European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD)
and
Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)

European Studies on Beta Cell Function and Survival:
Basic Research Programme

Request for Applications

EFSD and MSD
announce funding of
Basic Research Grants in 2009

Deadline for Submission of Applications: 05 January 2009

   Background

The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) was founded in Montecatini, Italy, in 1965. In 1999, the Association created the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD). The aims of EFSD are to encourage and support research in the field of diabetes, to rapidly diffuse acquired knowledge and to facilitate its application.

Merck & Co., Inc is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company. Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of innovative products to improve humans and animal health, directly and through its join ventures. Merck Sharp & Dohme, or MSD, is the name Merck uses for conducting its business in all other countries outside the United States and Canada.

   Programme

EFSD and MSD are continuing a European Study Programme on Beta Cell Function and Survival to encourage new projects in basic science aimed at advancing current knowledge in this domain.

To achieve the goals and objectives of this Programme, EFSD and MSD invite applications by issuing this "Request for Applications" (RFA), which indicates joint funding as well as areas of research emphasis.

The Programme is intended to stimulate and accelerate European research into basic research of beta cell function and survival, with particular focus on the following:

• increasing beta cell mass/function
• mechanisms of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion
• mechanisms of beta cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes, including beta cell gluco- and lipotoxicity
• non-invasive imaging of beta cells
• beta cell intermediary metabolism
• genetic defects that elucidate beta cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes

   Funding

Up to six grants, each of up to Euro 100,000, will be made available in 2009.

   Mechanisms of Support and Review

Research will be supported through the award of grants, each of up to Euro 100,000. The duration of each award may be one year or longer, depending upon the needs of the project, and as justified in the application, so long as the total budget does not exceed the sum of Euro 100,000. The Programme Board, at the suggestion of the Review Committee, may at its discretion recommend an award in a lesser or greater amount considered more appropriate for the proposed studies.

Applications for an EFSD/MSD grant are invited from single non-profit institutions or groups of such institutions from Europe and associated countries. The principal investigator and any co-investigators must be normally employed at a non-profit institution and the study must be performed at such a place of work.  

Applications will be subject to scientific review by a specialised ad hoc committee. Funding will require approval by a joint EFSD and MSD Board convened for this purpose. It is anticipated that applications for this year will be received, reviewed and approved for funding by March  2009.

   Research Grant Applications

Applications for research grants may be subjected to pre-review (or triage) procedures. In this event, any application rejected at pre-review will not be subject to a complete scientific review.

The deadline for receipt of research grant applications is 5 January 2009.

The budget of research grants for the purposes of this Programme is limited to Euro 100,000. All budgets are to be prepared in Euro. For countries in which the Euro is not yet the common currency, the exchange rate (between the Euro and the local currency in the country where the work is to be performed) used for calculating the Euro budget must be mentioned under "Budget Justification".

Application forms may be requested from:

Foundation@easd.org

   Review Considerations

Completed applications will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria stated below for scientific/technical merit by an appropriate scientific committee convened by EFSD and MSD.

Review criteria are as follows:

·         Significance: Does the study address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What will be the effect of the proposed studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field?

·         Approach: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods and analyses adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics?

·         Innovation: Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?

·         Investigator: Is the investigator appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers (if any)?

·         Environment: Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support?

·         Budget:  Is the requested budget appropriate for the proposed study?

   Reporting Requirements 

All investigators funded by this Programme are required to submit a scientific report at the end of the funding period. Investigators must provide EFSD with copies of papers accepted for publication, and must acknowledge the support of the Programme in all written material by use of the phrase: "This work was supported by an EFSD/MSD basic research grant".

   Schedule 

Royalties and Intellectual Property

Patent applications and the execution of royalty agreements to use inventions protected by such patent applications relating to any invention made with the support, in whole or in part, of research grants must be reported in a timely fashion to the Partnership. The foregoing obligation shall survive for a period of three years after the expiration of the grant.

• Unless otherwise indicated or requested by the grantee institution, title to any invention shall reside with the grantee institution. If a grantee institution has no established patent policy or procedure for administering inventions, EFSD reserves the right to determine the disposition of invention rights, including the right to take title to an invention or patent and develop technologies/products resulting from Partnership-sponsored research in the event that the grantee and his/her institution elect not to patent and pursue these developments. In this event, it is EFSD's policy to request that the institution execute appropriate assignments in favor of EFSD (which assignments shall be prepared by EFSD at its own expense) for purposes of patenting the results of the Partnership-funded research.
  
  
• In acknowledgement of the Partnership's support, net royalties resulting from the commercialisation of discoveries made with Partnership support will be shared with EFSD. The portion of royalties to be shared with EFSD shall be determined on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the policies of the grantee institution and will be based on the relative contribution of Partnership funding to the overall project. Net royalties shall mean gross royalties and other licensing payments less administrative, licensing, legal and other reasonably related expenses. The grantee institution shall provide to EFSD, upon request, financial information adequate to establish and document the amount of net royalties received.
  
  
• No patent or patent application shall be abandoned without first notifying EFSD and giving EFSD the opportunity to take title to or continue the patent/patent application at the Partnership's own expense.
  
  
• In making decisions whether to continue ongoing grants or whether to award additional grants to a researcher or his/her institution, the Partnership will consider whether the institution has honoured the above policy.
  
  
• EFSD agrees that the grantee institution shall undertake, if Merck is interested in obtaining a license on the results of any Partnership funded research, to grant to Merck a worldwide exclusive license on such results, under such reasonable conditions as shall be negotiated between Merck and the grantee institution.
  
  
• EFSD further agrees that it shall undertake, if Merck is interested in obtaining a license on the results of any Partnership funded research for which EFSD obtains patent and invention rights under this section, to grant to Merck a worldwide exclusive license on such results or inventions, under reasonable conditions as shall be negotiated between Merck and EFSD.