Table 2.

Factors Associated with High- and Low-Impact Research

Factor	Policy Implication
Basic biomedical research with a clear clinical motivation is associated with high academic and wider impacts.	When seeking to achieve high academic and wider impacts, encourage and support clinically motivated basic biomedical research.
Co-location of basic biomedical research in a clinical setting is associated with high wider impact.	When seeking to achieve high wider impacts from basic biomedical research, encourage and support the co-location of basic biomedical researchers with clinicians in a clinical setting (e.g. a teaching hospital or health organisation).
Strategic thinking by clinical researchers is associated with high wider impact.	When seeking to achieve high wider impacts from clinical research, focus clinical research funding on PIs or teams who think strategically about translation into clinical practice.
Research collaboration is associated with high academic and wider impact.	When seeking to achieve high academic and wider impacts, encourage and support research collaboration for both basic biomedical and clinical research.
International collaboration is associated with high academic impact.	When seeking to achieve high academic impact, encourage and support international collaboration for both basic biomedical and clinical research.
Engagement with practitioners and patients is associated with high academic and wider impacts.	When seeking to achieve high academic and wider impacts, encourage and support clinical researchers who have a record of engaging with practitioners and patients.
Basic biomedical research collaboration with industry is associated with high academic and wider impacts.	When seeking to achieve high academic and wider impacts from basic biomedical research, encourage and support collaboration with industry.
Negative or null findings are associated with low academic and wider impacts.	Research funders should acknowledge the importance and potential significance of negative or null findings when assessing the impact of research.
Initial rejection of a subsequently accepted basic biomedical research grant may be associated with low academic and wider impacts.	Further research is needed to confirm whether initial rejection of a research proposal is associated with low impact. Until this finding can be confirmed or refuted, funders may want to carefully consider such proposals.