Purpose of the Call:

The impact of COVID-19 has been felt disproportionally by remote and rural communities which prior to the pandemic had limited access to reliable infrastructure, secure food supplies, clean water and access to health facilities. As we enter the post COVID era, supply chains have become stressed, there is a back log of patients waiting for routine procedures and our food supplies have become less secure.

Another serious problem the world faces today is Climate Change. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth. Nearly all land areas are seeing more hot days and heat waves; 2021 was one of the hottest years on record. Higher temperatures increase heat-related illnesses and can make it more difficult to work and move around. Wildfires start more easily and spread more rapidly when conditions are hotter. Scientists have further predicted that long-term effects of climate change will include a decrease in sea ice and an increase in permafrost thawing, an increase in heat waves and heavy precipitation, and decreased water resources in semi-arid regions. In 2021, climate change triggered serious flooding, leading to the collapse of eight arterial bridges in British Columbia, Canada, due to landslides and scour, and submerged thousands of homes and debilitated remote communities. In the scenarios assessed, limiting warming to around 1.5°C requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 at the latest, and be reduced by 43% by 2030; at the same time, methane would also need to be reduced by about a third. Humanity faces an existential crisis.

IC-IMPACTS has worked in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology and with researchers in India and Canada to develop and deploy low-cost solutions which can help develop healthy communities. In this new call for proposals, we are seeking applications aimed at addressing the issues faced by remote and rural communities in the post COVID world.

We propose to cover the following 4 areas:

A. Agritech and Food Security (IC-IMPACTS and DBT)

 For more information, please contact Jill Sherman, International Research Facilitator, at intl.research@lakeheadu.ca.

Working together, the governments of Canada and France aim to foster and support collaborative industrial research and development (R&D) projects with a high potential for commercialization. This call for proposals is open to organizations from Canada and France who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focused on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services with a civilian purpose in any technological and market area.

For more information, please contact Jill Sherman, International Research Facilitator, at intl.research@lakeheadu.ca.

Employment and Social Development Canada will accept project proposals from eligible organizations that focus on both objectives:

• scale up services, previously delivered in Canada, that have already shown positive results in helping seniors age at home
• deliver services directly to beneficiaries (seniors or seniors-serving organizations) to help seniors age at home

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:

• to support planning activities, partnership development and to increase understanding of the health research landscape that will contribute to the advancement of research consistent with the mandate of CIHR; and
• to support dissemination events and activities that focus on the communication of health research evidence to the appropriate researcher or knowledge-user audiences, tailoring the message and medium as appropriate.

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:

• To generate knowledge and support knowledge mobilization about effective interventions and models of care for psychosocial health and self-management for people living with diabetes
• To advance development and implementation of interventions or models of care to improve the psychosocial health of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D)
• To improve Indigenous-led, community-driven prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D), support of psychosocial health and resilience, models of care and self-management for Indigenous youth and young adults living with or at risk of T2D
• To improve prevention of T2D, support of psychosocial health and resilience, models of care and self-management for youth and young adults living with or at risk of T2D in racialized, ethnocultural and low socio-economic status communities that are disproportionately affected by T2D

The FY22 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding for the DMDRP to support research addressing Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) pathobiology, diagnosis, and treatment.  The managing agent for the anticipated funding opportunities is the CDMRP at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

The FY22 DMDRP funding opportunity announcements for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.

The Programmatic Panel members recommended that all applications for the for the FY22 DMDRP Idea Development Award must address opportunities and challenges in the development of safe and effective macromolecular and cellular therapies that focus on primary pathology of DMD.  Therapies that will be efficacious across the life span, particularly in adolescents and adults, are encouraged.  

Studies proposed under this award may include:

• ·        Optimized delivery to affected tissues, including specific targeting to skeletal muscle, heart, and brain (e.g., ligand-assisted delivery, tissue-specific promoters, nanoparticles, alternative vectors, identification of biological barriers to delivery)
• ·        Strategies to overcome preexisting immunity and to facilitate repeat administration of biologic therapies (e.g., immune system modulation, vector modification)
• ·        Therapeutics targeted to muscle stem cells
• ·        Cell-based therapies, including but not limited to, selection of novel cell types, expansion, cell delivery and homing, differentiation, and integration
• ·        Research that will inform and improve therapy in older individuals, including dosing challenges, genetic-based therapies, tissue environments, and other factors that may compromise delivery and efficacy in this patient group
• ·        Therapies addressing secondary pathologies of DMD to the extent that they augment therapies directed at primary disease mechanisms
• ·        Discovery and validation of novel targets, including genetic modifiers and factors that determine the selective vulnerability/resistance of individual muscles, especially in humans
• ·        Validation of novel small animal models that better recapitulate the human pathophysiology
• ·        Small molecule studies in animals and humans, either individually or in combination with other molecules and/or biologics

Studies in the following research areas will not be supported by this award mechanism:

• ·        Studies testing the efficacy of candidate therapeutics that are not fully characterized or lack a mechanistic rationale
• ·        Evaluation of vectors or delivery technologies already prevalent in research studies (e.g., AAV9)

The Programmatic Panel members recommended that all applications for the FY22 DMDRP Translational Research Award must address at least one of the following Focus Areas:

• ·        Translational and clinical studies, novel interventions, and drug and biologic delivery technologies designed to improve care and quality of life in areas such as:

o   Cognitive function

o   Cardiac

o   Endocrinology (including bone health and growth)

o   Skeletal muscle

• ·        Assessment of clinical trial tools and outcome measures such as:

o   Discovery and qualification of pharmacodynamic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers, including potential surrogate markers

o   Novel clinical outcome assessment

o   Patient-centered outcomes (e.g., quality of life, activities of daily living)

o   Secondary data analysis that helps to address clinical research tool validation and/or to understand natural history

• ·        Extension or expansion of existing preclinical translational data in support of a specific therapeutic development path (such as optimizing delivery to target tissues, including drug exposure, independent replication, and comparative studies)

Funding Opportunities-FY22 Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) (army.mil)

Idea Development Award – Preproposal due August 3, 2022

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

New Investigators - Early Stage:  Investigators that meet the following criteria by the application submission deadline date:

• ·     Have not previously received a DMDRP Idea Development Award
• ·     Are within 10 years of first faculty appointment (or equivalent)

New Investigators - Transitioning:  Established investigators in an area other than muscular dystrophy at or above the level of Assistant Professor seeking to transition to a career in DMD, thereby bringing their expertise to the field.

Investigators must commit at least 10% of their efforts during each budget year toward the proposed DMD research project.

• ·      Supports the development of innovative, high-impact ideas that advance the understanding of DMD and ultimately lead to improved outcomes.
• ·      Must address opportunities and challenges in the development of safe and effective macromolecular and cellular therapies that address primary pathology of DMD.  Therapies that will be efficacious across the lifespan, particularly in adolescents and adults are encouraged.
• ·      Preliminary data required.
• ·      Clinical trials or applications including a clinical trial aim are not allowed.
• ·      The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $350,000 for direct costs.
• ·       Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
• ·      The maximum period of performance is 2 years.

Translational Research Award – Preproposal due August 3, 2022

Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

Early-Career Partnering PI Option:

The Partnering PI must be an independent, early-career investigator within 10 years of their first faculty appointment (or equivalent) by the time of application submission. Lapses in research time or appointments as denoted in the biographical sketch should be explained in the application.

• It is encouraged, but not required, that the partnering PI is a clinician or clinical scientist (M.D. or M.D./Ph.D.) to increase collaboration between clinical and non-clinical aspects of DMD research

Supports translational studies that have moved beyond the realm of basic research and have the potential to result in a near-term impact in clinical research or the clinic.

• Research projects investigating therapies that will be efficacious across the lifespan, particularly in adolescents and adults are strongly encouraged.

• Preliminary data are required.

• Clinical trials are allowed.

• Pre-application submission is required; application submission is by invitation only.

• The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $1,250,000 for direct costs.

• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.

• The maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Early-Career Partnering PI Option:

• The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $1,350,000 for direct costs.

• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.

• 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 funding opportunity announcements available for 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 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 DMDRP 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

For more information, please contact Jill Sherman, International Research Faciliator, at intl.research@lakeheadu.ca.

The FY22 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding for the MRP to support innovative, high-impact melanoma research.  The managing agent for the anticipated funding opportunities is the CDMRP at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

The FY22 MRP funding opportunity announcements for the following award mechanisms is posted on the Grants.gov website. 

Applications submitted to the FY22 MRP must address one or more of the following Focus Areas:

• ·        Investigate topics relevant to rare melanomas (e.g., uveal, acral, mucosal melanoma, etc.) that cover the entire research spectrum, from risk factors and initiation to distant macro-metastases, in model organisms and/or patients.
• ·        Identify and understand risk factor determinants for melanoma.
• ·        Develop prediction and surveillance tools for distinguishing patient populations at risk for a second primary diagnosis, recurrence, and/or metastasis.
• ·        Understand how precursor lesions and environmental/endogenous factors influence melanomagenesis, including, but not limited to, the skin microbiome, race, and biological sex as a variable.
• ·        Develop new tools for the detection and diagnosis of melanoma, which includes easily accessible technology (beyond the dermoscope) for primary care physicians and dermatologists.
• ·        Identify how the tumor microenvironment (e.g., stromal, immune, microbiome) impacts tumor initiation, response to therapy, progression, recurrence, and/or dormancy.
• ·        Delineate the molecular pathways that influence metastatic spread, recurrence, and/or dormancy.

The MRP challenges the research community to redefine the concept of prevention and has issued a FY22 MRP Challenge Statement that must be addressed when responding to the FY22 MRP Focus Areas and funding opportunities. For additional information, applicants are encouraged to review the FY21 MRP Landscape and abstracts from previously funded MRP awards.

Funding Opportunities-FY22 Melanoma Research Program, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) (army.mil)

Focused Program Award – Rare Melanomas – Letter of intent due September 14, 2022

NEW FOR FY22

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

Project Leader(s) for the complementary and synergistic research project(s) must be at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent).

• ·      A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
• ·      Applications may propose research across the entire spectrum (biology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis and detection, prognosis, treatment, and quality of life) and must address a critical unmet need relevant to rare melanomas (uveal, acral, mucosal, pediatric, etc.).
• ·      Supports a synergistic, multidisciplinary research program of at least two, but not more than three, distinct but complementary projects addressing an overarching question relevant to rare melanomas.
• ·      Individual research projects may range from exploratory, hypothesis-developing studies through pilot clinical trials.
• ·      The research team assembled by the PI should be highly qualified and multidisciplinary, with an identified Project Leader(s) for the complementary and synergistic research project(s).
• ·      Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to include at least one rare melanoma patient advocate as part of the project team to optimize research impact.
• ·      Pilot clinical trials are allowed.
  • ·     The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $2,000,000 for direct costs.
  • ·     The maximum period of performance is 4 years.

Melanoma Academy Scholar Award – Letter of Intent September 14, 2022

Must be within 7 years of their last terminal degree, as of the full application submission deadline. 

• ·     A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required
• ·     Supports the addition of new Scholars to the unique, interactive virtual academy that provides intensive mentoring, national networking, collaborations, and a peer group for early-career melanoma investigators/faculty.
• ·     A Career Guide who is an experienced melanoma researcher with melanoma cancer funding is required.
• ·     The Career Guide is not required to be at the same institution as the Scholar.
• ·     The Career Guide must be committed to participating in the Melanoma Academy, to include serving in advisory roles as requested by Academy Leadership.
• ·     Must address at least one of the FY22 MRP Focus Areas.
• ·     Preliminary data are not required.
• ·     Clinical trials are not allowed.
• ·     The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $550,000 for direct costs.
• ·     Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
• ·     The maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Mid-Career Accelerator Award – Letter of Intent due September 14, 2022

Assistant or Associate Professors (or equivalents) at least 7 years or more from first faculty appointment.

• ·       A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
• ·       Supports mid-career researchers to conduct impactful melanoma research.
• ·       Must address at least one of the FY22 MRP Focus Areas.
• ·       Must show evidence of at least one peer-reviewed extramural funding award.
• ·       Preliminary data relevant to melanoma are required.
• ·       Clinical trials are not allowed
• ·     The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $725,000 for direct costs.
• ·     Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
• ·     The maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Team Science Award – Letter of Intent due September 14, 2022

Modified for FY22

At least two and up to three investigators must partner in one overarching multidisciplinary research study.

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

Inclusion of at least one military, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or early-career investigator is encouraged.

• ·       A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
• ·       Supports new or existing partnerships to address a research problem or question in a manner that would be unachievable through separate efforts.
• ·       Intended to fund a broad range of studies including, but not limited to:

o  Correlative studies that are associated with an open/ongoing or completed clinical trial

o  Research involving the analysis of large and/or complex melanoma datasets

o  Projects focusing on bioengineering approaches to address diagnostics, high risk markers, dormancy, and/or metastasis

o  Research seeking to better understand and/or reduce inequities and disparities that impact melanoma patients and/or caregivers.

• ·       Emphasis on synergy, multidisciplinary research, and impact.
• ·       Must address at least one of the FY22 MRP Focus Areas.
• ·       Preliminary data are required.
• ·       Clinical trials are not allowed.
• ·     The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $1,000,000 for direct costs.
• ·     Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
• 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 funding opportunity announcements available for 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 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 MRP 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

For more information, please contact Jill Sherman, International Research Facilitator, at intl.research@lakeheadu.ca.

The FY22 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding for the MRP to support innovative, high-impact melanoma research.  The managing agent for the anticipated funding opportunities is the CDMRP at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

The FY22 MRP funding opportunity announcements for the following award mechanisms is posted on the Grants.gov website. 

Applications submitted to the FY22 MRP must address one or more of the following Focus Areas:

• ·        Investigate topics relevant to rare melanomas (e.g., uveal, acral, mucosal melanoma, etc.) that cover the entire research spectrum, from risk factors and initiation to distant macro-metastases, in model organisms and/or patients.
• ·        Identify and understand risk factor determinants for melanoma.
• ·        Develop prediction and surveillance tools for distinguishing patient populations at risk for a second primary diagnosis, recurrence, and/or metastasis.
• ·        Understand how precursor lesions and environmental/endogenous factors influence melanomagenesis, including, but not limited to, the skin microbiome, race, and biological sex as a variable.
• ·        Develop new tools for the detection and diagnosis of melanoma, which includes easily accessible technology (beyond the dermoscope) for primary care physicians and dermatologists.
• ·        Identify how the tumor microenvironment (e.g., stromal, immune, microbiome) impacts tumor initiation, response to therapy, progression, recurrence, and/or dormancy.
• ·        Delineate the molecular pathways that influence metastatic spread, recurrence, and/or dormancy.

The MRP challenges the research community to redefine the concept of prevention and has issued a FY22 MRP Challenge Statement that must be addressed when responding to the FY22 MRP Focus Areas and funding opportunities. For additional information, applicants are encouraged to review the FY21 MRP Landscape and abstracts from previously funded MRP awards.

Funding Opportunities-FY22 Melanoma Research Program, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) (army.mil)

Idea Award – Preproposal due July 8, 2022

Independent investigators with a faculty-level appointment (or equivalent)

• ·       Preproposal is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·       Supports new ideas that represent innovative, high-risk/high-gain approaches to melanoma research that are beyond an incremental advancement.
• ·       Emphasis on innovation and impact.
• ·       Must address at least one of the FY22 MRP Focus Areas.
• ·       Preliminary data are not required.
• ·       Clinical trials are not allowed.
• ·     The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $500,000 for direct costs.
• ·     Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
• ·     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 funding opportunity announcements available for 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 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 MRP 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

For more information, please contact Jill Sherman, International Research Facilitator, at intl.research@lakeheadu.ca.