Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), (also referred to as ‘’Public Services and Procurement Canada’’ (‘’PSPC’’)), is releasing this Request for Proposals (RFP) on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to acquire services for the development of concepts for robotic interfaces to be used as part of the ‘’Deep Space Exploration Robotics’’ initiative or ‘’DSXR’’.

1. Purpose

To achieve the goal of enabling future human long space missions on the International Space Station (ISS) and beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO), research initiatives are needed to better understand the health risks associated with spaceflight and to develop countermeasures that mitigate these risks. The purpose of this Advanced Notice (AN) is to inform the Canadian academic community that the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) intends to proceed with the posting of three Announcements of Opportunity (AOs) as part of its Grants and Contributions (G&C) Program.

2. Objectives

In line with the vision and priorities stated in the new Space Strategy for Canada - to realize the full potential of the Canadian space sector to be a leader in exploration, science excellence and innovation and deliver socio-economic benefits to improve life for all Canadians, to enable scientific opportunities and global partnerships, and to harness space to solve everyday challenges for Canadians - the intent of these AOs will be to provide financial support to researchers in Canadian Universities and post-secondary institutions to conduct science investigations that will lead to a better understanding of human spaceflight risks while contributing to improve remote medicine and health care benefits here on Earth.

More specifically, the CSA seeks to:

• Create an opportunity for new space life science experiments to generate new knowledge and insight into the risks of human space flight to keep astronauts healthy in space;
• Expand the range of research expertise that is applied to research on human spaceflight health risks;
• Advance understanding of similar health issues or applications on Earth, that could contribute to improving health care for Canadians;
• Foster training of highly qualified personnel in space HLS.

The following three AOs are considered:

• Health and Life Sciences (HLS) Data and Sample Mining: Scientific analysis using existing data sets or biological samples generated from previous studies
  • Maximum amount per project: up to $70,000
  • Maximum duration of the project: up to one (1) year
• HLS Research Models: Non-human research models (examples: organoids, organ-on-a-chip, model organisms) for investigations of space-related health risks (e.g. radiation, medical countermeasures) to expand research approaches.
  • Maximum amount per project: up to $150,000
  • Maximum duration of the project: up to two (2) years
• Human Analog Studies: Human-subject space analog studies that reproduce one or more aspects of the space environment, such as variable gravity, inactivity, physiological fluid shifts, isolation, or confinement.
  • Maximum amount per project: up to $200,000
  • Maximum duration of the project: up to two (2) years

The FY19 Defense Appropriation provides $5 million (M) to the Department of Defense Lupus Research Program (LRP) to support that support the full spectrum of research projects or ideas that specifically focus on scientific and clinical lupus issues, which, if successfully addressed, have the potential to make a major impact in lupus research.  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 Materiel Command (USAMRMC).

FY19 LRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.

Applications submitted to the FY19 LRP must address at least one of the five Focus Areas listed below:

• Understand lupus disease heterogeneity in risk of disease, presentation, clinical course, and outcomes including, but not limited to, biopsychosocial studies, personalized medicine, variation in treatment and its effects on patient outcomes, health economics, socioeconomic studies, environmental studies, and epidemiological.
• Understand lupus disease heterogeneity including, but not limited to, progressive stages of lupus over time, strategies and technologies to subtype patients, and understanding lupus disease mechanisms. 
• Improve quality of life of life of patients with lupus.
• Understand how the underlying genetic components and gene environment interactions of lupus disease relate to clinical disease characteristics using functional genomic studies.
• Determine the pathobiology of lupus in target human tissues including, but not limited to, imaging studies, genomics of lupus disease in particular tissues, and metabolomics and how understanding the underlying pathobiology will improve quality of life of patients.

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

Concept Award – preproposal due June 7, 2019

Investigators at all academic levels

• ·        Preproposal is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·        Supports highly innovative, untested, potentially groundbreaking concepts in lupus research
• ·        Emphasis is on innovation
• ·        Clinical trials are not allowed
• ·        Preliminary data is not required
• ·       The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is of $200,000 for total costs.
• ·       The maximum period of performance is 2 year

Impact Award - preproposal due June 7, 2019

Investigators at or above Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

• ·        Preproposal is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·        Supports high-risk/high-reward research
• ·        Emphasis is on impact
• ·        Clinical trials are not allowed
• ·        Preliminary data is encouraged but not required
• ·       The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $525,000 in total costs
• ·       The maximum period of performance is 3 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 USAMRMC 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 LRP 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

The FY19 Defense Appropriation provides $100 million (M) to the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) to support innovative, high-impact prostate cancer research.  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 Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation 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 Materiel Command (USAMRMC).

FY19 PCRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.

The mission of the PCRP is to fund research that will lead to the elimination of death from prostate cancer and enhance the well-being of Service members, Veterans, and all the men and their families who are experiencing the impact of the disease.  Applications submitted to the FY19 PCRP must address one or more of the program’s Overarching Challenges:

• ·         Improve the quality of life for survivors of prostate cancer
• ·         Develop treatments that improve outcomes for men with lethal prostate cancer
• ·         Reduce lethal prostate cancer in African Americans, Veterans, and other high-risk populations
• ·         Define the biology of lethal prostate cancer to reduce death

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

Health Disparity Research Award – Letter of Intent due June 27, 2019

Established Investigators:  Independent investigators at all levels

or

New Investigators:  Investigators that meet the following criteria at the application submission deadline date:

• ·      Have the freedom to pursue individual aims without formal mentorship
• ·      Have not previously received a PCRP Health Disparity Research Award and/or Idea Development Award
• ·      Have either completed at least 3 years of postdoctoral training or fellowship or are within 10 years after completion of terminal degree (excluding residency or family leave)
• ·      Supports ideas that have the high potential to make a significant impact in reducing and ultimately eliminating disparities in prostate cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality. 
• ·      Primary emphasis will be placed on the potential impact of the proposed work.
• ·      Preliminary data are encouraged, but not required.
• ·      Proposed projects may include basic, translational, population science, or clinical research, including clinical trials.
• ·      Must address at least one of the FY19 PCRP Overarching Challenges
• ·      New Investigator Option supports applicants early in their faculty appointments or in the process of developing independent research careers.
• ·      Established Investigators:
• ·      Maximum funding of $750,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• ·      New Investigators:
• ·      Maximum funding of $600,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Translational Science Award – Letter of Intent due June 27, 2019

• ·      Independent investigators at all levels
• ·      Supports translational studies that will advance promising ideas into clinical applications.
• ·      The potential impact of the research is expected to be significant and go beyond an incremental advance.
• ·      Preliminary data to support feasibility are required.
• ·      Proposed projects may include basic, translational, population science or clinical research, but must demonstrate clinical relevance. Clinical trials are not allowed.
• ·      Maximum funding of $750,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Clinical Trial Award – Letter of Intent due June 27, 2019

• ·      Independent investigators at all levels
• ·      Supports hypothesis-based, early-phase clinical trials (e.g., Phase 0, Phase I, pilot Phase II) to test interventions that will have a major impact on one or more of the FY19 PCRP Overarching Challenges.
• ·      Interventions may include drugs, devices, biologics, surgical procedures, behavior modifications, or other types.
• ·      Investigational New Drug or Investigational Device Exemption approvals, if applicable, must be in place by the time of application submission.
• ·      Letter of support to demonstrate proof of possession of sufficient drug supply to conduct study must be provided (if appropriate).
• ·      Clinical trials are expected to be initiated within 12 months of the award date.
• ·      Maximum funding of $2,000,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

Synergistic Population and Data Science Award – Letter of Intent is due June 27, 2019

• ·      Independent investigators with a faculty-level appointment (or equivalent)
• ·      Supports multi-institutional partnerships that will leverage existing prostate cancer patient databases and/or cohorts to address high-impact questions responsive to the FY19 PCRP Overarching Challenges.
• ·      Allows for development of infrastructure to facilitate access to multiple databases/cohorts, as well as conducting hypothesis-based studies utilizing the multi-institutional datasets.
• ·      Minimum of three institutions and three patient databases and/or cohorts is required.
• ·      Maximum funding of $1,500,000 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 USAMRMC 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 PCRP 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

Mitacs Elevate provides two years of postdoc funding valued at $60,000/year plus extensive customized professional development training ($7,500/year non-cash value).

Postdocs:

• Manage a long-term collaborative research project with a company or not-for-profit
• Develop business-ready skills in leadership, financial literacy, management and negotiation, project management, problem solving and much more

 
Key deadlines:

• June 19, 2019 - Intent to Apply and Conflict of Interest declaration deadline
• July 17, 2019 - Full applications due

 
For questions or more information, please contact us at elevate@mitacs.ca.  

The National Housing Strategy Research and Planning Fund provides support for housing research. The objectives of the fund are to:

• build collaboration, engagement and alignment with stakeholders working to achieve common goals
• support the housing community’s research capacity development

Since 2018, the Climate Action Fund has awarded $3 million to support innovative ideas. The objective of projects funded under the program is to raise awareness of climate change and to build capacity in order to increase climate actions that contribute to Canada’s clean growth and climate change plan (the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change).

AGE-WELL Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Awards in Technology and Aging (2019)

AGE-WELL is pleased to announce that it will again offer research funding to highly qualified graduate students and postdoctoral fellows across Canada through our Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Awards in Technology and Aging.

AGE-WELL NCE is a national research network whose goal is to accelerate innovation in the field of technology and aging in order to improve the quality of life of older adults and caregivers and produce economic and social impact for the benefit of Canadians and the global community.

We expect to offer the following awards in this 2019 call:

• 3 Master’s level awards at $10,000
• 4 PhD level awards at $15,000
• 3 Postdoctoral level awards at $20,000

We are also pleased to once again offer the Michael F. Harcourt Policy Fellowship to support one postdoctoral fellow from any discipline and training program that wishes to explore the policy dimensions of their work.

AGE-WELL will also offer the following partner co-funded awards:

AGE-WELL-MIRA Awards

AGE-WELL and the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging aim to support a greater number of salary awards to outstanding graduate students enrolled at McMaster University who wish to commence, pursue or sustain their research training in technology and aging.

We expect to offer the following awards in this 2019 call:

• Master’s level award at $15,000
• PhD level award at $18,000
• Postdoctoral award at $50,000

 AGE-WELL-NBHRF Awards

AGE-WELL NCE and the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation (NBHRF) are pleased to open the call for the 2019 AGE-WELL-NBHRF Funding Program.  Applicants must be based at a New Brunswick institution.

We expect to offer the following awards in this 2019 call:

• Master’s level award at $17,500
• PhD level award at $25,000 per year
• Postdoctoral level award (PhD) at $40,000
• Postdoctoral level award (MD or Pharm. D) at $56,500

AGE-WELL-TRP Awards

AGE-WELL NCE and the Translational Research Program, University of Toronto are pleased to offer a co-funded Master’s scholarship to an outstanding graduate student enrolled at the University of Toronto who wishes to commence, pursue or sustain their research training or program in the technology and aging field in the Translational Research Program in Health Science.

We expect to offer the following awards in this 2019 call:

• Master’s level award at $10,000

Successful candidates will also gain access to invaluable training and mentorship opportunities through the EPIC training program for Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP).  AGE-WELL’s HQP program is designed to build and elevate the technology and aging sector in Canada. It will train the next generation of researchers and professionals in this area and will drive the development of new knowledge, services and products for healthy aging.

Important Dates

Applications Open: 1 May, 2019
Completed Applications Due: 31 May, 2019
Results Available: July 31, 2019
Funding Commences: September 2019
Award Term: 1 September 2019-31 March 2020

For more information and how to apply to this program visit: https://agewell-nce.ca/training/graduate-student-and-postdoctoral-award