Catalyst Grants – Women’s Health Research Priorities
The Department of Health is funding one-year catalyst grants to research proposals that further our knowledge of the influence sex and/or gender can have on disease or conditions.
Key gaps in the Victorian research environment have been identified through a capability and capacity assessment as part of the Women’s Health Reform Package. These include the following:
- Women’s health research can be siloed into specific groups. Sex and gender are not consistently or regularly used as variables of comparison in health and medical research.
- Biological determinants of sex in many conditions experienced by all sexes are not well established or known. Most research has historically investigated a male body and generalised to female and intersex bodies.
- Many conditions which solely, differently or disproportionately impact women have historically have not received the focus and funding they deserve.
The intention is for this funding to help address the above gaps. It will also lay the groundwork for the other research initiatives in the Women’s Health Reform package that will aim to help lead culture change across the sector.
Proposals up to $150,000 will be considered. Each grant will be for a one year duration and will require a 6-month progress report and a 12-month final report.