The Australia & New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) Clinical Trials Network is an NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence. Through its Seed Funding Research Scheme, it has supported 16 projects that relate to current or future multicentre trials to date. Seed funds are granted for research projects that can achieve a tangible outcome within 12-15 months of receipt of grant funds.

The Australia & New Zealand Low Back Pain Research Network (ANZBACK) is also an NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence. ANZBACK is a special interest group of ANZMUSC and also has funds available to support research aligned with the CRE.

Mid year, the two CREs open applications for a combined seed funding scheme to support projects being undertaken around musculoskeletal health and/or low back pain. Combining the funding of both CREs ensures we can support more projects and will avoid the need for duplication of applications.

The scheme aims to:

• Support ideas and research questions that align with ANZMUSC or ANZBACK research priorities (reflecting important disease burden and an important evidence or evidence-practice gap)
• Support ideas that will lead to future external funding applications that could be endorsed by ANZMUSC