What will be done?

What will be done?

Describe clearly what is proposed, and make the reviewers want to read more. The following elements are often included:

  • Proposal title – usually 10–20 words long. The title should be precise and informative, and use language that is comprehensible to the general public. A catchy title can be helpful, but, most importantly, it should be easy to understand. Avoid highly technical terms, jargon and acronyms.
  • Summary of proposal – usually around 200 words long, but can be up to 1 page. The summary is like an abstract – it covers the aims, significance, brief methods and expected outcomes of the project. Again, use plain English, and avoid jargon and acronyms.
  • Summary of project for public release (media summary) – usually 50–100 words long. This cannot just be a shortened version of the summary – it must be very accessible, and concentrate on the purpose and expected outcomes of the project. A good test is to see whether you can imagine it appearing as a snippet story in a newspaper or magazine. The media summary is a good place to practise the ‘dinner party’ technique for writing.

Original

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Title: Antibacterial peptides derived from Boletellus obscurecoccineus

 

Media summary: Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most commonly reported bacterial infections in Australian hospitals, and reports of bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics are increasing worldwide. A new project aims to determine the specific effects and molecular mechanism of nonribosomal peptides on bacterial division. Investigations of Boletellus obscurecoccineus have found nonribosomal peptides with antibacterial properties.

Title: New antibacterials from fungi

 

Media summary: Drug-resistant bacteria are a serious and increasing health problem – more than 20% of infections in Australian hospitals are resistant to conventional antibiotics. This project aims to deliver a new, highly effective treatment for these infections. The project is investigating chemicals derived from an Australian fungus – Boletellus obscurecoccineus – that have been shown to stop bacterial growth. These chemicals could be used as the basis of a treatment for a range of life-threatening infections.
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