Cohort Profile: The Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP)

992 the principal investigators’ time has been allocated to seeking grants from a variety of agencies to continue the study. Funding has also been obtained from a variety of sources (e.g. Queensland Health, Criminology Research Council). The project has also been successful in obtaining a share of an NHMRC Capacity Grant (to develop the research methodology and statistical skills specific to longitudinal studies), as well as a post-doctoral fellowship. In addition some five PhD candidates have successfully obtained their degrees, and a further five are currently completing their doctoral dissertations. While one might reasonably view the continuing need to obtain funding as a time consuming diversion from the preparation of research papers, it has had the effect of forcing the principal investigators to reassess the aims, objectives and methods that The Mater-University of Queensland study of pregnancy (MUSP) adopts. Every MUSP NHMRC grant has had to compete in an environment where only about 20–25% of applications are successful.