, NUHS Investigational Medicine Unit |
11 | Prof Leopold Schmetterer | Scientific Director and Head of Ocular Imaging, Singapore Eye Research Institute Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School |
12 | Prof Nicholas Barker | Research Director, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR |
13 | Prof Reshma Taneja | Head, Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore |
14 | Prof Salvatore Albani | Director, Translational Immunology Institute, SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre Senior Consultant and Senior Clinician Scientist, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital |
15 | A/Prof Hyunsoo Shawn Je | Associate Professor, Signature Research Programme in Neuroscience & Behavioural Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School Co-Director, Talent Development Unit, National Neuroscience Research Institute Singapore |
16 | A/Prof Su I-hsin | Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University |
17 | A/Prof Tam Wai Leong | Deputy Executive Director, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR |
18 | A/Prof Yu Fengwei | Senior Principal Investigator, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory |
19 | A/Prof Zeng Li | Deputy Director, Basic Science & Translational Research; Assistant Director, Research Programs, National Neuroscience Institute Associate Professor, Signature Research Programme in Neuroscience & Behavioural Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School |
20 | Prof Alfred Cheng | Professor, SBS and Assistant Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong |
21 | Prof Ben Berkhout | Professor of Human Retrovirology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands |
22 | Prof Chen Ting | Professor, Department of Computer Science and Technology Director, Center for Big Data Research in Health and Medicine, Institute of Data Science, Tsinghua University, China |
23 | Prof Chris Denning | Professor of Stem Cell Biology, School of Medicine Director, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK |
24 | Prof David Brooks | Emeritus Professor of Neurology and PET Clinical Science, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, UK |
25 | Prof Diana Boraschi | Professor, Laboratory of Inflammation and Vaccines, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China |
26 | Prof James A. Ross | Professor Emeritus (Liver Cell Biology), University of Edinburgh, UK |
27 | Prof John Marshall | Professor and Centre Lead, Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, UK |
28 | Prof Kofi E. Aidoo | Emeritus Professor, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK |
29 | Prof Lee Chi Ho, Paul | Clinical Associate Professor, University of Hong Kong |
30 | Prof Mauro Pistello | Professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, University of Pisa, Italy Director, Clinical Virology Service, Pisa University Hospital |
31 | Prof Mok Chi Chiu | Senior Consultant and Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong |
32 | Prof Richard James | Honorary Research Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland |
33 | A/Prof Ryu Takechi | Associate Professor and Domain Lead, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Australia |
34 | Dr Simon Langdon | Visiting researcher, University of Edinburgh, UK |
35 | Dr Stephane Germain | Group Leader, College de France |
36 | Prof Wang Haibo | Director, Research Centre of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Medicine Vice Dean, Institute of Precision Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, China |
Applicants are not allowed to approach any of the panel members to discuss or solicit information related to their application review or funding decisions. NMRC may impose a suspension and/or debarment on such applicants.