CIHR Knowledge Translation e-Newsletter - January 2012
In this issue:- Knowledge to Action: Profiles from the Community
- News from Ian Graham, Vice-President, CIHR
- KT Funding News
- KT Learning Resources and Opportunities
- KT Events
- KT Community News
1. Knowledge to Action: Profiles from the Community
Zambia-Canada Research Partnership Moves Forward
Representatives from six Canadian universities and other groups met in Montreal in November with the dean of the University of Zambia’s School of Medicine to help strengthen Zambia’s national health research system.
The two-day meeting, organized by the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR or Coalition), was the latest initiative in a five-year collaboration with Zambian partners that has led to the creation of Zambia’s first national health research organization—the National Health Research Authority of Zambia (NHRAZ). CCGHR has also worked with its Zambian partners to support the Zambia Forum for Health Research (ZAMFOHR)—a non-government organization promoting all aspects of knowledge translation.
During the Montreal meeting, which was funded with a CIHR-Knowledge Translation planning grant, representatives of Canadian universities and their Zambian partners focused on harmonizing research and training activities. The discussions concentrated on two main goals: designing a project for NHRAZ to determine Zambia’s national health research priorities and implement these priorities; and exploring how the activities of Canadian universities in Zambia could be aligned to support a new UNZA-SOM strategic plan.
The meeting began with a review by Dean Fastone Goma of the current health and health research context in Zambia, including an update on the overall national development plan and how several ministries are implementing national health targets. Dr. Goma also discussed current activities and future plans of the University of Zambia, particularly the School of Medicine. Sandy Campbell, a Canadian consultant involved in Zambia, provided an update about ZAMFOHR’s current activities and plans. Marc Cohen, a research officer from the Global Health Research Initiative (GHRI), summarized the role of GHRI’s African Health System Initiative research program (AHSI-RES) in Zambia. Participants from the various universities each summarized their own current projects in Zambia.
Following this background analysis, participants divided into two groups, with their work resulting in two main outcomes by the end of the meeting:
- An outline for a research proposal was drafted, to be developed further by a Zambian technical working group in collaboration with a CCGHR team;
- A plan was developed to align the future activities of Canadian university groups with several of the goals in the UNZA-SOM strategic plan, focusing in particular on strengthening this institution’s research capacity. Included in the plan is a “mapping exercise” to identify other Canadian groups working in the health sector in Zambia. A communication strategy was designed that includes future teleconferences, regular bulletins and the use of the CCGHR’s social networking platform for information sharing—for example, a “Zam-Can Partnership” calendar to inform each other about upcoming visits to Zambia.
Updates about the “Zam-Can Partnership” will be posted regularly on the Coalition’s website.
2. News from Ian Graham, Vice-President, CIHR
Introducing Health Research in Canada and You
I would like to introduce a resource for the general public that is available online. It represents part of an important conversation between Canadians and CIHR. Whether it's participating in community-based research or attending one of CIHR's Public Outreach activities, there are numerous ways for citizens to become involved with health research in Canada. This booklet examines these opportunities and explains why the public’s participation is so important. Inside, you will also find an overview of CIHR and its activities, along with definitions and examples of health research and knowledge translation.
Please forward this resource to a colleague or friend so they too can join the conversation.
Ian Graham, PhD
Vice-President, Knowledge Translation and Public Outreach
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
3. KT Funding News
a) Planning Grants (Winter 2012)
The KT Branch will provide support for planning activities, partnership development and/or increasing understanding of the health research landscape that will contribute to the advancement of research consistent with the mandate of CIHR.
Planning Grants - Priority Announcements offer additional sources of funding for highly rated applications that are relevant to specific CIHR research priority areas or mandates.
Maximum amount per grant: $25,000 for up to one year
Application deadline: February 15, 2012
Funding start date: June 1, 2012
Contact Yumna Choudhry at yumna.choudhry@cihr-irsc.gc.ca or 613-954-1944
b) Dissemination Events (Winter 2012)
The KT Branch will provide support to dissemination events/activities (e.g. meetings, workshops, symposia, etc.) that focus on the communication of health research evidence to the appropriate researcher and/or knowledge user audience(s), tailoring the message and medium as appropriate.
Dissemination Events - Priority Announcements offer additional sources of funding for highly rated applications that are relevant to specific CIHR research priority areas or mandates.
Maximum amount per grant: $25,000 for up to one year
Application deadline: February 15, 2012
Funding start date: June 1, 2012
Contact Yumna Choudhry at yumna.choudhry@cihr-irsc.gc.ca or 613-954-1944
c) Knowledge Translation Supplement
Please note that there will be no February Knowledge Translation Supplement competition and that the program has been suspended until further notice. Future plans for this program will be announced as soon as possible.
Contact Yumna Choudhry at yumna.choudhry@cihr-irsc.gc.ca or 613-954-1944
d) Knowledge Synthesis: Spring 2012 Competition
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support teams of researchers and knowledge users to produce knowledge syntheses and scoping reviews that will contribute to the use of synthesized evidence in decision-making and practice.
Priority Announcements offer additional sources of funding for highly rated applications that are relevant to specific CIHR research priority areas or mandates.
The maximum amount awarded for a synthesis grant is $100,000 for one (1) year and the maximum amount awarded for a scoping review is $50,000 for one (1) year.
Application deadline: April 2, 2012
Funding start date: October 1, 2012
For more information, please write to Knowledge Translation at kt-ac@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
e) Fellowship: Winter 2012 Priority Announcement (Specific Research Areas)
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to advance KT (synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge). It is expected that this targeted investment will lead to a better understanding of concepts, theories and practices that underlie effective KT in order to improve the health of Canadians, provide more effective health services and products and strengthen the health care system.
The maximum amount awarded is $60,000 per year for up to three (3) years.
Application deadline: February 1, 2012
Funding start date: July 1, 2012
For more information, please write to Knowledge Translation at kt-ac@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
f) Operating Grant: Industry-Partnered Collaborative Research (2011-2012)
The Industry-Partnered Collaborative Research Operating Grant program provides funding for collaborative research projects involving the academic community and Canadian industry partners sharing an interest in health R&D. The research planned should be beneficial to both parties, while improving the quality of health of Canadians. Projects may be initiated by either party; however, the academic researcher is responsible for applying for the grant.
The relationship between the investigators and the industry partner must be established and the required level of partner contribution secured from an eligible company at the time the application is submitted.
Registration deadline: February 1, 2012
Application deadline: March 1, 2012
For more information on this funding opportunity, please contact Jasmine Lefebvre, Senior Knowledge Translation Specialist at (613) 952-8965 or by e-mail at jasmine.lefebvre@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
g) Proof of Principle: Phase I and Phase II (2011-2012)
The Proof of Principle (POP) Phase I program provides funding for proof of principle research projects of up to 12 months duration designed to advance discoveries/inventions towards commercializable technologies, with a view to attract new investment, create new science-based businesses, organizations and initiatives, and ultimately improve health outcomes for Canadians.
The POP Phase II provides funding for proof of principle research projects up to 12 months in duration at the co-investment stage undertaking follow-on proof of principle activities in partnership with a non-academic investor. This funding opportunity is aimed at providing a platform to better enable the academic institution/researcher to move the discovery/invention further down the innovation pipeline. The relationship between the investigators and the partner must be established and the required level of partner contribution secured from an eligible company at the time the application is submitted.
Research projects across all four pillars of CIHR are eligible for this program. Note that the end product is not required to generate revenue, but there must be a demonstrated market and opportunity for your product. Applications for the continuation of a research project funded through the POP Phase I grant must progress from Phase I to Phase II.
Application deadline for Phases I and II: February 15, 2012
For more information on this funding opportunity, please contact Jasmine Lefebvre, Senior Knowledge Translation Specialist at (613) 952-8965 or by e-mail at jasmine.lefebvre@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
h) Science to Business Awards
The CIHR Science to Business program encourages students with a PhD in a health-related field to pursue an MBA at a Canadian Business School. It is anticipated that successful applicants to the program will go on to apply their management and scientific expertise by pursuing careers in fields that support commercialization and innovation in Canada such as management, regulatory affairs, finance, research, technology transfer, and public policy. The goal of this program is to develop a cadre of professionals knowledgeable in health research and management, and to foster an entrepreneurial culture within and around the research community.
To be eligible to apply to this competition, applicants must:
- Be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident;
- Have targeted an MBA program in Canada to which they have applied or are planning to apply with a program start date between January 1st 2012 and July 1st 2013; and
- Have obtained a PhD in a health-related field.
The maximum amount awarded for a single award is $30,000 per year for up to 2 years.
Application deadline: February 15, 2012
Funding Start date: August 1, 2012
For more information about this competition, please contact Jasmine Lefebvre, Senior KT Specialist at 613-952-8965 or by e-mail at jasmine.lefebvre@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
i) KT Prize (2012)
These prizes recognize the exemplary knowledge translation efforts and activities of an individual, team or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to increasing the application of research findings, improving the health of individuals, health services and products, or strengthening the health-care system.
Knowledge Translation (KT) Prize
The CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) has partnered on this opportunity and is offering a KT - IMHA Prize (information included in the KT Prize link above).
Dr. Geoffrey T. Fong was the recipient of the 2011 CIHR Knowledge Translation Award. The award was presented to Dr. Fong at the Canadian Health Research Awards ceremony held in Ottawa on November 16, 2011.
The national/international prize for Knowledge Translation is valued at $100,000, whereas the national/international IMHA prize for Knowledge Translation is valued at $50,000.
The deadline for nominations is February 15, 2012.
More information on the KT Prize can be obtained by contacting CIHR at 613-952-8965 or by e-mail at jasmine.lefebvre@cihr-irsc.gc.ca. For additional information on the KT - IMHA Prize, please contact CIHR at 613-954-3469 or by e-mail at tanya.gallant@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
Institute of Aging Betty Havens Prize for Knowledge Translation in Aging
Dr. Debra Morgan, University of Saskatchewan, was the recipient of the 2011 CIHR-IA Betty Havens Award for Knowledge Translation in Aging. The award was presented to Dr. Morgan at the 40th Canadian Association on Gerontology Annual Scientific Conference in Ottawa on October 23, 2011.
The Betty Havens Prize for local/regional Knowledge Translation in Aging is valued at $50,000.
The deadline for nominations is February 15, 2012.
For additional information on the Betty Havens Prize, please contact CIHR at 613-946-1270 or by e-mail at sharon.nadeau@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
4. KT Learning Resources and Opportunities
a) A Guide to Researcher and Knowledge-User Collaboration in Health Research
This learning module will lead those engaged in collaborative health research – both researchers and knowledge users – through many of the key issues that should be considered and addressed when taking an integrated approach to creating knowledge and translating it into action. The module includes many real-life examples and case studies to illustrate learning points discussed in each section.
b) Apps for Science
Elsevier offered $35,000 to software developers to create apps and help more than 15 million researchers, medical professionals, librarians and students accelerate science. View the Winners
Please note that links to external websites in the CIHR-KT Newsletter do not imply an endorsement by CIHR of the views, information or products provided or held by such websites.
5. KT Events
Cochrane Canada Symposium 2012 - Health Evidence for All
The 10th Annual Cochrane Canada Symposium will be held in Winnipeg on May 9 and 10, 2012. The conference’s co-sponsors are the University of Manitoba and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
6. Community News
a. Show me the Evidence – Read the First Issue
Show me the Evidence was conceived as a way of showcasing some of the high-quality and relevant research supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This premier issue presents three stories about initiatives that have the potential to improve the delivery of health services to Canadians: the benefits of integrating pharmacists into primary health care teams for elderly patients and others who take several different prescription drugs; the role of research evidence in prompting treatment changes in obstetric medicine; and a standardized test for diagnosing and monitoring the progress of osteoarthritis in hips and knees.
b. Health Systems Evidence
The next generation of Health Systems Evidence – the world’s most comprehensive, free access point for high-quality evidence on health systems – has been launched by the McMaster Health Forum. Health Systems Evidence is a valuable resource for policymakers, stakeholders and researchers seeking to address today’s most pressing health challenges. It provides answers on questions about how to strengthen or reform health systems, or how to get cost-effective programs, services and drugs to those who need them.
The redeveloped website offers numerous enhancements, including new open search and advanced search functionalities, and is available in seven languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. A video tutorial on how to make the best use of the site is provided, which will assist users to rapidly identify syntheses of the best available research on a particular health system topic, as well as evidence on economic evaluations, and descriptions of health systems and health systems reforms.
Health Systems Evidence is also now providing the option for users to subscribe to a customizable evidence service that will provide monthly email alerts identifying new documents available in the database specific to someone’s individual interests. Visit the Health Systems Evidence site to register and explore its many features.
If you would like to advertise your event or activity in this e-newsletter, please contact Knowledge Translation at kt-ac@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.