ResearchNet - RechercheNet

Table of Contents

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

Description

Background

All Canadians, across the lifecycle, are affected by the quality of the air we breathe, both indoors and outdoors. Inhalation of gases and toxins resulting from, but not limited to, smoking, vaping, radon and air pollution can significantly impact the health of the lungs and other organ systems, such as the heart and brain. Resultant absorption of particulate matter and aerosol pollutants can damage lung tissue directly and cause local and systemic inflammation throughout the body. Considering the ongoing, new and emerging threats to lung health, such as lung cancers among people who have never smoked, the effects of vaping on health, viral infections (e.g., SARS-CoV-2), and the impacts of climate change, there is an urgent need for strategic investment in lung health.

Across the lifecycle, particularly at the extremes of age (the very young and very old), individuals are vulnerable to the impact of poor air quality. Poor air quality (through air pollution, climate emergencies, and atmospheric inversions) has been linked to preventable emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations and even deaths. A diverse range of serious cardiovascular and respiratory conditions have been shown to increase within three days of increases in ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide as measured through the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). The pathophysiology of these resultant conditions is thought to be related to systemic inflammation, so it is perhaps not surprising that other inflammatory conditions such as stroke, heart attacks, infections, and headache can increase with poor air quality measures.

Moreover, cigarette smoking and vaping are estimated to contribute significantly to preventable deaths, hospitalizations and ED visits. The recent dramatic rise in vaping among youth who have never smoked, along with the E-cigarette and Vaping Products Acute Lung Injury (EVALI) crisis in the US and Canada prior to the pandemic, reflect the need to continue examining the health effects of vaping. While cigarette smoking has been linked to lung and multiple other cancers, lung cancers in people who haven't smoked are increasing, and the role of lung toxins in the etiology of these cancers requires additional investigation. Over time, the accumulated toxic load on the lung from ongoing exposure to environmental pollutants, such as smoking, vaping and poor air quality, becomes unsustainable and result in detrimental health effects on the lung. For individuals with underlying and/or active lung disease, these exposures result in increased symptom burden and morbidity.

Finally, there are inequitable impacts on lung health connected from geographical location, social status, ancestral heritage, sex, gender, sexual orientation and age. For example, it is becoming more common for people residing in remote, rural and northern communities to be adversely affected by poor air quality caused by wildfires. Women generally are both under-represented in research and mis-diagnosed for cardio-respiratory conditions, suggesting that sex and gender considerations are in urgent need of attention. Moreover, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) in Canada are at risk of greater exposure to toxins in their lungs due to higher smoking rates, crowded/poor housing and environmental factors that affect air and water quality. Interestingly, current evidence suggests there are wide differences between First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations related to rates of detection for various lung health conditions.

The goal of this funding opportunity is to unite interdisciplinary Research Teams to collectively address threats to lung health in a manner that leverages past investments, existing capacity, available infrastructure and research expertise.

Purpose

The purpose of the Team Grant funding opportunity is to fund interdisciplinary teams that will address ongoing, new and emerging threats to lung health by improving the understanding of biological, social, environmental and behavioural effects on lung health. Collectively, these teams will develop and disseminate evidence-based solutions for better lung health and overall wellness, including a focus on health disparities; equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) analyses; and Indigenous contexts.

Team Structure and Application Requirements

This funding will support interdisciplinary Research Teams to address lung health within defined research areas. The Research Teams are expected to collaborate through identified cross-cutting themes to leverage expertise, experience and resources to collectively maximize the impact of the Research Teams on the lung health and overall wellness of people living in Canada (see Figure 1: Research Team Composition).

The Research Teams are to be interdisciplinary, address at least one of the identified Research Areas, contribute to the objectives of the funding opportunity, and collaborate and contribute to the identified cross-cutting themes (see below). Research Teams are expected to:

• Collaborate with the Data Science and Policy Research Team (see Research Areas ) on matters relating to data management;
• Develop new and/or leverage, amplify and collaborate with existing national and international platforms (e.g., cohorts, data infrastructure supports, and biorepositories) relevant to lung health research;
• Include early- and mid-career researchers (ECR and MCR) to further develop capacity in lung health research;
• Include diverse stakeholders and partners, including experts from different disciplines (e.g., allied health professionals; social sciences; primary, specialty, and community health care; engineering; etc.), sectors (e.g., industry, government, patient groups, health providers and not-for-profit organizations) and across the CIHR research pillars, as appropriate.
• Identify individual Research Team members who have expertise in each of the identified cross-cutting themes (see below);
• Include an individual(s) who self-identifies as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or who can provide evidence of having meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples if the proposal includes Indigenous health research activities, in order to: (Updated: 2023-09-26)
  • Address Indigenous health and wellness within the context of the Research Team and/or incorporate the additional consideration of the Indigenous Peoples Health and Wellness into the cross-cutting themes and proposed research project; (Updated: 2023-09-26)
  • Prioritize Indigenous communities in leading their research agendas, where appropriate;
  • Promote cultural safety and appropriate engagements by researchers working with Indigenous communities in meaningful ways to ensure that respectful relations are established;
  • Add value to the research through the use of Indigenous culturally relevant theoretical and conceptual frameworks, and Indigenous culturally relevant research protocols, including Indigenous methodologies; and
  • Promote equity and development of trainees, researchers and knowledge users who are of Indigenous ancestry.
• Outline a clear knowledge mobilization (KM) plan to support the research outcomes of the Research Team and contribute to the KM cross-cutting theme;

Cross-Cutting Themes: At a minimum, the following cross-cutting themes are required to be integrated within each Research Team. Each Research Team must designate an individual responsible for each cross-cutting theme (Theme Lead). Research Teams will be expected to collaborate on cross-cutting theme activities when funded. The additional considerations (section that follows) should also be incorporated into the cross-cutting themes and proposed research projects, as appropriate. Cross-cutting themes include:

Knowledge Mobilization (KM): Research Teams are expected to engage in KM activities committed to transforming existing and co-created new knowledge into better care policies, practices, procedures, products and services to promote lung health across Canada. The KM Plan should account for EDI considerations and be integrated throughout the research cycle, as appropriate, for the purpose of acquiring and mobilizing data and resources in human populations. Emphasis should be placed on priority-setting, co-production with stakeholders and people with lived or living experience, and knowledge synthesis to inform and implement high-quality evidence into policy and practice.

Data and Biosamples: Research Teams are expected to manage research data in accordance with international and disciplinary best practices. This applies to data collection, standardization, use, sharing, linkage, and, where appropriate, biosamples collected. Research Teams should also manage data in alignment with relevant Indigenous data governance principles, as appropriate, to reflect and respect Indigenous data governance and data sovereignty.

Due to the Data Science, Policy and Lung Health Research Team establishing and coordinating a data platform for the Data and Biosamples cross-cutting theme, applicants to the Data Science, Policy and Lung Health pool are required to submit a data governance plan that describes how these principles will be applied. The data governance plans will be included in evaluation of proposals (see Evaluation Criteria and How to Apply).

All other Research Team applicants are required to submit a data management plan that incorporates these principles. The data management plans will not be included in proposal evaluation (see Notices, How to Apply and Additional Information).

Once funded, all Research Teams are expected to collaborate with the Data Science, Policy and Lung Health Research Team in the development of a common data resource. The data and biosamples (as appropriate) which the Research Teams will bring to this national data resource should be outlined as a part of this cross-cutting theme in the research proposal.

Training and Capacity Development: Research Teams are required to develop recruitment, training (including experiential learning opportunities), and mentoring strategies to attract high-calibre trainees and ECRs from a diversity of population groups, including embedding and applying EDI practices, opportunities for cross-cultural learning to enhance capacity to address systemic racism in research, and developing capacity for meaningful and culturally safe engagement with Indigenous Peoples.

Additional Considerations

• Health Disparities and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI): In order for the research activities to benefit all peoples within Canada, applicants will be required to outline strategies (consistent with the Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan) for creating an inclusive and equitable research and work environment, engagement and recruitment activities, as well as conducting analyses to include EDI in the research design, methods, analysis and interpretation, and/or KM. Efforts to increase meaningful participation by groups historically excluded from science, and any considerations of EDI in the recruitment practices and training/mentorship activities are strongly encouraged. Research must include diverse people to mitigate biases and meaningfully address the broader applicability of results. Data should be disaggregated where possible, including, but not limited to, sex, gender, age, and race. Additional guidance can be found on the Best Practices in EDI in Research webpage. Sex and gender differences, as well as differences due to other intersecting identity factors (e.g., race; Indigeneity) and social processes (e.g., racism, ableism) are important issues that are to be considered as a component of this research initiative. In keeping with the CIHR Sex, Gender and Health Research Policy, all proposals are required to consider sex as a biological variable and gender as a socio-cultural factor in research activities and encourages applicants to consider sex and gender through an intersectional lens, where appropriate. Applicants are encouraged to visit CIHR's Sex, Gender and Health Research resource page for more information on key considerations for the appropriate integration of sex and gender in their proposal.
• Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) Health and Wellness: CIHR's Strategic Plan 2021-2031 outlines a commitment to accelerate the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples in health research, and to advance the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately affected by many health conditions due to the on-going legacy of colonization, including intersecting factors such as rural and remote geographies, multiple health care jurisdictions, and systemic racism within the health care system. To address these challenges, all proposals regardless of the research area, are at a minimum required to outline how Indigenous self-determination and research data sovereignty will be addressed in the context of the proposed research activities and if appropriate, include an Indigenous community engagement plan that is meaningful and culturally safe. (Updated: 2023-09-26)
• Engagement of People of Lived and Living Experience(s): Research Teams are strongly encouraged to meaningfully engage with and include people with lived and living experiences including, but not limited to, youth, patients, family members, caregivers and individuals from historically excluded or under-represented groups, as appropriate.
• Lifecycle Approach: Age, life stage, transitions and intergenerational factors have an impact on lung health and wellness. Research Teams must consider a lifecycle approach in the research design, methods, analysis and interpretation, and/or dissemination of findings, where appropriate.
• Leveraging Resources: Research Teams are strongly encouraged to leverage existing resources and datasets as much as possible (e.g., Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging [CLSA]; Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development [CHILD] Cohort Study; Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium [CANUE]; Canadian Community Health Survey [CCHS]; Canadian Health Measures Survey [CHMS]; Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health [CanPath]; Genome-wide association studies [GWAS]; biobanks, cohorts, structural-social database; etc.). Please refer to the report published by CIHR and Genome Canada "Enhancing Canada's Population Cohort Environment" for related information.
• Ethical, Legal and Social Considerations: Research Teams must consider ethical, legal, social, privacy, accessibility and pharmacoeconomic factors, and socio-economic analyses in their proposals and throughout the research cycle.

Research Areas

This funding opportunity will support projects relevant to the following research areas. Proposed Research Teams must be relevant to at least one research area but may also be relevant to multiple research areas.

• Youth Behaviours, Vaping and Lung Health– Biomedical, clinical, health services and/or policy research focused on the immediate and/or long-term effects of vaping behaviours (including use of, and/or dependence on, vape liquids with or without flavours, nicotine and/or cannabis) on youth health and wellness.
• Biological Effects of Vaping and Lung Health – The biological effects of vaping (including use of liquids with or without flavours, nicotine and/or cannabis) on lung health across the lifecycle by age group (including youth and young adults), with a focus on, but not limited to, the following:
  • Cancer risk, including precursors (e.g., DNA damage); and
  • Chronic inflammatory conditions of the lung.
• Women's Lung Health – Consistent with the National Women's Health Research Initiative* which focuses on under-researched and high-priority areas of women's health, this funding pool seeks to fund research into the biological, and/or social, and/or behavioural (e.g., vaping of any substances, combustible tobacco inhalation, inhaled cannabis use) and/or environmental factors that affect women's lung health either disproportionality or differently. This funding promotes an intersectional lens across the lifecycle, including during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
  • The National Women's Health Research Initiative goes beyond the sex and gender binary and welcomes the experiences and needs of all people who identify as a woman, girl, intersex, and/or an under-represented gender identity, including, but not limited to, Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary, gender fluid, and agender people.
• Inflammation and Lung Health – Acute and/or chronic inflammation of the lungs resulting from infectious respiratory/lung damaging diseases, co-morbid chronic inflammatory conditions, and/or environmental contaminants.
• Asthma, COPD and/or Chronic Cough Effects on Lung Health – Acute and/or chronic inflammation of the lungs due to diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and/or chronic cough. (Updated: 2023-09-26)
• Climate, Air Quality and Lung Health – Research focusing on the effects of pollutants and environmental impacts (e.g., wildfires) on lung health.
• Cancer and Lung Health – Research focusing on:
  • Prevention, detection, and/or treatment of lung cancer.
• Data Science, Policy and Lung Health – Research focusing on implementation of best, wise and promising practices around data including standardized procedures (e.g. common data elements, data sharing, common protocols to manage data) and support open science and develop evidence-informed policy. The Data Science, Policy and Lung Health Research Team will additionally establish a data platform to support collaboration across all funded Research Teams on the Data and Biosamples cross-cutting theme.

Role and Contributions of Applicant Partners: CIHR recognizes that a broad range of partners may be relevant to this opportunity and it is expected that applicant(s) describe the role of all applicant partners and how/if they will contribute to research and research related activities. Any consideration of risk and/or conflict of interest should also be explained, as appropriate.

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 $17,500,000, enough to fund approximately eight (8) Research Team grants. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate. (Updated: 2023-09-26)
• Of this $17,500,000: (Updated: 2023-09-26)
  • $2,000,000 ($400,000 per year for 5 years) is available to fund at least one (1) grant relevant to Youth Behaviours, Vaping and Lung Health
  • $2,000,000 ($400,000 per year for 5 years) is available to fund at least one (1) grant relevant to Biological Effects of Vaping and Lung Health
  • $2,000,000 ($400,000 per year for 5 years) is available to fund at least one (1) grant relevant to Women's Lung Health
  • $2,000,000 ($400,000 per year for 5 years) is available to fund at least one (1) grant relevant to Inflammation and Lung Health
  • $2,000,000 ($400,000 per year for 5 years) is available to fund at least one (1) grant relevant to Asthma, COPD and/or Chronic Cough Effects on Lung Health (Updated: 2023-09-26)
  • $2,000,000 ($400,000 per year for 5 years) is available to fund at least one (1) grant relevant to Climate, Air Quality and Lung Health
  • $2,000,000 ($400,000 per year for 5 years) is available to fund at least one (1) grant relevant to Cancer and Lung Health
  • $3,500,000 ($700,000 per year for 5 years) is available to fund at least one (1) grant relevant to Data Science, Policy and Lung Health. $1,500,000 of these funds is to support infrastructure and coordination of the Data and Biosample cross-cutting theme on behalf of all Research Teams supported through this funding opportunity.
  • Applications relevant to each pool will be funded top down in order of ranking.

Additional Partner Funding

Mitacs funding is available to fund internships for participating trainees. Internship funding opportunities available through Mitacs include the Accelerate and Elevate programs. To learn more about these opportunities please contact Mitacs directly (see Contact Information). For more information on the appropriate use of funds, refer to Allowable Costs.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Address the biological, social, environmental and/or behavioural effects on lung health through rigorous research approaches informed by intersectional analyses;
• Coordinate the collection and sharing of data to understand, prevent, detect and manage lung health to improve reproducibility and rigour of research results;
• Disseminate, inform and implement high-quality evidence into practice and policy for improved and more equitable health outcomes;
• Strengthen and promote lung health research capacity through interdisciplinary and experiential-based approaches to foster the next generation of lung health researchers;
• Meaningfully integrate equity, diversity and inclusion analyses and considerations within research studies and teams;
• Broadly strengthen the respiratory health and wellness of people living in Canada with meaningful consideration of historically excluded groups and Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis).

Eligibility

Eligibility to Apply

For an application to be eligible, all the requirements stated below must be met:

1. The Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) must be an independent researcher affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution and/or its affiliated institutions (including hospitals, research institutes and other non-profit organizations with a mandate for health research and/or knowledge translation);
2. The NPA must have their substantive role in Canada for the duration of the requested grant term.
3. The Institution Paid must be authorized to administer CIHR funds by the application deadline (see List of CIHR Eligible Institutions ).
4. The NPA must have successfully completed one of the sex-and gender-based analysis training modules available online through the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health and have submitted a Certificate of Completion (see How to Apply section).
5. In addition to the NPA, a Research Team application must include multidisciplinary team members that demonstrate expertise to address each of the cross-cutting themes. 
6. In addition to the NPA, at a minimum, each Research Team application must include the following:
   1. An Early career researcher(s) and/or mid-career researcher(s) as Principal Applicant(s); (Updated: 2023-11-03)
   2. Trainee(s);
   3. A Knowledge user(s); and
   4. Person(s) with lived/living experience: In the context of this funding opportunity, this includes individuals with personal experience of a health issue, and formal and informal caregivers, including family and friends.
7. For Research Team applications undertaking Indigenous Health Research, at least one (1) team member must be:
   1. An independent researcher or knowledge user who self-identifies as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or provides evidence of having meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples;
      OR
   2. An Indigenous Elder and/or an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper*;
      OR
   3. An Indigenous non-governmental organization;
      OR
   4. An individual associated with an Indigenous non-governmental organization.
8. Applicants may be a NPA for one Research Team application only; however, an NPA may be involved as a co-applicant in other Research Team applications.

*A Knowledge Keeper (also known as a Knowledge Holder or Knowledge Guardian) is an Indigenous person, regardless of age, who possesses the Indigenous cultural knowledge necessary for the proposed research project or activities, as recognized, validated, and authenticated by the Indigenous community.

Guidelines

General CIHR Policies

Before submitting an application to this funding opportunity, applicants should review the relevant policies and guidelines on the CIHR Funding Policies page to ensure understanding of their responsibilities and expectations.

Allowable Costs

Applicants are advised to consult the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Guide on Financial Administration (TAGFA) to determine if an expenditure is an appropriate use of grant funds.

To further clarify, the following expenses are examples of appropriate uses of grant funds, provided they satisfy the principles and pertinent directives of the TAGFA:

• Costs related to the translation and preparation of information/material intended for the public for the purposes of informing and engaging stakeholders.
• Activities related to the oversight of the research program including objectives and key research areas.
• Release Time Allowance: up to $50,000 per knowledge user, per grant.
• Funds necessary to maintain common, shared resources and platforms that add value and collectively enhance the interdisciplinary research enterprise.
• Cost related to compensation for patient partners. See CIHR guideline on considerations when paying patient partners in research.
• The Tri-Council Policy Statement 2 (TCPS 2 – Chapter 9 Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada) recognizes the importance of respecting the culture and traditions of Indigenous Peoples and acknowledges the necessity to incur expenditures in that regard in the conduct of research. As such, the Agency considers these expenditures eligible for payment from the grant holder's grant funds (with appropriate backup documentation):
  • Costs related to community mobilization and engagement, including culturally relevant promotional items such as, tobacco, cloth, feasting and gift giving for honoring ceremonies, and cash reimbursements (in a method acceptable to the individual or community being reimbursed) to compensate community participation; and
  • Contracts and/or consultant fees for knowledge mobilization and communication activities for Indigenous Elders, community members, and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers involved in activities related to the Indigenous community.

Use of Personal Information

• Personal information submitted during the application process, including but not limited to information provided through applicant CVs, the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Self-identification Questionnaire and other application documents required by this FO, will be made available to CIHR personnel for the purposes of future program design and delivery, results measurement and reporting. For further information about the EDI self-identification questionnaire and the use of personal information, see the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Self-identification Questionnaire Frequently Asked Questions.
• All reports may be shared with partners supporting the grant (see Conditions of Funding for report details).

Conditions of Funding

• Data related to First Nations, Inuit or Métis communities whose traditional and ancestral territories are in Canada must be managed in accordance with data management principles developed and approved by those communities, and on the basis of free, prior and informed consent. This includes, but is not limited to, considerations of Indigenous data sovereignty, as well as data collection, ownership, protection, use, and sharing.
• The applicant must consent to the use and disclosure of full application and nominative information at the time of application, for purposes of relevance review and/or funding decisions by the relevant sponsors.
• Team members must participate in a virtual CIHR strengthening workshop (within the six [6] months of the funding start date) of funded Research Team Grant members (Nominated Principal Investigators [NPIs] are required), partners and other relevant stakeholders to align cross cutting theme activities, including data management, knowledge mobilization and capacity development activities.
• A minimum of two (2) individuals (one must be the NPI) will be required to attend a mid-point meeting (in-person and/or virtual) in year three (3) (to discuss facilitators and barriers to implementation, and evaluation of the interventions). For funded Research Teams involving Indigenous Peoples, at least one meeting attendee must self-identify as Indigenous and/or demonstrate culturally safe and meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples. The cost for attendance to these meetings must be assumed in the grant budget.
• Research Teams are required to submit a mid-term progress report at the end of year two (2) of the five (5)-year grant after the funding start date summarizing the research objectives, methodology, findings, outcomes, budget, and other relevant information. The template for the progress report and detailed instructions will be provided a minimum of six (6) months in advance of the progress report due date.
• 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.
• Applicants will be required to reserve and allocate costs in their budget for up to two (2) team members (including trainees or knowledge users) to participate in an end-of-grant workshop to facilitate knowledge translation and showcase results among stakeholders and researchers.
• The Principal Applicants who are successful in this competition are strongly encouraged to actively participate in peer review, and as members of the CIHR College of Reviewers, when invited.
• All information intended for the public for the purposes of informing and engaging stakeholders must be provided in both official languages. Costs associated with the translation and preparation of material in both official languages is an eligible expense and should be included in the budget proposal of the application.
• Contribute to the monitoring, review and evaluation of the funders' programs, policies and processes by participating in evaluation studies, surveys, workshops, audits, and by providing data or reports as required for the purpose of collecting information to assess progress and results.

In addition:

• The Data Science and Policy Research Team will undertake the following activities on behalf of all Research Teams supported through this funding opportunity, which is to be clearly outlined within their grant budget:
  • Develop an overarching data governance plan and digital infrastructure, and ensure that the data and biosamples created as a result of the grants are coordinated, maintained and accessible;
  • Include an update in their year 2 progress report on the status of implementing the data governance plan.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review Process

CIHR Institutes and applicable partner organizations involved in this funding opportunity will perform a relevance review to identify applications that are in alignment with the objectives and research areas of this funding opportunity.

Applications that are not deemed to be relevant will be withdrawn from the competition.

Review Process

Peer review will be conducted in accordance with the Review guidelines for priority-driven initiatives.

For information on CIHR's peer review principles, see the Peer Review: Overview section of CIHR's website.

Evaluation Criteria

To support the strategic objectives of this funding opportunity, the following evaluation criteria will be used:

1. Research Approach
   1. The extent to which the research proposal is relevant to the objectives of the funding opportunity.
   2. Clarity and appropriateness of the research approach, proposed design, research methods and theories.
   3. Feasibility of the research approach (including recruitment of participants, project timeline[s], budget, preliminary data where appropriate, etc.) to address research questions.
   4. Extent to which the research proposal exhibits an interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral approach, and the strength of stakeholder and partner engagement, including the engagement and/or inclusion of people with lived/living experience, caregivers, Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, government, policy makers, health care providers, researchers across the CIHR research pillars, and industry as appropriate.
   5. Appropriate consideration of enablers, as well as anticipated challenges and mitigation strategies, as appropriate, including those related to Indigenous community engagement, ethics, equity, communities facing vulnerabilities, racialized communities, management of patient engagement, and sex- and gender-based analysis.
   6. Evidence of previous or planned collaboration around data science, policy and resource sharing.
   7. Extent to which the research proposal integrates the cross-cutting themes and additional considerations.
   8. As appropriate, the extent to which the research proposal addresses Indigenous Health and wellness, including:
      1. Inclusion of research conducted by, grounded in, or engaged with First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis communities, societies or individuals and their wisdom, cultures, experiences or knowledge systems, as expressed in their dynamic forms, past and present as appropriate.
      2. Respect for Indigenous data governance, by applying the First Nations Principles of OCAP®¹, and/or the CARE Principles², or other principles of Indigenous data governance as appropriate.
      3. Appropriate consideration of TCPS 2 – Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada, and meaningful and culturally safe practices, plans and activities throughout the research project.
2. Originality of the Proposal
   1. Potential for the creation of new knowledge, technologies, and/or positive health system impacts.
   2. Originality of the proposed research, in terms of the hypotheses/research questions addressed, novel technology/methodology, and/or novel applications of current technology/methodology.
3. Research Team and Applicants
   1. Evidence that the applicants have demonstrated leadership and required expertise in the field of lung health research.
   2. Evidence that the applicants have the necessary qualifications (including training, experience and independence, relative to career stage) in the proposed area of research and the proposed methodology.
   3. Evidence that the designated cross-cutting theme leads have appropriate experience and expertise in the identified theme area.
   4. Extent to which the leadership, membership and overall composition of the Research Team reflects EDI and a balance of diverse disciplines, sectors, CIHR pillars, and stakeholders, including knowledge users, people with lived/living experience, caregivers, Indigenous Peoples, early- and mid-career investigators, and trainees.
   5. As appropriate, the extent to which the Research Team has the necessary knowledge, expertise and experience in Indigenous health research, and complementarity of expertise and synergistic potential to conduct Indigenous health research.
   6. Appropriateness of the Research Team of applicants to carry out the proposed research, in terms of complementarity of expertise and synergistic potential and the capacity to overcome challenges.
   7. Potential to successfully disseminate research findings, as demonstrated by knowledge mobilization activities (publications, conference presentations, briefings, media engagements, etc.).
4. Environment for the Research
   1. Suitability of the environment (including availability and accessibility of personnel, facilities and infrastructure) to conduct the research.
   2. Strength of the approach to optimize the utilization of resources, including the sharing of equipment, facilities and expertise.
   3. Extent to which the budget is appropriate and justified in relation to the proposed activities.
   4. Extent of the role(s) and contribution(s) of all applicant partner(s) in advancing research objectives (if applicable).
   5. Proactive and meaningful consideration of partnership risks, including the extent of real and/or perceived conflict of interest and appropriateness of its management and mitigation (if applicable).
5. Impact of the Research
   1. Demonstration of the potential of the research plan to co-create new scientific knowledge that may contribute to achieving the objectives of this funding opportunity.
   2. Appropriateness and adequacy of the proposed knowledge mobilization plan, including engagement with people and communities affected by lung illnesses and factors that negatively affect lung health.

Additional Evaluation Criteria for Data Science, Policy and Lung Health Research Team:

1. Comprehensiveness and quality of the data and biosample governance plan for supporting a data platform across the funded Research Teams. This includes:
   1. The extent to which the data and biosample governance plan describes how data and biosamples will be coordinated, stored, linked and shared across the Research Teams;
   2. The extent to which the plan describes how data and biosamples will be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR).
   3. The extent to which the plan identifies ethical considerations data and biosamples are subject to, and describes associated processes (e.g., data access procedures),
   It also includes, as appropriate:
   4. The extent to which activities are conducted by, grounded in, or engaged with First Nations, Inuit or Métis communities, societies or individuals and their wishidom, cultures, experiences or knowledge systems, as expressed in their dynamic forms, past and present.
   5. The extent to which the Research Team will address and respect Indigenous data governance, by applying the First Nations Principles of OCAP®¹, the CARE Principles², or other principles of Indigenous data governance as appropriate.
   6. Appropriate consideration of TCPS 2 – Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada, and meaningful and culturally safe practices, plans and activities throughout the research project.
2. Demonstrated evidence that the Applicant has the leadership, management abilities, and record of accomplishments to implement unified data governance and policies, including curation of biosamples (as appropriate), across Research Teams including collaborative sharing of interdisciplinary data under a common data governance structure.

Funding Decision

The top ranked Research Team application relevant to each Research Area will be funded.

The names of successfully funded applicants will be published on the CIHR website.

Partner and Internal Collaborator Participation

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, including consent to share information and funding decisions, will still apply.

How to Apply

• The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of one step: Full Application.
• To complete your Full Application, follow the instructions in the Team Grants / Emerging Team Grants – ResearchNet "Application" Phase Instructions, along with any additional instructions found below under "Specific Instructions".
• All participants listed, with the exception of Collaborators, are required to:
  • Have/obtain a CIHR PIN
  • Complete the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Self-identification Questionnaire

Specific instructions to complete your ResearchNet application

Task: Identify Participants

• Participant Information:
  • List all participants in the "Identify Participants" task. Consult the Eligibility section and ensure that all requirements are met. All participants listed in this task are required to submit a CV (excluding collaborators):
    • All Canadian academic applicants are required to submit a CIHR Biosketch CV, using the Canadian Common CV (CCV) interface.
    • Knowledge users, non-academics (including Indigenous Elders, Indigenous Knowledge Keepers), Indigenous organizations, and international applicants are required to submit a CIHR Biosketch CV or an Applicant Profile CV (maximum three pages per applicant).
    • Persons with lived/living experience must include in their Applicant Profile CV a description of their relevant lived experiences in the context of the application.
    • Submit Biosketch CVs using the Canadian Common CV (CCV) interface. See "Attachments" below for how to upload Applicant Profile CVs.
• Attachments:
  • Applicant Profile CV
    • All Applicant Profile CVs must be uploaded as PDFs and must be labelled as "Applicant Profile CV – Name (organization or individual, as applicable)".
  • Most Significant Contributions – Optional (Maximum 1 page)
    • All applicants (excluding Collaborators) have the option of providing additional information/context regarding their most significant contributions relating to the application. The contributions that are described should be directly relevant to the grant application and should demonstrate how the applicant will contribute to the application at hand.

Task: Enter Proposal Information

• The Research Proposal must outline each of the elements presented in the objectives and the evaluation criteria.
  • Research proposals written in French will be allowed to submit additional pages, in support of evidence demonstrating that French documents require approximately 20% more space than similar English documents. Therefore, to ensure equivalent space is given to Research proposals submitted in either official language, the following page limits will apply:
    • 15 pages when the Research proposal is written in English
    • 18 pages when the Research proposal is written in French
    Note: For research proposals submitted in English, any pages over the 15-page limit will be removed with no further notification to the Nominated Principal Applicant.
• References, charts, tables, figures and photographs can be uploaded under "Attachments – Research Proposal Appendix" (optional).

Task: Complete Summary of Research Proposal

• Summarize your Research Team's research proposal (1 page). Please note that this document will be used for relevance review. Additionally, the summary may be used to find reviewers with the expertise required to assess the proposal.
• Indicate which Research Areas is the most relevant to your Research Team grant application.

Task: Enter Budget Information

• Provide a detailed budget justification in relation to planned activities for all budget items (including cash and cash equivalent contributions, if relevant).
• Where appropriate, the following costs should be presented clearly within the budget and separated from costs budgeted for support of research:
  • Funds to support administrative and coordination costs (such as, communications, governance, advisory committee, internal meetings, etc.) at the Research Team level.
• For Release Time Allowance requests, provide a letter (upload as "Other Supporting Documents") from the recipient's organization certifying that the individual for whom the release time allowance is requested:
  • Is a knowledge-user on the grant whose primary responsibilities do not include an expectation to engage in research (i.e., as part of their regular employment);
  • Has their organization's approval for the research time on the project that would justify the allowance; and,
  • Is engaged in the activities for which funds are being disbursed.

Task: Attach Other Application Materials

• Other – Upload the following documents as "Other"
  • Certificate of Completion for the sex- and gender-based analysis training modules for the NPA:
    • After completing the appropriate training module that applies to the research project, you will receive a Certificate of Completion that you will save and upload here. The training module should take approximately 40 minutes to complete.
    • N.B. The certificate was previously issued as a secured document. If your certificate is secured, to successfully append the document to your application, you must upload an unsecured PDF copy. The certificate can be saved as an unsecured PDF by using print screen or by scanning the document.
  • Data Management Plan (Mandatory for all applicants except the Data Science, Policy and Lung Health Funding Pool): The data management plan (DMP) should describe how the team will manage research data generated as part of its activities.
    • DMPs should describe what data are expected to be collected, created, linked to, acquired or recorded; how data will be documented, formatted, protected, and preserved; where data will be deposited, who will be responsible for managing the data, whether and how data will be shared within and outside of the funded team/project; and any ethical, legal and commercial constraints the data are subject to (if applicable).
    • Applicants are encouraged to use DMP Assistant to create their DMPs.
    • There is no prescribed length for DMPs – however, applicants are encouraged to keep them succinct and focused, ideally within two pages if possible. Important note: see Additional Information below.
  • Data and Biosample Governance Plan (Mandatory for the Data Science, Policy and Lung Health funding pool)
    • The Data and Biosample Governance plan should outline how all data and biosamples generated by funded Research Teams will be curated, linked and made accessible for partners and researchers across the Research Teams as well as outside of the funded teams. The governance plan should outline how potentially relevant principles related to data management will be applied across all Research Teams. For genomics research, please see the Additional Information section for additional guidance. This plan should facilitate the collaboration of all Research Teams in the development of a common data resource.
  • Team Member's statement of Indigenous experience (as appropriate): For Research Team applications undertaking Indigenous Health Research, team members with meaningful involvement must submit a one (1) page attachment describing how they meet eligibility requirement #7.
  • Applicant Partner COI Document (required if applicable): Describe the role of all applicant partners, how/if they will contribute to research and research related activities, and any consideration of risk and/or conflict of interest as appropriate (Maximum 1-page).
• Participant Table – Upload under "Participant Table":
  • In table format, list all participants (including Collaborators). Include their title, affiliations, region, and role on the application (NPA, PA, Co-Applicant, Principal Knowledge User, Knowledge User, Collaborator); the participant group they are representing (representing an Indigenous perspective, Early Career Researcher, Mid-Career Researcher, trainee, knowledge user, person with lived/living experience, etc.); the relevant discipline(s) they are representing, and a short description of what each brings to the proposal (e.g., expertise, experience, contribution), including Collaborators.
  • Clearly indicate the Theme Lead for each cross-cutting theme.
• Publications (optional) – upload under "Publications":
  • Append a list of publications (maximum of one [1] page) relevant to the proposal.
• Letters of Collaboration (required if applicable) – upload under "Letter of Collaboration":
  • Signed letters of Collaboration are required from all collaborator(s) listed as Collaborators on the application.

Task: Identify Application Partners (optional) – Upload Partner Information

• A "Partnership Details" form must be submitted for each partner providing cash and/or cash equivalent contributions (including Mitacs, if applicable).
• For each partner, upload a signed "Partner Letter" describing their role, activities, authorities, accountabilities and contributions (including intellectual, financial [cash or cash equivalent] and other resources).

Task: Complete Peer Review Administration Information

• This task collects information used for the purpose of peer review administration and aids CIHR in recruiting appropriate expertise.
• Suggest Canadian and/or international reviewers that you think have the expertise to review your application. CIHR reserves the right to make the final selection of reviewers. You should not suggest reviewers in conflict of interest. Consult the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Agreement for Peer Reviewers and Peer Review Observers on the CIHR website for more information.

Task: Apply to Priority Announcements/Funding Pools (Research Area)

• Select the funding opportunity title under the "Priority Announcement/Funding Pool Title" drop-down list, then select the most relevant Research Team Research Area funding pool under the "List of Relevant Research Areas" drop-down list.
• Describe (in a half-page) how the research proposed will address this relevant research area.

Note: You must select no more than one primary Research Area as this will be used for Funding Decisions. If you select more than one Research Area in this task, only your first selection will be considered.

Task: Manage Access (optional)

Task: Print/Upload Signature Pages

• Signature Requirements:
  • Signature of the Nominated Principal Applicant is not required for applications submitted through ResearchNet.
  • Signatures must be included for all other applicants (except Collaborators), and individual(s) with signing authority from the Institution Paid.
  • Original signatures are not required. The scanned signed signature pages and the Routing Slip must be uploaded in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet prior to submitting your application.

Contact Information

For all inquiries, please contact:

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

For service hours, please consult our Contact us page.

For all inquiries related to Mitacs, please contact:

Simon Bousquet
Senior Director, Business Development Operations, Mitacs
Telephone: 819-571-2936
Email: sbousquet@mitacs.ca

Sponsor Description

Note: Additional partners/collaborators, including partners/collaborators from industry and the private sector may join this funding initiative over the coming year.

Partners

Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)
The Canadian Cancer Society is a national charity that funds ground-breaking research, provides trusted information about cancer, offers programs and services to help people with cancer and their families cope, and advocates to governments for important social change to make healthy living easier. CCS has created the Centre for Cancer Prevention and Support (CCPS) to accelerate the progress of research into action, particularly in the areas of cancer prevention and survivorship. Through CCPS, CCS will play a more active role in facilitating knowledge translation and evidence dissemination for the research we fund.

Canadian Lung Association (CLA)
The mission of the Canadian Lung Association is to lead nationwide and international lung health initiatives, prevent lung disease, help people manage lung disease and promote lung health. The vision is "all people free of lung disease" and a desire to see a future where this is possible.

Cancer Research Society (CRS)
The Cancer Research Society is a pan-Canadian not-for-profit organization whose sole mission is to fund research on all types of cancer to help prevent, detect, and treat this disease.

(Updated: 2023-09-26)

Heart & Stroke
Life. We don't want you to miss it. That's why Heart & Stroke leads the fight against heart disease and stroke. We must generate the next medical breakthroughs so people in Canada don't miss out on precious moments. Together, we are working to promote health, save lives and enhance recovery through research, health promotion and public policy.

Mitacs
Mitacs is a national, not-for-profit (NFP) organization that designs and delivers research and training programs with demonstrable economic or productivity orientation in Canada. In partnership with companies, eligible not-for-profit organizations, government and academia, Mitacs is developing the next generation of innovators with vital scientific and business skills.

Internal Collaborators

Canadian Institutes of Health Research
At the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada's health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.

CIHR – Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH)
The Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH) supports research into the causes, mechanisms, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with the heart, lung, brain (stroke), blood, blood vessels, critical and intensive care, and sleep. The ICRH vision is to achieve international leadership by fostering an environment of openness, excitement, energy, commitment and excellence in highly ethical, partnered initiatives focused on research, research training, and research translation for the circulatory and respiratory sciences and for the betterment of the health of Canadians.

CIHR – Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)
The CIHR Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) funds cancer research in Canada based on internationally accepted standards of excellence, which bear on preventing and treating cancer, and improving the health and quality of life of cancer patients. ICR has a mandate to support research that reduces the burden of cancer on individuals and families through prevention strategies, screening, diagnosis, effective treatments, psycho-social support systems, and palliation.

CIHR – Institute of Gender and Health (IGH)
The CIHR Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) invests in research that examines the influence of sex and gender on health. IGH also works to ensure this research evidence supports the development of policies and programs that address pressing health challenges facing men, women, boys, girls, and gender-diverse people.

CIHR – Institute of Genetics (IG)
The CIHR Institute of Genetics (IG) invests in research on cell biology, biochemistry, human genetics and genomics, and the impact of related scientific advances on society. Genetic research touches all areas of health, allowing IG to strengthen health care policies and practices, and improve the health of all Canadians.

CIHR – Institute of Infection and Immunity (III)
The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) invests in research on infectious diseases and the body's immune system. Through this research, III addresses a wide range of health concerns related to infection and immunity, including disease prevention and treatment, as well as public health promotion.

Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies
The Research Centre, which is housed within CIHR, will ensure Canada has an emergency-ready health research system. The Research Centre builds on Canada's research strengths and continues to grow its capacity to be a leader in preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from existing and future pandemics and public health emergencies. It collaborates with other federal departments and agencies, as well as stakeholders domestically and internationally.

Additional Information

Data Management Plans

A data management plan (DMP) is a formal document that details the strategies and tools you will implement to effectively manage your data both during your research project and after its completion. DMPs contribute to:

• Efficiency – identify strategies and potential challenges in advance; develop sound data practices for your Research Team; prepare data for effective use during your project.
• Research Quality – ensure reliability and accuracy of data through careful documentation of your data collection, handling and stewardship practices.
• Reusability and Impact – improve discoverability, accessibility, and reusability of your data by planning for sharing in a repository; and increase the potential impact of your research.

For more information on research data management and DMPs, visit the Frequently Asked Questions of the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy, and the Training Resources page of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada.

DMP Assistant is a national, online, bilingual data management planning tool developed by the Digital Research Alliance of Canada in collaboration with host institution University of Alberta to assist researchers in preparing DMPs. This tool is freely available to all researchers, and develops a DMP through a series of key data management questions, supported by best-practice guidance and examples.

If using DMP Assistant to create their DMPs, when asked to choose a template applicants should select "Portage Template" or, if applicable, their institution's customized version of the Portage Template. There is no prescribed length for DMPs – however, applicants are encouraged to keep them succinct and focused, ideally within two pages if possible. Questions about using DMP Assistant should be directed to the DMP Assistant support.

Should you have any questions or concerns about this pilot activity, please contact our Research Data Management team.

Consent for human genomics research

For more guidance on obtaining consent for human genome studies, please refer to recently published article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal "Core elements of participant consent documents for Canadian human genomics research and the National Human Genome Library: guidance for policy".

References

1. OCAP®, is a registered trademark of the First Nations Information Governance Centre.
2. S. R. Carroll, I. Garba, O. L. Figueroa-Rodríguez, J. Holbrook, R. Lovett, S. Materechera and M. Hudson, "The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance," Data Science, pp. 19(1), 43. , 2020.