ResearchNet - RechercheNet

Table of Contents

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

Description

Background

Rare Diseases (RDs) constitute an under-recognized global health priority. In fact, notwithstanding their name, RDs are far from rare. The population prevalence of RDs is reported at 3.5-6.0% and affect as many as 446 million people globally^{Footnote 1}. By extrapolating data generated in studies conducted in other countries to Canada, we can estimate that most pediatric hospital beds are occupied by rare diseases patients, that a minimum of 5% to 10% of all hospitalization costs in Canada are tied to rare diseases^{Footnote 2}, that 563,000 to 2,331,000 Canadians are living with rare diseases^{Footnote 1} and that, on an annual basis, 14,000 Canadian kids under 15 die from a rare disease^{Footnote 3}. Taken collectively, these numbers would make "rare disease land" the world's third most populous country.

Using current clinical diagnostic pathways, a RD takes an average of five years to diagnose, with 2-3 misdiagnoses prior to the correct diagnosis. This diagnostic odyssey, along with social isolation, an absence of care coordination and attendant socio-economic and mental health burdens are too often the norm for those living with RDs. Compounding the situation is the fact that more than two thirds of RDs have a pediatric onset^{Footnote 1},^{Footnote 2},^{Footnote 4}

There is an increased awareness and recognition of the profound morbidity and mortality caused by RDs ^{Footnote 5}. In response to the burden posed by RDs, as well as the fundamental inequities faced by those affected, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights^{Footnote 6} has designated RDs as a priority for the conceptualization and implementation of Universal Health Coverage. There are medical, economic and human rights imperatives to address these issues.

Purpose

This investment will catalyze the creation of a Pediatric Rare Disease Clinical Network to streamline rare diseases clinical research across Canada and to facilitate the collaboration among researchers across pillars, people with lived and living experience (e.g., patients, family, caregivers), health care providers, industry, policy and regulatory bodies. This Network will maximize synergies to advance discovery across the rare disease continuum from prevention to diagnosis through to treatment and survivorship to improve health outcomes for children and adolescents affected by rare diseases. The aim is to support national and international clinical trials to rapidly advance discoveries to support rare diseases patients and their families across Canada. It will maximize the impact of the Government of Canada's efforts deployed in the regulatory modernization for health products, improve Canada's standing globally, and attract industry dollars for future investments and sustainability.

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 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 $20,000,000 enough to fund one (1) grant over 5 years. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate.
• The $20,000,000 will be available according to the following profile:
  • Year 1: $6,867,188
  • Year 2: $4,281,250
  • Year 3: $4,000,000
  • Year 4: $3,882,813
  • Year 5: $968,750
• For more information on the appropriate use of funds, refer to Allowable Costs.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Develop a platform to support pediatric rare disease clinical trials in Canada in an accessible manner, for both the profit and not-for-profit sectors, to maximize the impact and benefit of the research for clinical practice, policy, and future research;
• Increase the capacity to perform rare disease clinical trials in Canada by offering training and mentorship opportunities for researchers, patients, clinicians and other relevant stakeholders;
• Attract international clinical trials, increasing investments in Canada and providing earlier access to innovative therapies to people living in Canada;
• Foster diversity and inclusion in and improve access to clinical trials;
• Implement processes to acquire data from clinical trials, real world registries, health economics evaluation, and post-marketing surveillance to inform assessment reviews throughout the whole drug/therapy cycle; and,
• Increase the number of new rare disease drug submissions for authorization of commercialization to Health Canada.

These objectives are to be supported by the following key design elements/components which must be included in the Network:

• Governance: The governance structure should ensure a clear and transparent mechanism for decision-making, to ensure outcomes for rare diseases patients are maximized. The governance structure must include a mechanism for engaging key stakeholders and collaborators from academic, clinical, not-for-profit, industry, government and other relevant sectors, and patients and their families/caregivers. Mechanisms for independent scientific advice and advice on ethical, legal including identifying and advising on scientific and/or equity gaps in the Network, must also be defined as well as measures to address/mitigate issues such as conflict of interest.
• Pan-Canadian Representation: The Network must include team members from across Canada to ensure appropriate pan-Canadian representation and capacity building to work on research that will impact the quality of life and quality of services for children affected by rare diseases and their families/caregivers.
• International Linkages: The Network must foster close engagement with international rare diseases clinical networks, including clinical trials and related knowledge mobilization activities to maximize the impact of the Network.
• Patient and Citizen Engagement: The Network must outline processes and principles for meaningful engagement of patients and their families/caregivers in core activities and governance. For information regarding principles of engagement, including approaches to compensation of patients/citizens, please refer to the SPOR Patient Engagement Framework.
• Knowledge Mobilization: In collaboration with partners and existing Canadian platforms, the Network will take an impact-oriented approach at all stages of the project, including but not limited to priority-setting and co-creation with knowledge users (e.g., patients and health professionals).
• Data Governance: The Network must have a robust strategy for how data will be stored, linked and shared among Network partners.  Research data managed by the Network should be as FAIR as possible – Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable – and the data governance plan should outline how the FAIR principles will be applied.
• Sex and gender differences, exist in pediatric research, making these issues an important component of this research initiative. CIHR requires that applicants consider sex as a biological variable and gender as a socio-cultural factor in the Network and related research activities and encourages applicants to consider sex and gender through an intersectional lens where appropriate.
• Health Disparities and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI): The Network is required to ensure an appropriate representation of groups underrepresented in science, and those with a diversity of experiences, within the team and across the Network. This includes ensuring the research environment is supportive and any systemic barriers are addressed effectively and swiftly (see the Best Practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research for guidance and examples of systemic barriers)

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:
   1. 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).
      OR
   2. an individual affiliated with an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.
      OR
   3. an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.
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 before the funding can be released (see Administration of Funds).
4. The research team must include an Early Career Researcher (ECR) identified as a Principal Applicant (PA).
5. At least one project participant must be a knowledge user (including but not limited to decision makers, policy-makers, clinician scientists, health professionals) identified as Principal Knowledge User (PKU) or Knowledge User (KU).
6. In addition to the Nominated Principal Applicant and Knowledge User, at least one Co-Applicant must be a patient.
7. The applicant team must include at least one applicant who self-identifies as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or provides evidence of having meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples.
8. The applicant team must have a Sex and Gender Champion and an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Champion :
   • Combined, the champions must have experience in (i) sex- and gender-based analysis (SGBA) or with gender diversity in the community; (ii) fostering EDI in research and/or applied settings (e.g., promoting equitable access to research participation or inclusion of typically underrepresented population groups in decision making), and (iii) creating Sex and Gender and EDI plans for diversity of team composition;
   • These individuals may hold other roles within the team in addition to standing as the team's Sex and Gender and EDI champions;
   • The Sex and Gender and EDI champion roles may be served by the same individual or different individuals.
9. The applicant team must include representation from a minimum of five provinces/territories

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.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Indigenous Rights

CIHR is committed to promoting the inclusion and advancement of groups historically excluded from science as one of the means to enhance excellence in research, training and knowledge mobilization. This means recognizing and reducing systemic barriers, mitigating biases, as well as including and benefiting from the full pool of talented researchers and trainees in the system. CIHR's position on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is available in the Tri Agency Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

CIHR recognizes that First Nations, Métis and Inuit are rights-holding as First Peoples of Canada and may not consider themselves to be part of equity-seeking groups (e.g., women, racialized minorities, persons with disabilities and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities). Taking a rights- and distinctions-based approach to Indigenous self-determination in research is important to reflect this position and to strengthen Indigenous health and well-being. CIHR's commitment to supporting Indigenous self-determination in health research is available in the CIHR Strategic Plan 2021–2031 and the Action Plan: Building a healthier future for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

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.
• Expenditures that respect the culture and traditions of Indigenous Peoples, where needed for the meaningful conduct of research. See TCPS 2 - Chapter 9 Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada and TAGFA Directive on Gifts, Honoraria and Incentives. These include:
  • 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 translation 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 Funding Opportunity (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. 

Conditions of Funding

• 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.
• Final Electronic Report
• 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.
• Annual Reporting:
• The grantees will be invited to attend an annual meeting to discuss progress of the Network
• The NPA will be required to submit an annual report to CIHR.
• Templates for these reports will be provided by CIHR approximately 6-8 weeks before they are due.
• All manual reports may be shared with Health Canada leads of the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases.
• CIHR reserves the right to observe the Network's governance committee meetings. In no way will CIHR direct the science or management of the Network.
• 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 are an eligible expense and should be included in the budget proposal of the application.
• 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/or 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 and sharing.
• CIHR is a signatory to the World Health Organization's Joint Statement on Public Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials ("WHO Joint Statement") requiring all clinical trials to be registered and the results disclosed publicly in a timely manner. For more information, please consult the CIHR Policy Guide - Requirements for Registration and Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials.
• 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.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review Process

CIHR-Institute of Genetics will perform a relevance review to identify applications that are in alignment with all objectives 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 priority-driven initiatives review guidelines.

Iterative review may be implemented at the Full Application stage should the review panel conclude that clarifications and/or adjustments to protocol, outcomes, or other proposal elements are required. The applicants may be asked to meet with the peer review panel if necessary to provide more clarity about their application. The final funding recommendation will take into consideration the answers provided by the applicants.

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. Quality and Feasibility of the Network Approach:
   1. Extent to which the proposal responds to the description, including all six objectives and key design components of this funding opportunity.
   2. Feasibility of the proposed network approach (including timeline, participant and stakeholder engagement, leveraging existing networks nationally and internationally, budget, etc.)
   3. Extent to which there is potential impacts for rare diseases clinical management.
   4. Quality and appropriateness of the applicants' proposed plan for the consideration of EDI at all stages and including the incorporation of biological variables (e.g., sex, age) and/or sociocultural identity factors (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, language) into the activities proposed, where applicable.
   5.  Are the approaches, methods and integration of sex and gender appropriate to deliver the proposed output(s) and achieve the proposed contribution(s).
   6. Quality and appropriateness of the team's commitment to engaging a diversity of members – including but not limited to Black and other communities impacted by racism, First Nations, Métis and Inuit where issues related to Indigenous health and/or communities are relevant, in particular related to how they will address team composition and recruitment processes; core Network activities; and/or knowledge mobilization activities. Refer to the Best practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research for additional guidance
2. Quality of Applicants:
   1. Relevant track record of team members in providing leadership and successfully engaging a diverse group of collaborators, including patients, to advance a complex entity.
   2. Demonstrated relationships and connections with multiple stakeholders and partners from diverse research areas and sectors involved in clinical trials research, including but not limited to Black and other communities impacted by racism, First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.
   3. Extent to which the overall team has the necessary knowledge, expertise and experience to work in Indigenous communities in a meaningful and culturally safe way.
   4. Demonstration of the potential for success for those in early career stages or from non-academic backgrounds based on other activities and roles.
   5. Extent to which the team includes pan-Canadian representation.
   6. Appropriateness of information provided to justify team membership, to identify possible gaps in membership, and the plans proposed to fill those gaps.
3. Governance, Management, and Operations:
   1. Quality and appropriateness of the proposed governance plan.
   2. Appropriateness of the plan to manage sustainability of the Network beyond the funding period, including feasibility and transparency of proposed processes.
   3. Quality and appropriateness of the strategy to engage key stakeholders to develop, implement and maintain a pediatric rare diseases clinical trial network.
   4. Extent to which the Network is positioned to address and respect Indigenous data governance, by applying the First Nations Principles of OCAP® ^{Footnote 1}, the CARE Principles, or other principles of Indigenous data governance, if applicable.
   5. Relevance and value of collaborations and partnerships to the objectives of this funding opportunity.
   6. 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).
4. Impact of Network Activities:
   1. Clear justification for the Network's approach to use funding to enhance coordination, build capacity and make significant contributions to the advancement of pediatric rare disease clinical trials in Canada in support of improving the lives of Canadians.
   2. Quality of the knowledge mobilization plan to accelerate availability of high-quality and real-time evidence for research, policy and/or clinical practice, including ensuring that the evidence is relevant, timely and continues to align with the objectives of this funding opportunity.
   3. Extent to which there is potential impacts for rare diseases clinical management.
   4. Quality of the approach to develop and increase pan-Canadian collaborations and for engaging researchers and/or organizations focusing on clinical trials and care.
   5. Appropriateness of the approach to developing and increasing international linkages, including liaison activities and related knowledge mobilization activities to maximize the impact and international visibility of the Network.
   6. Extent of the role(s) and contribution(s) of all applicant partner(s) in advancing the impact and reach of the Network (if applicable).
5. Budget:
   1. Appropriateness of the budget and justification for amount requested.
   2. Feasibility of proposed activities based on available budget.

Funding Decision

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 three steps:  Expression of Interest, Collaboration Call, and Full Application.
• 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 .

Step 1 – Expression of Interest (EOI)

The objective of the EOI is to enable applicants to signal interest in submitting, participating and/or joining applications to this call. It will also facilitate participation in the Collaboration Call and subsequent stages of this competition. While there will only be one grant awarded, collaboration is highly encouraged.

Note that this task is mandatory to be eligible to submit a Full application as the Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA).

• Applicants interested in submitting, participating in and/or joining an application to this call must email an Expression of Interest (EOI) to support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca by 8:00 pm (EDT) on June 27th, 2023.
• The email must include contact information (email address and telephone numbers) as well as an area of expertise. The email subject line must be "EOI: National Pediatric Rare Disease Clinical Trials and Treatment Network".
• Email submission of the EOI also affirms your consent for CIHR to coordinate a Collaboration Call with other applicants to explore collaborations across teams.

Step 2 – Collaboration Call

• CIHR will schedule a Collaboration Call for July 6, 2023, 1pm EDT with those who submitted an EOI to: (1) support participants with the requirements of this funding opportunity; (2) allow participations to explore potential collaboration across teams prior to the submission of the Full application; and (3) answer questions. It is mandatory for those who have submitted an EOI to attend this meeting to be eligible to submit a Full application as a Nominated Principal Applicant.
• A formal meeting invite will be sent by email following the EOI deadline.

Step 3 – Full Application

• To complete your Full Application, follow the instructions listed in the Grants – Application Guidelines, along with any additional instructions below found under "specific instructions"
• All participants listed on the application, with the exception of Collaborators, are required to:
  • Have/Obtain a CIHR PIN;
  • Complete the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Self-Identification Questionnaire.
• Organizations applying as Nominated Principal Applicants for the first time must contact CIHR's Contact Centre for guidance in creating a ResearchNet account and registering for a CIHR PIN.
• When completing the application, applicants must protect the privacy and confidentiality of all team members. How an individual self-identifies is personal and confidential information, which should not be disclosed without consent.

Specific instructions to complete your ResearchNet application

Task: Identify Participants

• List all participants in the "Identify Participants" task. All participants must also be identified in the Participant Table under the "Attach Other Application Material" task (see below). Consult the Eligibility section and ensure that all requirements are met.
• All participants, with the exception of Collaborators, are required to submit a CV.
  • All Canadian academic applicants are required to upload a CIHR Biosketch CV.
  • Knowledge users, non-academics, organizations, and international applicants have the option to submit a CIHR Biosketch CV or an Applicant Profile CV(maximum three pages per applicant).
    • Patients and families/caregivers, Indigenous Elders and/or Indigenous Knowledge Keepers must include in their Applicant Profile CV a description of their relevant lived/living experiences in the context of the application.
    • Organizations must include in their Applicant Profile CV a description of the organization's mandate.
  • Submit CIHR Biosketch CVs using the Canadian Common CV (CCV) interface. Submit Applicant Profile CVs by uploading the completed document, in the "Attachment" tab.

Task: Enter Proposal Information

• The proposal must address all objectives of this funding opportunity and how they will be supported by the key design elements/components. Consult the evaluation criteria to ensure that all elements are considered in the proposal.
• Proposals/equivalent documents 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 an equitable amount of space is provided, the following page limits will apply:
  • 12 pages for the Proposal written in English
  • 15 pages for the Proposal written in French
    Note: Any pages over the limit mentioned above will be removed with no further notification to the Nominated Principal Applicant.
• References, charts, tables, figures and photographs can be uploaded under "Attachments – Proposal Appendix".
• The proposal should stand alone (i.e., it should contain all the information required to support your research plan and should contain a complete description of your project). All documents must be in PDF format and must adhere to the guidelines for attachments on the Acceptable Application Formats and Attachments.

Task: Complete Summary of Research Proposal

• The summary must include a description of how your proposal aligns with the Objectives of this funding opportunity. Note that your summary cannot exceed one (1) page.

Task: Enter Budget Information

• Provide a detailed budget justification explaining how the requested budget will be used for all planned activities and clearly justify all budget items (including cash and cash equivalent contributions, if relevant).
• For Release Time Allowance requests, you must include 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 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 – attach the following under "Other":

• Plans (mandatory):
  • To support the proposal, upload a plan for each of the following. Upload each document using the bolded titles below
    • Governance Plan: Describe the Network governance structure, the decision-making processes, and the mechanism for engaging key stakeholders. The governance plan must also include concrete strategies to manage sustainability of the Network beyond the funding period.
    • Knowledge Mobilization Plan: Describe how knowledge will be mobilized to maximize the impact on research, policy and/or clinical practice.
    • Data Governance Plan: A data governance plan describing how data will be stored, linked and shared within and beyond the Network must also be included. 
• Indigenous self-declaration and/or evidence of meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous communities statement – label as "Indigenous Experience – Name/Organization" (mandatory): As outlined in the Eligibility section, applicant teams must include a minimum of one participant who self-identifies as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or who can provide evidence meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous communities. These participants are required to provide a maximum 1-page statement describing how the participant meets the criteria of self-identification and/or meaningful and culturally safe engagement.
• Certificate of Completion of all relevant Sex and Gender Based Analysis training module/s - Labeled "Sex and Gender Module Certificate" (mandatory for the NPA and the Sex and Gender Champion if different from the NPA)
  • After completing the appropriate training module that applies to your proposal, 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.
• Patient(s)and/or families/caregivers written statements – Labeled "Name – Written Statement" (Mandatory)
• All participants that fall in the patient and/or family/caregiver stakeholder group are required to provide signed written statements (maximum two (2) pages each in English, 2.5 pages in French) describing their relevant lived and/or living experience that demonstrates their fit for this role in the context of the application.
• Applicant Profile CVs – Labeled "Name – Applicant Profile CV" (Mandatory if applicable)
  • Attach an Applicant Profile CV (maximum 3 pages English, 4 pages French) for each knowledge user not submitting a Biosketch CV. See task Identify Participants above for further details.
• 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 (mandatory) - upload under "Participant Table":
  • This table will be used for Eligibility assessment
  • In table format, list names of all participants (including Collaborators) with position or title; organization/affiliations; region; their role on the application (Nominated Principal Applicant, Principal Knowledge User, Knowledge User, Principal Applicant, Co-Applicant, Collaborator); role in the Network (i.e.: Champion) and a short description of expertise and perspective each brings to the proposal, including Collaborators. Clearly identify the patient(s) and/or families/caregivers within the table.

Task: Manage Access (optional)

Task: Print 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.

Sponsor Description

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

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 Genetics
The Institute of Genetics (IG) supports research on the human and model genomes and on all aspects of genetics, basic biochemistry and cell biology related to health and disease, including the translation of knowledge into health policy and practice, and the societal implications of genetic discoveries.

Additional Information

Administration of Funds

Funds will only be released to the institution or organization identified as the Institution Paid. If the Institution Paid is not already authorized to administer CIHR funds, for the duration of the grant term, it may be required to undergo a financial and eligibility review and sign a funding agreement, or the successful applicant may choose to have their funds administered by a CIHR eligible institution. Please contact the Contact Centre to enquire about the process.

Definitions:

• Pan-Canadian:  striving to span over multiple Canadian jurisdictions: provinces and/or territories. For this funding opportunity, this means a minimum of five provinces/territories and eight institutions/organizations.