FAQ
- I haven't time to read lots of documentation. Briefly, what is the purpose of the ASTN and how does it achieve this purpose?
- Does the ASTN committee aim to oversee all clinical sleep health research proposals in Australia?
- What are the benefits of bringing my proposal for a multicentre study to the ASTN?
- How can the ASTN help my group get funding for a multicentre study?
- Why should I share my research ideas with others in the Network?
- Why have a committee to vet research proposals?
- Are there checks and balances to ensure fairness in the committee's selection of studies to receive support from the ASTN?
- I see from the first newsletter that there is a large number of Associate Investigators (AIs) on the Enabling Grant. What is their role?
- I'm not a CI or AI on the grant. How can I become part of the Network?
- I want to get involved in clinical trials in sleep health but I'm not an experienced researcher. How can the ASTN help me?
- My research is not in the area of respiratory sleep disorders. Can the ASTN help researchers like me to set up a multicentre experiments?
1. I haven't time to read lots of documentation. Briefly, what is the purpose of the ASTN and how does it achieve this purpose?
The mission of the Australasian Sleep Trials Network is to conduct and facilitate clinical trials of national and international significance that will have a major impact on sleep health. It will achieve this mission principally through investigator driven trials, funded by government or industry.
The network isn't funded to provide direct grants for multicentre trials. Instead, it will provide resources so that researchers can submit very competitive, well worked proposals to existing granting sources. It will also put potential collaborators in touch, so that trials have enough sites for speedy recruitment of target numbers of subjects.
2. Does the ASTN committee aim to oversee all clinical sleep health research proposals in Australia?
An ASTN committee (the Protocol Group) will look only at proposals that researchers choose to bring to the Network, and only at proposals for multicentre trials. The aim is provide support and infrastructure to strengthen and advance sleep health trials in our region, rather than to taking on an overseeing role.
3. What are the benefits of bringing my proposal for a multicentre study to the ASTN?
The Network can help you put together an impressive and competitive protocol to improve your chances of funding success. Expert biostatistical and clinical trial design advice and special expertise in outcome measurement are provided by the Network. The protocol may be strengthened also by including economic measures, or a genomics element, again using experts provided by the Network. Input from peers can further iron out potential problems before the protocol is submitted for funding.
Contact with potential collaborators is another benefit. Bringing in several other centres might be the best way to achieve a big enough sample size for a properly powered study, or when the study focuses on a rare condition. Other centres may already be planning a similar study and a combined study may receive funding ahead of two smaller competing studies.
4. How can the ASTN help my group get funding for a multicentre study?
Rather than funding large studies directly, the ASTN provides expertise in areas such as biostatistics, study design, health economics, outcome measurement and genomics, so that collaborative groups can take compelling proposals to funding bodies. Network infrastructure may also be committed for the conduct of a study, for example for recruitment, outcome measurement, data management or analysis, further strengthening the funding proposal. In addition, Network members can provide links to likely sources of funding.
5. Why should I share my research ideas with others in the Network?
One view is that confidentiality is unlikely to be a barrier for most researchers bringing proposals to the ASTN. Proposals well suited to the Network are those which address well-established problems. Researchers would approach the Network for refinement of a study protocol and for collaborators with relevant experience and a particular desire to solve the problem. Novel, early research ideas will rarely need or justify testing through large multicentre trials and will therefore be outside the province of the ASTN.
There may be occasions when confidentiality is important and a policy and mechanism for confidentiality within the ASTN are currently being discussed. Your contribution to this debate is welcomed.
6. Why have a committee to vet research proposals?
The role of the Protocol Group is to manage the use of Network resources. The ASTN has limited funding to support the development of protocols, so there has to be some mechanism for selecting which studies will get that support.
7. Are there checks and balances to ensure fairness in the committee's selection of studies to receive support from the ASTN?
Selection criteria for selecting studies to receive support are currently being drafted and will be openly available for comment.
When studies are assessed as not meeting the criteria, the Protocol Group will give researchers reasons for their decision. If researchers wish, the Protocol Group will discuss ways of developing the research so that it fits the mission of the ASTN. Protocol Group decisions will be reviewed by an independent review and appeals body. Comments on the nature of this review body are welcome.
8. I see from the first newsletter that there is a large number of Associate Investigators (AIs) on the Enabling Grant. What is their role?
The AIs form a consultative group of researchers from the range of sleep disciplines and both within and outside of the Australia New Zealand region. The Chief Investigators (CIs) have sought AI opinions as they develop the operations of the ASTN, by inviting AIs to planning meetings where possible, and by circulating draft documents. AIs contributions to decision making will continue. For example an AI will be invited onto the executive group, rotating each year.
CIs also hope that AIs will form an important link between the ASTN and the sleep research community to increase participation in the network.
9. I'm not a CI or AI on the grant. How can I become part of the Network?
To become part of the Network, send an email to the National Research Manager, or register for the ASTN Open Forum at the Perth ASA meeting. You will then receive newsletters and updates about educational meetings, and opportunities for initiating or collaborating on ASTN studies.
10. I want to get involved in clinical trials in sleep health but I'm not an experienced researcher. How can the ASTN help me?
An important aim of the ASTN is to foster and support new researchers by providing educational meetings, consultations with experts and experience of being a collaborator in clinical trials. Get involved by sending an email to the National Research Manager, or registering for the ASTN Open Forum at the Perth ASA meeting.
11. My research is not in the area of respiratory sleep disorders. Can the ASTN help researchers like me to set up a multicentre experiments?
The scope of the Network covers the full range of sleep disorders in all age groups, including insomnia, circadian disturbances, neurological disorders and sleep breathing disorders. The ASTN aims to support researchers planning clinical trials in all aspects of sleep health.
