Current grants and awards

Following is a list of Awards and Grants currently offered

• CSL Behring Overseas Travel Grant

  Purpose

  The final overseas travel grant for ANZSBT members, sponsored by CSL Behring.

  Suitable purposes for funding would include visits to overseas laboratories to learn new techniques or gain experience, and attendance at overseas scientific meetings or courses.  The award is to be taken up within 12 months of the closing date of the application.

  Criteria

  This award is open to society members only.

  The ANZSBT Council has resolved that awarding of grants is to be based on scientific or educational merit of the application as well as the availability of other funding for this purpose. Our aim is to ensure that Society members who do not normally have access to significant funds for overseas travel can receive assistance from the CSL Behring Travel Grant.

  Application

  Applications should be received by the Secretariat no later than Friday 30th June 2025 and should include a letter of application outlining the reasons for the application:

  1. The purposes for which the grant (if successful) would be used;
  2. Anticipated costs and any other possible sources of funding;
  3. A letter of recommendation from your Head of Department supporting your application; and
  4. If, for the purpose of attending a scientific meeting it would be expected that the applicant would have submitted an abstract, evidence of the abstract should be submitted with the application.

  Value

  Up to $5,000

  Sponsored by

  We thank our sponsor, CSL Behring for supporting ANZSBT Members with this travel grant.

  APPLICATIONS FOR THIS GRANT HAVE NOW CLOSED 

• ANZSBT Research Fund

  Purpose:

  To contribute towards basic science, clinical (including safe and appropriate transfusion practice, patient blood management and haemovigilance) and translational research in transfusion or related fields in Australia and New Zealand.

  The ANZSBT Council has highlighted the following research priorities for 2025:

  • Transfusion in rural and remote settings;
  • Transfusion in the fetal, neonatal and paediatric settings;
  • Transfusion in indigenous populations or minority groups of Australia or New Zealand
  • Community engaged research
  • Implementation science and quality improvement
  • Transfusion in the elderly

  Value:

  In 2025, the Society will award a total sum of $75,000 comprising either a single grant of $75,000 or smaller grants totalling $75,000.

  Eligibility:

  The Society invites applications from either individuals or groups in Australia and New Zealand who are involved in, or planning to undertake, research in transfusion or related fields.

  The Society recognises the importance of supporting career development of the next generation of transfusion researchers. The Society therefore encourages applications from early career researchers (less than 5 years since PhD, FRCPA, FAIMS or equivalent qualification) and post-graduate students. The Society encourages applications from nurses or medical laboratory scientists for funding of suitable projects. There is an expectation by the Society that if an early career researcher is awarded a grant, that awardee will see the project to completion.

  An applicant needs to be an ANZSBT member.

  You can find more information about membership and how to join on our website.  Application for membership alongside the grant application will be accepted.

  Process:

  The ANZSBT Research Committee will evaluate the merits of the proposed research project, to ensure that it is relevant, of a suitable standard and has potential value to Australia and New Zealand.

  The final allocation of grants will be decided by Council based on recommendations from the Research Committee.

  Criteria:

  Four key criteria on which the assessment will be based are:

  • Significance of the project and value of the potential outcomes
  • Quality of the research plan
  • Feasibility of the project including timeframe
  • Track record of the applicant(s)

  Conditions:

  The award of funds is subject to acceptance of the terms and conditions of the grant:

  • Provision of a written progress report (of up to 500 words) six months after the first grant payment is made
  • Presentation of the findings or the outcome(s) from the research project at the BLOOD annual scientific meeting
  • Provision of a brief synopsis of research outcomes for inclusion on the society’s website

  Full terms and conditions will be sent to successful applicants as part of their notification letter.

  Applications:

  Applications for the 2025 Research Fund have now closed.

• James Isbister Award

  The James Isbister Award will be presented for the first time at the Blood 2025 conference and is proudly sponsored by the National Blood Authority (NBA).

  James is a former Chair of the NBA’s Patient Blood Management (PBM) Steering Committee and long-time friend of the NBA and ANZSBT member. James sits on a World Health Organization Steering Committee that recently published ‘Guidance on implementing PBM to improve global blood health status’.

  James was an early advocate for moving from a blood product focus to a patient health and safety focus. This prestigious award honours his interesting and varied career spanning more than 40 years with clinical, research and teaching interests in haematology, transfusion medicine and PBM for which he received a membership of the Order of Australia in 2014.

  James is humbled by this new award and credits his lifetime achievements to not just his own efforts and a fulfilment from the work itself, but also inspiration from influential researchers, guidance from great mentors and the support, encouragement, and collaboration of many people throughout his career.

  The recipient of the James Isbister Award is nominated by ANZSBT members and receives a $5,000 prize for a significant contribution to one or more of the following areas:

  • Research into the nature and roles of blood and blood products.
  • Education of the medical community and special interest groups in the field of transfusion medicine and/or patient blood management.
  • Encouraging and promoting the importance of blood and plasma donation and their appropriate clinical use leading to better healthcare in Australia or New Zealand.

  Nominations are sought from members for a person from across the healthcare community whose work in the field of transfusion within Australia and/or New Zealand exemplifies the values of the Society.

  Nominations must come from a proposer and seconder with letters of support from both.  The proposer and/or seconder must be current financial members of the Society.

  Please complete the nomination form, include a Curriculum Vitae and send by email to: anzsbt@anzsbt.org.au by COB, 31 July 2025