APERF grant recipients announced

The Australian Podiatry Education and Research Foundation (APERF) was established in Melbourne in 1990 to advance research into the causes, prevention and treatment of foot problems. Its funding primarily relies on donations from the Australian podiatry profession and fundraising initiatives.

With seven trustees from around Australia, APERF has funded over 80 projects that have made a real difference to the practice of podiatry.

The grant application process

Grants are usually open in September and close at the end of October each year, with each submitted grant being independently assessed and scored. This is followed by a meeting in December to combine the scores and decide who is successful.

Full details of the grant process and all necessary forms are available on APERF’s website and Twitter / X (@_APERF).

How the decisions are made

The decision-making process is primarily determined by how well the grant scores, but other factors are also considered to ensure that a combination of topics, researchers and institutions are awarded.

Professor Hylton B. Menz, a Trustee of APERF from La Trobe University’s Discipline of Podiatry, reflects on the most recent grant round.

“We received some excellent applications in 2023, so the decision-making process was difficult. Having said that, we are happy that a wide range of topics were successful, covering topics as diverse as First Nations health, musculoskeletal disorders, prescribing of scheduled medicines, the high risk foot and sports medicine.

“I would encourage all podiatrists to find out what research is currently underway, and if possible, donate to APERF.”

Below are the most recent grant recipients.

• Category A – funding amount up to $30,000 (study duration of up to 2 years)
  • Dr Daniel Bonanno: Is the addition of running retraining to best standard care beneficial in runners with medial tibial stress syndrome? A randomised controlled trial. LaTrobe University.
  • Dr Michelle Kaminski: Comparing offloading effects of felt adhesive padding and custom foot orthoses for diabetes-related foot ulceration: a plantar pressure study. Monash Health.

• Category B – funding amount up to $15,000 (study duration of up to 1 year)
  • Prof Shannon Munteanu: Neuropathic pain in people with and without midfoot osteoarthritis: a matched cross-sectional observational study. LaTrobe University.
  • Dr Sean Sadler: Co-design of a Community-based High Risk Foot Service on Darkinjung Country. Western Sydney University.
  • Dr Alicia James: Efficacy of an evidence-based foot triage pathway for reducing hospital admissions and improving outcomes in adults with high-risk foot conditions. Monash Health.

• Category C – funding amount up to $10,000 (study duration of up to 1 year). For studies that seek to promote excellence in podiatry education.
  • Dr Sheree Hurn: Defining podiatry-specific capabilities for prescribing scheduled medicines in Australia. QUT.