RFAs: SAMRC Early Investigators Programme (South Africa)

Deadline: 09-Oct-2026

The South African Medical Research Council Early Investigators Programme supports promising early-career health and medical researchers in establishing independent research careers. Selected researchers may receive up to R500,000 annually for three years—up to R1.5 million in total—subject to satisfactory performance and the availability of funds.

About the Early Investigators Programme

The South African Medical Research Council, commonly known as SAMRC, established the Early Investigators Programme to strengthen the long-term sustainability of health and medical research in South Africa. The programme helps early-career scientists transition into independent researchers and future research leaders. It combines research funding with salary support, enabling investigators to build experience, produce evidence, strengthen their academic profiles, and develop independent research programmes. Purpose of the Programme

The programme aims to:

- Develop the next generation of South African health researchers. - Support the transition to research independence. - Strengthen scientific and academic leadership. - Increase health-research capacity in South Africa. - Support research aligned with national health priorities. - Enable early-career researchers to establish strong publication records. - Generate evidence with significant public-health value. - Build sustainable research careers. - Strengthen recognized academic and health-research institutions. - Prepare investigators to compete for larger research grants. Funding Information

The programme provides:

- Maximum annual funding: R500,000.

- Maximum funding period: Three years.

- Maximum potential total: R1.5 million.

- Annual research allocation: R200,000.

- Annual salary allocation: R300,000.

Continued funding is subject to:

- Satisfactory performance. - Achievement of agreed milestones. - Delivery of required outputs. - Compliance with the award conditions. - Availability of programme funds. Annual Funding Breakdown The maximum annual amount is divided into two components:

Over three years, the potential allocation may total: - Up to R600,000 for research expenses. - Up to R900,000 for salary support. - Up to R1.5 million overall. Applicants should follow the official budget rules when allocating costs. Research Expenses The research component may support costs directly connected to the approved project. Subject to the official guidelines, these expenses may include: - Research materials. - Laboratory consumables. - Data collection. - Fieldwork. - Research software. - Participant-related costs. - Data management. - Statistical analysis. - Specialist services. - Limited equipment. - Research travel. - Dissemination. - Publication costs. - Other approved project expenses. Applicants should clearly justify every expense and demonstrate value for money. Salary Support Up to R300,000 per year is allocated toward the awardee’s salary. This component is intended for researchers who are not already fully remunerated by their institutions. Applicants and host institutions should clarify: - The researcher’s current employment status. - Existing institutional salary support. - The proposed salary contribution. - Any institutional co-funding. - How the researcher’s time will be protected. - How salary payments will be administered. - Whether benefits or employer contributions are eligible. The official SAMRC conditions should be used to determine the precise salary arrangements. Priority Research Areas Projects must fall within or strongly align with SAMRC’s health and medical research priorities.

Priority areas include:

- Infectious diseases. - Non-communicable diseases. - Maternal, child and adolescent health. - Health systems and policy research. - Digital health. - Artificial intelligence in health. - Climate change and health. - Genomics. - Antimicrobial resistance. - Pandemic preparedness. Projects should demonstrate both scientific merit and potential public-health relevance. Infectious Diseases Research may address infectious diseases that affect public health in South Africa.

Relevant topics may include:

- Disease prevention. - Diagnostics. - Treatment. - Surveillance. - Epidemiology. - Transmission. - Health-service delivery. - Vaccine research. - Community-based interventions. - Implementation science. Applicants should explain how their work responds to a documented health need. Non-Communicable Diseases Non-communicable disease research may focus on: - Cardiovascular disease. - Cancer. - Diabetes. - Chronic respiratory disease. - Mental health. - Neurological conditions. - Risk factors. - Prevention. - Early detection. - Treatment access. - Long-term care. Projects may examine clinical, behavioural, social, environmental, or health-system dimensions. Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health

Projects in this area may address:

- Maternal mortality and morbidity. - Pregnancy and childbirth. - Neonatal health. - Child growth and development. - Nutrition. - Adolescent health. - Sexual and reproductive health. - Mental health. - Access to services. - Health inequalities. Applicants should consider gender, age, social conditions, and disparities in access to care. Health Systems and Policy Research Health-systems and policy research examines how healthcare is financed, governed, organized, delivered, and evaluated.

Potential topics include:

- Access to healthcare. - Quality of care. - Health financing. - Workforce capacity. - Service delivery. - Health equity. - Implementation of health policy. - Primary healthcare. - Community health systems. - Universal health coverage. Projects should identify how findings could inform practice or policy. Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Research in digital health or artificial intelligence may involve: - Digital diagnostics. - Clini