Operating Grants - Neuromuscular Research Partnership Program (Archived)
Institute of Genetics
Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
Institute of Neuroscience Mental Health and Addiction
In partnership with
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Canada
Muscular Dystrophy Canada
Request for Applications
| Important Dates | |
| Opportunity Launched | December 2005 |
| Content Last Updated | (No updates since launch) |
| February 1, 2006 | Registration Deadline - Registration packages must be courier stamped by this date. |
| March 1, 2006 | Full applications must be courier stamped by this date. |
| May 2006 | CIHR's Scientific Peer Review |
| June 2006 | Neuromuscular Research Partnership committee meeting, including relevance review |
| July 2006 | Anticipated notification of decision. |
| October 1, 2006 | Anticipated start date. |
| Summary | |
|
The Institute of Genetics, the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis and the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction in partnership with the ALS Society of Canada and Muscular Dystrophy Canada are pleased to announce the 7th Neuromuscular Research Partnership (NRP) Competition. Since its inception in 1999, the NRP has awarded 61 operating grants in discovering the causes, treatments and an eventual cure for neuromuscular disorders. In 2006, the partners in the NRP will jointly invest an additional Funds Available:
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Table of Contents
Partners
Objectives and Relevant Research Areas
Eligibility
Allowable Costs
Peer Review Process and Evaluation Criteria
General CIHR Guidelines
Conditions of Funding
Communications Requirements
Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation
How to Apply
Contact Information
Partners
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
CIHR is Canada's premier federal agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened health care system.
The Institute of Genetics (IG)
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.
The Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA)
IMHA supports research to enhance active living, mobility and movement, and oral health; and addresses causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions related to bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, skin and teeth. The Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA) INMHA supports research to enhance mental health, neurological health, vision, hearing, and cognitive functioning and to reduce the burden of related disorders through prevention strategies, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation.
ALS Society of Canada
The mission of the ALS Society of Canada is:
- To support research towards a cure for ALS.
- To fund research to provide hope.
The ALS Society of Canada was founded in 1977 as a national voluntary organization dedicated solely to those affected by ALS.
Muscular Dystrophy Canada
Muscular Dystrophy Canada is a national voluntary agency committed to:
- supporting the independence and full participation of Canadians with neuromuscular disorders
- assisting individuals to participate in the decisions that affect them and collaborate with others for social change
- funding research to improve the quality of life of people with neuromuscular disorders, in pursuit of a cure
Objectives and Relevant Research Areas
The specific objective of this initiative is:
- To collectively fund health research by providing operating grants in the area of neuromuscular disorders which will ultimately result in discovering the causes, treatments and eventual cures for these disorders.
The following broad categories of research are eligible for funding:
- Basic research involving muscle or nerve biology relevant to neuromuscular disease
- Focused research directed toward an understanding of neuromuscular disease
- Applied research encompassing research designed specifically to translate promising research advances from basic research and focused research into pre-clinical and clinical investigations relevant to treatment of neuromuscular disease, but not including drug trials
There are over 100 neuromuscular disorders within the following broad categories:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Spinal muscular atrophies
- Diseases of the neuromuscular junction
- Muscular dystrophies (e.g., Duchenne, Becker)
- Inflammatory myopathies
- Myotonia Metabolic or endocrine diseases of muscle
- Congenital myopathies
- Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS)
- Other disorders
MDC is contributing an extra $100,000 total to the partnership for research specifically related to ARSACS should there be fundable applications in this area.
Eligibility
Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Please refer to the Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.
Eligibility of Randomized Controlled Trials Applications
Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) will NOT be considered under this RFA. RCTs are defined as any study involving humans where at least two interventions are compared using random allocation, statistical methodologies and blinding techniques for the purpose of determining whether an innovative intervention leads to improved health.
Allowable Costs
Applicants should review -A9">Use of Grant Funds and -A10">Eligibility of Expenses, Employment under Grants within the General Guidelines for All Research Grants for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities. The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.
Peer Review Process and Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Criteria and Process
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be submitted to the appropriate CIHR peer review committee. Names of the peer review committee members will be posted on the CIHR website. In addition, relevance to the research agenda of the program will be considered in a subsequent review by the NRP Management Committee. The NRP committee oversees the research-related functions and financial management of this initiative on behalf of MDC and ALS. Relevance will be rated according to the following scale:
- 1.0 Studies that may lead directly to the cure, prevention or treatment of human neuromuscular disease and/or ARSACS
- 0.8 Direct approach to understanding human neuromuscular disease and/or ARSACS with a likelihood of developing prevention or treatment projects
- 0.6 Valid animal models of human neuromuscular disease and/or ARSACS
- 0.4 Basic science projects with direct relevance to human neuromuscular disease and/or ARSACS
- 0.2 Basic science projects with direct relevance to nerve and muscle biology and/or other Ataxia
- 0.0 Projects with no obvious relevance (grant should not be funded, irrespective of science rating)
On completion of the CIHR peer review, all eligible applications (those rated 3.5 and above on the CIHR rating scale), identified by title only, will be forwarded to the NRP Management committee for relevance review. Following the relevance review, the scientific and relevance scores will be added together to produce a final rating. Based on the total funds available for the initiative, top-ranked and most relevant applications will be selected and funded by ALS, MDC, IG, IMHA and INMHA. The IG will not consider applications receiving a score of less than 3.7 (as a result of the CIHR Peer Review Process) for funding.
Peer review will be conducted in accordance with The CIHR Peer Review Process: Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members, including the standard evaluation criteria described under "Factors for Assessment" (section 6.2).
General CIHR Guidelines
This Request for Applications will follow the -A">General Guidelines for All Research Funding Grants.
Conditions of Funding
All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through this Request for Applications. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official language policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial conditions prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.
In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements, the following special conditions shall apply:
Recipients of this partnership must provide to the IG, IMHA, INMHA, MDC and ALS a one page lay report suitable for publication, outlining the status of your project to date submitted at the completion of each year of funding.
Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, to administer and monitor grants and awards, to compile statistics, and to promote and support health research in Canada. Consistent with these purposes, applicants should also expect that information collected by CIHR may be shared as described in Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review.
CIHR as a federal entity is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, therefore the requirements of these two statutes will apply to all information located in CIHR's premises including, without limitation, cost-sharing agreements related to this Request for Applications and all matters pertaining thereto.
While respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, all signing parties involved in a collaborative agreement will also be bound by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under collaborative agreements related to the Request for Applications will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.
Communications Requirements
Grant recipients are required to acknowledge the Neuromuscular Research Partnership, an initiative of ALS, MDC, IG, IMHA and INMHA in any communication or publication related to the project. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing Institutes / Partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and decision letter.
ALS, MDC, IG, IMHA and INMHA also require the opportunity to participate in the early planning stages of any pro-active media or press announcements released by the institution of every successful applicant resulting from advances in the work during the term of the grant.
Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation
CIHR is committed to demonstrating results to Canadians for the money invested in health research. Therefore, processes for monitoring progress and appropriate use of funds, as well as for performance measurement and program evaluation are in place. As a result, funding recipients must:
- contribute to the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes by participating in evaluation studies, surveys, workshops, audits and providing data or reports as required for the purpose of collecting information to assess progress and results;
- encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.
How to Apply
The application process is comprised of two steps: Registration and Full Application.
Review the application instructions provided in How to Apply for Funding.
Select "Operating Grants" (Registration and Application) from the Application Packages.
Additional instructions must be followed for this RFA:
- To ensure that your registration and application are forwarded to the appropriate CIHR staff, indicate "Neuromuscular Research Partnership" under the heading "Name of Industrial Partner(s) OR Partnership Program OR Special Program (if applicable)" in the General Information section of the Research Module (page 7 of the Webforms).
- Candidates applying to the Neuromuscular Research Partnership must provide a signed letter summarizing the relevance of their research to the research objectives/mandate of the partnership with their application. This letter may NOT exceed one page and must identify the program in the top right corner.
Send Application by Courier to:
RE: CIHR's March 2006 competition"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
Contact Information
For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:
Dominique Lalonde
Program Delivery Officer
(INMHA) Knowledge Creation Programs Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 941-1090
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: dlalonde@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:
ALS Society of Canada
David S. Cameron
National Executive Director
ALS Society of Canada
Telephone: 1-800-267-4257
Telephone: 416-497-2267 ext 206
Email: dc@als.ca
Muscular Dystrophy Canada
Wyn Chivers
National Executive Director
2345 Yonge Street, Suite 900
Toronto, ON M4P 2E5
Telephone: (416) 488-0030 ext. 130
Fax: (416) 488-7523
Email: wyn.chivers@muscle.ca
Institute of Genetics
Stephanie Robertson, MA
Assistant Director, Ottawa
CIHR - Institute of Genetics
Telephone: (613) 954-0533
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: srobertson@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis:
Sophia Tsouros
Project Manager / Analyst
CIHR - Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
Telephone: (613)954-3469
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: stsouros@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
The Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction:
Barbara Beckett, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
CIHR - Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Telephone: (613) 948-4877
Email: bbeckett@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Appendix: Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS)
Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) is an early-onset neurodegenerative disease with high prevalence (carrier frequency 1/22) in the Charlevoix-Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (CSLSJ) region of Quebec. Since the publication in 2000 of the sacsin gene and mutations causing ARSACS, numerous families across the world have been shown to harbour other deleterious mutations in the same gene. At the first international workshop for this disease that was held in Montreal in 2004, clinicians and scientists from Europe and North America identified a number of issues that need to be studied in order to identify avenues for therapy:
- Elucidate the complete gene structure and develop a database of mutations
- Study the genotype-phenotype correlations affected my specific mutation
- Generate localization information of sacsin.
- Identify other proteins that interact with sacsin
- Generate mouse models of ARSACS
- Generate cell models that could be used to modulate sacsin levels and function.
- Understand sacsin biology through its modulation (e.g. RNAi, drugs, constructs).
Furthermore, the ARSACS community endorsed the concept that key reagents (antibodies, mouse knock-outs) could be shared with other laboratories studying ARSACS and other ataxias, in order to maximize their utility.
MDC aims to catalyze innovative research into the biology of ARSACS, in order to speed-up the development of therapies. Criteria for selecting the award(s) will be based on A) established relevance criteria (see below) and B) demonstration of plans for networking with other groups and/or plans to share resources (information, antibodies, mouse models, etc.) with relevant laboratories.
The Grant(s) will be awarded for a period up to three years in duration.
An independent researcher with expertise in ARSACS research would be consulted as part of the scientific and relevancy review process.
