ResearchNet - RechercheNet

Table of Contents

• Description
• Objectives
• Eligibility
• Guidelines
• Performance Measurement
• Review Process and Evaluation
• How to Apply
• Contact Information
• Sponsor Description

Description

This Funding Opportunity is to support a Canadian research component on the European Commission's Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

Deadline: 13 April 2016

Despite much progress in 'omics' and epidemiological research in recent years, the knowledge on the combined role of genetic and non-genetic factors in health and disease is still limited, thus hampering the full development potential of personalised medicine.

There is increasing evidence that interactions with the environment, as reflected in genome-epigenome-proteome-metabolome-microbiome crosstalk, play an important role in disease development and progression. International initiatives such as the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), the International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC) and the International Human Microbiome Consortium have generated high quality comprehensive large scale data catalogues and maps. The challenge is to build on the existing high quality data deposited in relevant databases (e.g. but not limited to: http://epigenomesportal.ca/ihec/, http://docs.icgc.org/data-portal ) and combine these data and knowledge with lifestyle and environmental data, thus accelerating the translation into novel targeted or personalized interventions. These objectives cannot be accomplished on an individual country level which calls for broad transnational collaboration.

Funds Available

CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

• The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $1,250,000, enough to fund approximately 1 Canadian component of a grant. The maximum amount per grant is $250,000 per year for up to 5 years.

For all funding details, please consult the Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; Part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

Partner and Internal Collaborator Participation

CIHR is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other funding organizations and stakeholders to enhance the availability of funding for this strategic initiative, and to create, where appropriate, opportunities for knowledge exchange and translation related to the scope of this particular initiative. Applicants are invited to visit the Partner and Internal Collaborators Description sections  to find a list of partners, internal collaborators and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner and internal collaborator are outlined in the “Objectives” section.

The opportunity to add new partners and internal collaborators to this funding opportunity may arise after publication. These partners and internal collaborators may not be listed, however, the principles that govern relevance review and funding decisions will still apply in these cases; see Review Process and Evaluation. Note: Where new partners and internal collaborators are added later in the competition, the partners and internal collaborators will conduct relevance reviews based on their respective mandates on all applications in this competition without reference to peer review results. Applications deemed to be relevant will be funded from the top down as far as the budgets will allow.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity, as defined in the Horizon 2020 call are to:

• Translate big data and basic research results into clinical applications.
• Contribute to exploiting data from IHEC and, as appropriate, data from other international initiatives.
• Identify and select new biomarkers for clinical validation in stratified patient populations
• Develop new targeted therapies for diseases of the immune system with high prevalence.
• In line with the European Union's strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation, proposals should create strategic synergies between scientists across disciplines, sectors and around the globe.

Relevant Research Areas

The scope of this topic is to integrate and use high quality genome, epigenome, proteome, metabolome, microbiome data produced by large scale international initiatives with innovative imaging, functional, structural and lifestyle/environmental data, and combine these with disease-oriented functional analysis to contribute to the understanding of health and disease with the final objective of selecting relevant biomarkers for clinical validation that will lead to the development of new targeted therapies for diseases of the immune system. Proposals must build on data from IHEC and, as appropriate, on data from other international initiatives. Proposals should address relevant ethical implications, take into account sex and gender differences and include a section on research data management. International cooperation is requested. Proposals addressing rare diseases of the immune system are not considered in scope.

For all details, please consult the Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; Part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

Eligibility

Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Refer to the Individual Eligibility Requirements regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

Eligibility to Apply

For your application to be eligible:

1. The Nominated Principal Applicant must be an independent researcher appointed at an eligible institution.

Guidelines

General CIHR Guidelines

This funding opportunity will comply fully with the policies and guidelines as outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of Gender and Sex-Based Analysis in applications. CIHR also recognizes the importance of engaging citizens in its funding opportunities. CIHR encourages researchers to involve citizens where appropriate, and to provide in their research proposal a brief description of how they intend to involve them when applicable. Please see CIHR’s Citizen Engagement Framework for more information.

CIHR’s mandate states that our commitment to excellence applies equally to research and knowledge translation, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that the results of research are transformed into policies, practices, procedures, products and services. For more information about incorporating knowledge translation in your proposal, please see Guide to Knowledge Translation Planning at CIHR: Integrated and End-of-Grant Approaches.

Official Languages

CIHR is committed to promotion of and compliance to the applicable parts of the Official Languages Act. As such, CIHR encourages applicants to submit proposals in the Official Language of their choice and commits to ensuring high quality review of applications submitted in either Official Language. In addition, applicants are encouraged to consider the inclusion of Official Languages and Official Language Minority Communities in their research where appropriate. Please see Official Languages at CIHR for more information.

Allowable Costs

Recipients should review the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

Global Health Research and International Collaborations

As outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide Global Health Research Section and the International Collaborations Section, applicants who are eligible for CIHR funding may apply to CIHR’s funding opportunities for funds to support research to be carried out in, or in direct collaboration with researchers and/or knowledge users based in, other countries. CIHR contributes to, and supports international research projects and international collaborations to address a range of research areas, including but not limited to established priorities in global health research and contributes to the development of health-research capacity both internationally and at home.

Conditions of Funding

Successful applicants funded through this funding opportunity and any other persons working on the project must comply fully with the CIHR Funding Policies. Policies and guidelines cover areas such as Applicant Responsibilities, Official Languages policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial requirements prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.

Successful applicants must comply fully with all terms and conditions set by the European Commission. Please consult the Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; Part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)

All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, to recruit reviewers, to administer and monitor grants and awards, to compile statistics, and to promote and support health research in Canada. Consistent with these purposes, applicants should also expect that information collected by CIHR may be shared as described in the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy of the Federal Research Funding Organizations.

CIHR as a federal entity is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, therefore the requirements of these two statutes will apply to all information located in CIHR’s premises including, without limitation, cost-sharing agreements related to this funding opportunity and all matters pertaining thereto.

While respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, all signing parties involved in a collaborative agreement will also be bound by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under collaborative agreements related to the Funding opportunity will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.

Tri-Council Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People

Applicants, whose proposed research will involve Aboriginal People, please consult Ethics of Health Research Involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis People.

Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications

CIHR believes that greater access to research publications and data will promote the ability of researchers and knowledge users in Canada and abroad to use and build on the knowledge needed to address significant health challenges. Open access will promote accessibility to CIHR-funded research and will serve to increase the international visibility of Canadian research. CIHR grant recipients are reminded to adhere with the responsibilities outlined in the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications. Under this policy, grant recipients must ensure that research papers and bio-molecular data generated from CIHR funding are freely accessible online.

Communication Requirements

Funding recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. See Communication of Competition Results for details on CIHR’s communication requirements. The contributing internal collaborators/partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding (AFF) and decision letter.

Performance Measurement

For all details, please consult the Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; Part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

CIHR is committed to collecting and disseminating information on the outputs and impacts of the research it funds. This information is an important part of CIHR accountability within the Federal Government and to Canadians. If successful within this funding opportunity:

• The Nominated Principal Applicant will be required to submit an electronic Final Report to CIHR. This online report will be made available to the Nominated Principal Applicant on ResearchNet at the beginning of the grant funding period and can be filled in as the research progresses.
• The Nominated Principal Applicant will be required to contribute to the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR’s programs, policies and processes by participating in evaluation studies, surveys, workshops, audits and providing data or reports as required for the purpose of collecting information to assess progress and results.
• The Nominated Principal Applicant will be required to encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR’s programs, policies and processes as required.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review Process

For all details, please consult the Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; Part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

Prior to peer review, the CIHR Institutes of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA), Cancer Research (ICR) and Genetics (IG) will have access to full applications and nominative information to conduct relevance review. The applicant must consent to the sharing of nominative information at the time of application to be eligible for funding.

Review Committee

For all details, please consult the Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; Part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

Evaluation Criteria

For all details, please consult the Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; Part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

Funding Decision

For all details, please consult the Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; Part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

How to Apply

In addition to the application submission to the European Commission (EC), Canadian applicants must complete an abbreviated CIHR application and submit it using ResearchNet. The deadline for submission of this application is DIFFERENT to that of the EC. The purpose of this additional application to CIHR is to provide CIHR with an Operating Budget for the project, with the amounts quoted in Canadian dollars, and a complete justification for funds requested.

Submission Requirements

• Your CIHR application will be submitted using ResearchNet. Scan and upload the signed signature pages including the routing slip in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet prior to submitting your application.
• An overview of CIHR’s application processes can be found under Apply for Funding.

Specific Instructions

The following tasks in ResearchNet are mandatory for completion of the CIHR Application:

Task: Identify Participants

• Please note: a Nominated Principal Applicant must be identified, and that this individual must be the Canadian researcher that is applying for funding from CIHR.
• Please note that a CV is not required.

Task: Enter Proposal Information

• Please note: a complete Research Proposal is not required for this application.

Task: Complete Summary of Research Proposal (one page maximum)

Task: Enter Budget Information

• Funds must be quoted in Canadian dollars.

Task: Print/Upload Signature Pages

Task: Preview

Task: Consent and Submit

Contact Information

For all inquiries please contact:

Telephone: 613-954-1968
Toll Free: 1-888-603-4178
Email: support@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Sponsor Description

Partners

For all details, please consult the Multiomics for personalised therapies addressing diseases of the immune system; Part of the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 Societal Challenge for Health, Demographic Change and Well-being.

Internal Collaborators

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.