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Description
In partnership with the Canadian Gene Cure Foundation, and a generous contribution from Dr. Charles Scriver, the CIHR Institute of Genetics is pleased to announce the December 2007 launch of the Scriver Family MD/PhD Studentship Awards.
About the Scriver Family
Named in honour of the contributions of an outstanding family to the field of genetic research and medicine in Canada, the Scriver Family MD/PhD Studentship Awards were created to further strengthen the Canadian clinical research endeavour by increasing the number of clinician-investigators.
Dr. Walter Scriver was a talented internist and physician-in-chief at Royal Victoria Hospital. His research focused mainly on care for patients with diabetes and diseases of the kidneys, but his efforts in creating a supportive environment for young clinician scientists at McGill was one of his greatest legacies.
Dr. Jessie Boyd Scriver is recognized as a pioneer in Canadian medicine. Admitted to the first medical class at McGill to accept women, and graduating second in her class was the beginning of a distinguished career. Her groundbreaking research in sickle-cell anemia is still referenced today, and Jessie Boyd Scriver was an active author well into her nineties. She was Montreal's first female paediatrician, and the first woman to serve as president of the Canadian Paediatric Society.
Drs. Walter Scriver and Jessie Boyd Scriver were also the parents of another prominent McGill medical school graduate, their son Dr. Charles Scriver. His cutting-edge research helped to establish the field of modern biochemical genetics and has had a direct impact on the screening, treatment, and prevention of many genetic diseases.
Dr. Charles Scriver's research began with discovery and elucidation of several new inborn errors of metabolism. Phenylketonuria (PKU), an "old" inborn error, became a prototype to study the development and effective use of various tools for genetic screening and testing. These methods were then applied to other genetic diseases, in newborn and carrier populations, and have lead to new therapeutic approaches to these "orphan" diseases. In turn, these studies lead to measures of population frequencies of genetic disease in general, and to the interesting population genetics of PKU. Since inborn errors disturb metabolic homeostasis, an interest emerged in the complex networks involved in homeostasis. His use of the Web and informatics to create databases of mutations and phenotypes would come to serve the Human Variome Project, an offspring of the Human Genome Project. Alva Professor Emeritus of Human Genetics at McGill University, Charles Scriver is a respected advocate for the role of education and science, and recognized as an outstanding mentor and supporter of young clinician scientists in particular.
Funds Available
CIHR's contribution to the amount available for this initiative is subject to availability of funds voted annually to CIHR by parliamentary appropriations, and the conditions that may be attached to them.
- The total amount available for this initiative is $396,000 over a term of six years
- Up to three awards are available
- The maximum amount awarded for a single award is $22,000 per annum for up to 6 years
- Trainee stipend: $21,000 per annum
- Research allowance: $1,000 per annum
- This award is non-renewable
Partner/Collaborator Participation
The CIHR Institute of Genetics is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other CIHR Institute(s), branch(es), or office(s), funding organizations and stakeholders to enhance the availability of funding for this strategic initiative, and to create, where appropriate, opportunities for knowledge exchange and translation related to the scope of this particular initiative. Applicants are invited to visit the Partner/Collaborator Description section to find a list of partners/collaborators and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests. This list will continue to evolve as new partners/collaborators join in this initiative. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner/collaborator are outlined in the section "Objectives".
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Objectives
The specific objective of this funding opportunity is to further strengthen the Canadian clinical research endeavour by increasing the number of clinician-investigators working within the IG's mandate.
Specific Research Areas:
- 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.
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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.
Specific to CIHR training awards, please refer to the General Guidelines for Training Programs.
Specific Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility requirements specific to this funding opportunity include the following:
- Applicants must be accepted into a combined MD/PhD training program at a Canadian University where the research training program is in one of the research areas specified in the objectives section
- Applicants must be nominated by a Canadian MD/PhD Program Director whose program is receiving funding from a CIHR MD/PhD Program Grant
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Guidelines
This funding opportunity will follow the General Guidelines for Training Programs. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of Gender and Sex-Based Analysis in applications.
Allowable Costs
The awards consist of a stipend and a research allowance.
For the research allowance, awardees should review the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.
Conditions of Funding
All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through this funding opportunity. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official languages policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial requirements prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.
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 recruit reviewers, 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 funding opportunity 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 Funding opportunity will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.
Communication Requirements
Award recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Public Communication and 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.
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Performance Measurement
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.
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Review Process and Evaluation
Relevance Review
Prior to merit review, the CIHR Institute of Genetics and the Canadian Gene Cure Foundation will have access to anonymized project titles and summaries to conduct a relevance review.
Upon completion of merit review, the CIHR Institute of Genetics and the Canadian Gene Cure Foundation will receive the ranking list, merit scores (ratings) and recommendations on funding level and award term for the applications that fall in the fundable range and have been determined to be relevant to the specific research areas and objectives of the initiative. The list will be used for funding decision-making purposes and will remain anonymous.
Review Process
All Canadian MD/PhD Studentship programs that receive funding from a CIHR MD/PhD Program Grant may nominate candidates for this award. If there are enough awards to fund all nominations, all submissions determined to be relevant to the specific research areas and objectives of the initiative will be funded.
In the event that the number of applications exceeds the number of awards available, a CIHR merit review committee will be used to evaluate the applications. Committee members would be selected based on suggestions from the CIHR Institute of Genetics and Canadian Gene Cure Foundation, following CIHR's Policy on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest and Privacy Issues in Peer and Relevance Review (CCIP).
Evaluation Criteria
The following evaluation criteria will be used:
- Achievements and activities of the candidate
- Training environment
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How to Apply
The application process is comprised of one step: Submission of a full application.
Review the application instructions provided in How to Apply for Funding.
A complete Scriver Family MD/PhD Studentship application includes:
- Training module completed using the Web forms. The following sections of the Training Module Web forms are required:
- Program(s): Select the CIHR Doctoral Research Program box in the first section of this page. Just below, select the box beside Special Programs and in the text box enter the name of this program, "Scriver Family MD/PhD Studentship";
- Candidate;
- Project, with the exception of the section reserved for Senior Research Fellowships (Phase 1) OR Clinician Scientists (Phase 1) - New and Renewal;
- General Information;
- Degree, Qualifications…;
- Training Expectations: Follow the instruction for Doctoral Research Awards candidates;
- Proposed Training Program: Follow the instruction for Doctoral Research Awards candidates;
- Common CV module of the candidate;
- Common CV module of the proposed supervisor(s); and
- A nomination letter from the MD/PhD Program Director
Send the completed application package by courier to:
RE: "Scriver Family MD/PhD Studentship"
Research Capacity Development
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
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Contact Information
For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:
Josée Lacroix
Program Delivery Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-946-7232
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: jlacroix@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:
Jennifer Ahlgren
Institute Project Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-957-6126
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: jahlgren@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
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Partner/Collaborator Description
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
CIHR is Canada's major federal funding 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 Canadian health care system.
CIHR - Institute of Genetics (IG)
The CIHR Institute of Genetics 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.
Partners
Canadian Gene Cure Foundation
The Canadian Gene Cure Foundation (CGCF) is a registered Canadian charitable organization. It was formed in 1999 by a group of dedicated scientists and members of the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network (CGDN) who strongly believe more funding is needed for medical genetics research in Canada.
The CGCF raises funds to support excellence in human genetics research. The Foundation awards grants annually to enable cutting-edge Canadian scientists to research cures and treatments for genetic disorders. It also recognizes the importance of mentoring Canada's future scientists, supporting educational opportunities for high school students and awarding scholarships to encourage physician scientists. CGCF also proudly supports networking opportunities in which scientists can exchange ideas and work cooperatively, linking advances in different disease areas.
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