European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD)

 New Horizons Collaborative Research Initiative

Request for Applications

Deadline for submission of applications: 31 January 2009

   Background

There is a rich history of diabetes research throughout Europe and its associated states. Historically, however, funding for such research tends to be unevenly distributed.

The Foundation now seeks to redress in part this imbalance and to foster inter-regional collaboration in diabetes research throughout Europe by making available grants through the EFSD New Horizons Collaborative Research Initiative (hereafter referred to as “New Horizons Initiative”.

   Programme

The EFSD New Horizons Initiative is intended to direct support on a competitive basis to investigators working in institutions in the following countries and proposing to collaborate with an investigator from a European country not on this list: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, FYRo Macedonia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine (hereafter referred to as “named countries”). 

To achieve its goals and objectives, EFSD is issuing a request for applications (RFA) for research grants. The EFSD New Horizons Initiative will accept applications from non-profit institutions within any area of basic or clinical diabetes research from one of the above named countries.

   Funding

Up to Euro 1.2 million has been made available for the period 2009 - 2011 for basic and clinical research grants. Applications will only be accepted from investigators normally resident in one of the named countries listed above and with the declared intention of continuing their professional activities in such a country.

Furthermore, and in accordance with EFSD guidelines for funding research in any named country, the project must involve active collaboration with an investigator or investigators not from one of the named countries.  The need and function of this co-operation should be clearly described in the application, as well as the distribution of funds between the collaborating institutions, with the proviso that at least 80% of the budget must be attributed to the principal investigator for work to be performed at his/her institution in one of the named countries.

   Mechanism of Support and Review

Basic research will be supported through the award of grants each of up to Euro 100,000, payable in the first year and in one instalment. The duration of each award may be one year or longer, depending upon the needs of the project and as justified in the application.

Clinical research will be supported through the award of grants for a total of up to Euro 300,000, to be distributed in equal instalments over a maximum of 3 years

The Programme Board, at the suggestion of the Review Committee, may at its discretion recommend an award in a lesser amount than requested and considered more appropriate for the proposed studies.

Applicants are encouraged to include in the budget money to cover reasonable expenses for travel (for senior and/or junior investigators engaged in the project) between the collaborating institutions, in either direction and ideally both.

The application must include a signed letter from the collaborating investigator confirming their knowledge of the project and agreement to collaborate if the award is funded.

The relevant amounts devoted to basic or clinical research grants will be at the discretion of the Programme Board. To the extent that all other requirements of this call for applications are met, awards will be made on the sole basis of scientific excellence.

Applications will be subject to scientific review by a specialised ad hoc committee. Funding will require approval by an EFSD Board convened for this purpose. It is anticipated that applications will be received, reviewed and approved for funding by April 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 for funding this year is 31 January 2009.

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". EFSD and (Programme) reserve the right to increase or decrease approved funding in Euro amounts to compensate for any significant change in the exchange rate.

Application forms may be requested from:

Foundation@easd.org

All applications must be prepared on the official forms and completed in strict accordance with the detailed instructions to be found on these forms. In particular, applicants are reminded that any pages in addition to the maximum of 10 allowed for the scientific section of the application will be deleted prior to review. Similarly, no applications using a font or line-spacing smaller than that defined in the instructions will be considered for review. Additional material (in the form of an appendix, attachment, reprints, etc.) will not be accepted.

Applications should be submitted by post no later than 31 January 2009 (date of receipt) to:

European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes

Rheindorfer Weg 3

40591 Düsseldorf

Germany

   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.

Review criteria are as follows:

• Significance: Does the study address an important problem in keeping with the goals and focus areas of this EFSD programme? ? 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 proposed collaboration with an investigator not working in a named country provide added value to the project? Is it likely that the collaboration will bring lasting benefit to diabetes research in the named country? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment at either institution?
• Budget: Is the requested budget appropriate for the proposed study and in accordance with the specific guidelines for the EFSD New Horizons Programme? ?

   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: "Supported by an EFSD New Horizons research grant".

   Schedule

Enquiries should be directed to: