The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:

• To define and integrate models of resilience and wellness into diabetes prevention and treatment approaches among First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.
• To support Indigenous-led and community-driven efforts to reverse the upward trajectory of diabetes in Indigenous communities.

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:

• Promote the career development of mid-career investigators from Canadian academic institutions in vaccine research for infectious diseases;
• Create new knowledge in vaccine research for emerging threats through a mutually beneficial exchange of expertise between Canadian mid-career investigators and CEPI, and support the mobilization of the knowledge created to relevant knowledge users and other stakeholders; and
• Position mid-career Canadian investigators as international leaders in vaccine research for infectious diseases.

The specific objective of this funding opportunity is:

• to establish a number of ambitious, innovative, multi-disciplinary and multi-national collaborative research projects that aim at identifying and measuring physiological effects and related biomarkers that can be linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, as well as enhancing the understanding of causal underlying cellular, molecular, metabolic, inflammatory or other systemic processes.

For more information, please consult the JPND Call for Proposals.

The overall goal of this funding opportunity is to understand the current landscape of STBBI research in Canada, and to build capacity and spur innovation in this field, with a specific focus on STBBI of public health relevance which have not previously received dedicated strategic investment by CIHR.

With this goal in mind, the specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Enable STBBI researchers to generate preliminary observations, data or knowledge necessary to pursue longer-term funding in STBBI research;
• Support original, high quality STBBI projects and provide researchers the opportunity to pursue high risk health research questions which have the potential to generate novel, innovative and high impact results; and
• Stimulate new partnerships between STBBI researchers and experts in Canada, and promote cross-disciplinary research collaborations.

The Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2021 provides $40 million (M) to the Department of Defense Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program (ALSRP) to support innovative and high-impact research into the development of effective treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation.  The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC). CDMRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY21 funding opportunities.

FY21 ALSRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website. 

https://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/alsrp

Therapeutic Development Award – Preproposal due April 9, 2021

Independent investigators at all academic levels

• Supports secondary preclinical validation and IND-enabling studies of therapeutics for ALS.
• Preliminary data are required, including efficacy of a lead molecule/class of compounds in at least one ALS-relevant model system.
• Biomarker development and/or characterization, in parallel to the main therapeutic effort, is a critical component of the TDA.
• Maximum funding of $1.0 million for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years

Therapeutic Idea Award – Preproposal due April 9, 2021

Independent investigators at all academic levels  

• Supports hypothesis-driven preclinical therapeutic development.
• Projects focusing primarily on investigating ALS pathophysiology are outside the scope of this award mechanism.
• Preliminary data are not required.
• Early Career Investigators are encouraged to apply.
• Biomarker Option: Applications that include development of biomarkers in parallel to the main therapeutic effort, and that meet criteria outlined in the Funding Opportunity Announcement, will qualify for a higher level of funding.
• Maximum funding of $500,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum funding of $600,000 for direct costs plus indirect costs if applying for the Therapeutic Biomarker Option
• Maximum period of performance is 2 years

Clinical Development Award – Preproposal due April 9, 2021

Independent investigators at all academic levels

• Supports correlative clinical research and leveraging of human-based ALS resources.
• Types of efforts that will be supported include:

o  Using human subject-based resources to better define subtypes, predict therapeutic response, or assess prognosis;

o  Correlating clinical trial-related biosamples, imaging, or epidemiological data with clinical outcomes;

o  Adding a biomarker companion or observational aim to an anticipated/ongoing clinical trial;

o  Observational studies to optimize components of current ALS clinical care such as respiratory care strategies, use of approved devices, or specific symptom management strategies and assistive technologies.

• Early Career Investigators and/or Early Career Physician Scientists are encouraged to apply.
• Maximum funding of $500,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum period of performance is 2 years

NEW! Therapeutic/Biomarker Pilot Trial Award – Preproposal due April 9th

Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

• Supports exploratory clinical trials to demonstrate feasibility or inform the design of more advanced trials for the treatment or management of ALS.
• Must support a clinical trial and may not be used for preclinical research studies.
• Preliminary data are required.
• Biomarkers must be incorporated into the trial design.  Biomarkers may measure target engagement, drug pharmacodynamics, and/or be predictive/cohort-selective.
• Maximum funding of $2,000,000 for direct costs plus indirect costs.
• Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

A pre-application is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) at https://eBRAP.org prior to the pre-application deadline.  All applications must conform to the final Program Announcements and General Application Instructions available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website.  The application package containing the required forms for each award mechanism will also be found on Grants.gov.  A listing of all CDMRP and other USAMRDC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420. 

For email notification when Program Announcements are released, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage at https://eBRAP.org.  For more information about the ALSRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Help Desk

301-682-5507 
help@eBrap.org

Crohn’s and Colitis Canada is delighted to announce the launch of its 2021 Grants-in-Aid of Research (GIA) Competition. The GIA program supports research projects directly related to IBD that are aligned with Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s Promise and strategic directions. Funding is limited to a maximum of $125,000 per year, for up to three years, contingent upon available funds.

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Facilitate and support a national collaborative hepatitis C public health research program that aligns with the with the Government of Canada Five-Year Action Plan on STBBI and that links and leverages existing networks and research programs, engages knowledge users, people with living/lived experience and decision makers to:
  • Enable innovative, high quality, collaborative research in the area of prevention of hepatitis C infection and reinfection, linkage to care in priority populations and hepatitis C-related health complications;
  • Accelerate the translation and uptake of knowledge and implementation of evidence to inform practices, policies and programs through models of integrated knowledge translation and innovative strategies that engage knowledge users, people with living/lived experience and decision makers;
  • Develop and/or strengthen innovative multidisciplinary curricula and training opportunities for students and professionals.

The objectives of Stream 1 are:

• Accelerate rapid research on SARS-CoV-2 variants in Canada to contribute to the national and global efforts to address SARS-CoV-2 variants; and
• Generate timely evidence on SARS-CoV-2 variants that will show impact within 3-6 months and is relevant to biological, clinical, health system, and public health strategies.

Stream 1 applicants are strongly encouraged to consider maximizing impact by outlining how they intend to participate in:

1. The formation of a network (Stream 2) or participating in a network formed by another NPA (Stream 2); and,
2. The CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research once established.

The objective of Stream 2 is to:

• Establish interdisciplinary networks that contribute to the rapid response, understanding, and coordination of SARS-CoV-2 variants research.

Stream 2 applicants are strongly encouraged to consider maximizing impact by ensuring that the networks are inclusive of research from across pillars/research areas. Applicants are also expected to ensure that the network has appropriate and diverse representation within the team (see equity, diversity, and inclusion expectations below).

The networks formed through Stream 2 are expected to build the foundation of the CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research.

Please note that Stream 2 NPAs interested in forming a network are strongly encouraged to indicate their intent to do so and area(s) of focus through CIHR’s linkage tool. Stream 2 NPA’s are also encouraged to use the linkage tool to collaborate with researchers interested in participating in networks (including those not funded through CIHR COVID-19 competitions).

CIHR is committed to promoting the inclusion and advancement of groups underrepresented in science as one of the means to enhance excellence in research, training and knowledge translation. CIHR’s position on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is available in the Tri Agency Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Stream 2 applications must clearly describe the research team’s commitment to engaging a diversity of members, in particular related to how they will address team composition and recruitment processes; research environment; training activities; and/or knowledge translation activities, as applicable. Additional guidance can be found on the Best practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research webpage.

When completing the application, applicants must protect the privacy and confidentiality of all team members. How an individual self-identifies is personal and confidential information, which should not be disclosed without consent.

Note: Successful Stream 1 and Stream 2 applicants will be connected to a surveillance network that will coordinate access to the repository of variants as available and as required.

Applications must ensure relevance to all objectives:

• To enable a comprehensive and timely understanding of the biological, clinical, social, and population health implications of emerging SARS-CoV-2 VOCs and their relevance for public health, health systems and policy through the establishment of an interdisciplinary CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research;
• To provide an integrated platform within Canada to coordinate across different research areas that focus on emerging VOCs research through coordination across different disciplines and pillars of research and integrating surveillance efforts through a sustained collaboration/partnership with the VOCN and other relevant local, national, and international partners; and
• To swiftly provide high-quality and real-time data on urgent and emerging research priorities in support of Canada rapid response to emerging SARS-COV2 variants, through building and activating as needed, a rapid response capacity in Canada which can coordinate and conduct all aspects of VOC related research.

Key Design Components

The CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research funded through this call must expand existing national networks, infrastructures and relationships with local and international partners in order to leverage efforts and increase timeliness, efficiency, and impact of research on the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. The areas listed below are key design components for the network:

• Governance: A plan for enhancing coordination and engagement among and with the existing networks and organizations to maximize research impact. This should include but not be limited to the VOCN, the emerging and existing variants related research networks, and other relevant local, national, and international partners. The governance plan should ensure a mechanism for establishing an ongoing research priority-setting process, including to timely inform how and when the rapid response capacity will be activated to swiftly respond to emerging research priorities, while engaging key stakeholders across sectors. The governance plan should include concrete strategy for integration of external advice, including from the Leadership Committee that is being formed by CIHR and other federal partners on the overall Canadian Strategy for Variant Response, and to ensure the CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research governance and research upholds principles of equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Interdisciplinary approach: The CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research will build upon interactions with existing national and provincial networks and initiatives, and through the inclusion of the new networks emerging from other arms of CIHR’s SARS-CoV-2 variant research response (CIHR Supplement Stream 2) to address the issue of emerging VOC through an integrated interdisciplinary approach. The individual teams and networks that get integrated into the national network may span a broad range of research areas and pillars and may include, but not limited to, in silico modelling, functional genomics, in vitro and in vivo characterization, immunological and vaccine protection assessment, and health systems, public health and social policy impacts.
• Resource and Data Sharing: A plan for active collaboration and coordination across member networks to ensure resources are in place within member networks to support objectives of the funding. This plan should include strategies to enable and accelerate data and samples sharing, and increase efficiencies in research related processes, including but not limited to ethics review; contracts; sharing agreements; common protocols. This should also include a plan for applying the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) to the data management strategy. The Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA) CARE principles (Collective benefit, Authority to control, Responsibility and Ethics) should be integrated to aspects pertaining to Indigenous data governance
• International Linkages: A plan for liaison activities with like-minded international networks (e.g., those supported through GISAID) and consortiums (e.g., COG-UK, SPHERES) focused on SARS-CoV2 variants research and their biological, health system and public health implications to maximize the impact and international visibility of the CIHR Network for Emerging Variants, and reduce duplication of efforts internationally.
• Patient and Citizen Engagement: The CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research must include meaningful mechanisms for patients/citizens/informal care providers' engagement in core activities and governance.
• Indigenous Network: The CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research must show a plan on how it will work collaboratively with the Indigenous Variants Network.
• Capacity Building at a Pan-Canadian Level: The CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research will play a facilitation and coordination role, adding a multidisciplinary, inter-professional, and cross-jurisdictional element to research training and mentorship activities in SARS-CoV2 variants research.
• Knowledge Mobilization: In collaboration with network partners and existing Canadian networks, the CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research will provide a plan to mobilize knowledge being generated within and across the members to maximize the impacts of research.

Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) by email to EHTRF-FRNMS@cihr-irsc.gc.ca no later than 8:00 p.m. (EST) on February 18, 2021. Note that this task is mandatory to be eligible to submit a full application.