Extra Mural Research Funding

The extramural research program was started by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to support the study of many areas of minority health and health disparities. It includes genetic, molecular, biologic science, clinical, behavioural, and translational research. It also includes studies on health systems, workforce development, and environmental justice. It has more than 200 sites around the country and globe. It is fully focused on the wide spectrum of causes of health disparities and the correlation between them. 

Research Interest Areas

The research mainly revolves around three main research interest areas. They are-

• Clinical and health services research

Under this research area, the institute promotes clinical research to harness new information to develop the quality of healthcare for the minority and improve health outcomes. The institute provides extramural grants, cooperative agreements, and training awards related to clinical research and treatment interventions within healthcare settings, patient-health care system interactions, system-level health services research, and many such studies.

• Interactive biological and behavioural science

Under this research area, the institute promotes research on biological and behavioural mechanisms that affect flexibility and vulnerability to adverse health conditions that affect the minority disproportionately. The institute provides extramural grants, cooperative agreements, and training awards related to research in biomedical and behavioural sciences, including genomic and epigenomic risks, effects of chronic stress, neurodevelopmental processes, etc. 

• Community health and population science. 

Under this research area, the institute promotes research on society, neighbourhood, interpersonal relationships, and social pathways that affect disease risk, mortality, vulnerability, and health disparity in populations. The institute provides extramural grants, cooperative agreements, and training awards related to epidemiology, determinants of population and community health, and community-based prevention of health concerns. 

Extra Mural Research Funding

The Extra mural research funding scheme was set up by the Science and Engineering Research Board under the Ministry of Science and Technology to provide funds to academic institutions, research labs, and other research and development organisations to promote research in all major areas of Science and Engineering for more than four decades. This scheme promotes new and eminent scientists in the field of science to compete for individual-centric funding. Since the scheme provides research support to researchers, it has been renamed the Core Research Grant. 

Objective Of Extra Mural Research Funding

The objective of the extra mural research funding scheme is to provide core research support to researchers to promote research and development in the major areas of Science and Engineering. 

Eligibility

• Applicants should be of Indian origin. Foreign nationals can apply only if they fulfil the eligibility criteria of the Science and Engineering Research Board.
• Applicants must be in an academic/research position at a recognized institution or national lab or a recognized research and development institution in India. 
• Faculties that were appointed through the UGC Faculty Program are eligible to apply.
•  Ramanujan and Ramalinaswamy Fellows, and INSPIRE Faculty can apply only if they have at least three and a half years of remaining tenure. 
• Investigators who will be retiring during the course of the project or are already retired are also eligible. 
• The Principal Investigator and Co-Investigators should have a Ph.D. degree in Science, Mathematics, Engineering or an M.D./ M.S./ M.D.S./ M.V.Sc degree. 

Application Process

• An eligible applicant can only submit one proposal during a call and any proposal that is initially rejected should not be re-submitted without any concrete revision to any programs of the Board. 
• The call is made twice a year in July and December. 
• The selection is based on the recommendations of the Program Advisory Committee.
•  The result is usually communicated within six months but the release of the funds depends on the submission of the required documents and the availability of the funds.  

Nature of the Grant 

• Under this scheme, the funds are provided to an individual researcher or a group of researchers working in a recognized institution or national lab or a recognized research and development institution in India. 
• The grant is provided for a period of three years. 
• The fund is provided to offer monetary support for obtaining research equipment, manpower, travel, contingency, and consumables. 

Conclusion

Extra Mural research funding, also known as the Core research grant, was started to provide research support to an individual or a group of researchers. It is very beneficial for the future of our country as it provides monetary support to continue research in the areas of science and engineering, and the health issues related to the minority.