Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research was established in 1968 under an Act of Parliament. It is the only national institute for public health and medical research in the southwestern Pacific. For more than five decades, PNGIMR has conducted research leading to significant breakthroughs in the prevention and treatment of malaria, lymphatic filariasis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer. Research conducted by the Institute produces approximately 60 peer-reviewed papers each year. Approximately a dozen staff have completed PhDs and are leading small grants. PNGIMR researchers present their work at international conferences, national forums on health, and the Institute’s annual virtual symposium.

PNGIMR’s headquarters is in Goroka where approximately half of the 350 staff members are based. Most of the research on malaria and other vector-borne diseases occurs in Madang facilities on the northern coast. Research programs also operate from other sites across the country: Port Moresby, Kokopo, Wewak, Maprik and Mt Hagen. Goroka and the larger sites have good internet connections and videoconferencing equipment. IMR works within a MS 365 environment.

The Institute is led by the Director, Prof William Pomat, and two Deputy Directors. Research is conducted through four research units which, in collaboration with PNG and international partners, attract grants, conduct research and disseminate findings. Core funding comes from the Government of Papua New Guinea, supplemented by research grants from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and European agencies.

Project: Database of Research Projects

Internship details
Internship Availability	Semester 2,  2023
Internship Discipline/s	Health Mathematics Computer Science
Internship Level	2nd or 3rd yr Undergraduate
Available to International Students	Yes
Preferred Project Skills:	Database development Excellent communication skills
Clearances Required	No
Host Supervisor	Ann Larson Strategy Coordinator E: ann.larson@pngimr.org.pg T: Australia mobile +61 (0)427070683 PNG mobile and WhatsApp +675 74310002 Dr Larson will convene a small group of administrators and senior researchers to provide guidance.
Location	Remote internship only
Project Opportunities/Benefits for the Intern	The student will gain experience in working cross-culturally, responding to client needs.

Summary:

PNGIMR receives core funding from the Government of PNG for operational activities and relies on external funding such as competitive grants to conduct research. These grants are funded by the GoPNG or international funders such as Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  Most grants are conducted in partnership with international research institutions.

PNGIMR requires a single database to record key information on past and current research grants and other activities. The database will be used to:

• Generate information for reports on research activities to the Council, GoPNG and other stakeholders and to monitor research performance.
• Identify projects with the same areas of research funders, partners and funders for use in grant applications.
• Provide reminders for the Principal Investigators, grants office, finance department and senior managers when funders require reports.

The database should be able to be viewed on the staff intranet or Sharepoint and allow multiple authorised users to edit. It should be able to be managed internally by someone who is tech-savvy but is not expert in databases. It should rely on free (or MS 365) software or make a compelling reason to use inexpensive, readily available software. It should be easy to add additional variables as needs evolve. Extra features such as alerts and ability to map the locations of the grants (partners and the on-the-ground activities would be appreciated).  It should be possible to search for specific people or institutions in fields such as research partners that have multiple entries.

The core data will include but not be limited to:

• Title of the project
• Cost centre
• Institutional ethics review and Medical Research Advisory Council approval codes
• Brief description
• International principal investigators
• Key IMR staff and their roles
• IMR Research unit responsible
• Funding agencies
• Beginning and end dates
• Total grant funding
• Total grant funding for PNGIMR component
• Funding model (primary recipient, secondary recipient, reimbursement only, etc)
• Key reporting dates (multiple fields)
• Milestones (description of milestones, dates, and whether achieved)
• International partners (name and role and location)
• Domestic partners (name and role)
• Location of project activities in PNG
• Peer review publications arising from the grant activities
• Description of impact
• Related grants
• Project photographs to be used to promote the project and Institute

How to Apply:

To be eligible to apply, you must have a Distinction average in your program, have completed a minimum of 72 units, and have room in your program. Please email your resume and one-page Statement of Interest and Suitability to science.internships@anu.edu.au by 11.59pm, 16 July, 2023.

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