Important Dates

Notices

Table of Contents

• Description
• Objectives
• Eligibility
• Guidelines
• Performance Measurement
• Review Process and Evaluation
• How to Apply
• Contact Information
• Partner/Collaborator Description
• Additional Information

Description

The purpose of this new funding opportunity is to build upon the existing Canadian and International strengths in basic and clinical imaging research by identifying and exploring new ways in the development, application and assessment of imaging technologies and imaging biomarkers. In particular, this initiative seeks to address the critical steps between technology development and clinical implementation. The overall aim of this program is to build an integrated platform which will bring together strengths in imaging technology development and molecular targeting strategies, with the design and implementation of cutting-edge, methodologically sound, policy-relevant outcome trials that specifically examine the innovative but appropriate applications of new clinical imaging technologies. Moreover, it is anticipated that this program will encourage the identification of novel non-invasive imaging strategies, and imaging biomarkers reflecting disease pathophysiology, demonstration of their potential through clinical implementation, and evaluation of their diagnostic and prognostic utility and cost-benefit in an objective and scientifically robust manner.

Part of the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH) mandate is to support research into the causes, mechanisms, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with the heart, lung, brain (stroke), blood vessels, blood, critical and intensive care, and sleep. ICRH provides research support through a growing number of strategic research grants, and capacity building programs.

Clinical Imaging Team Grants will support the creation or development of expert teams comprising investigators undertaking collaborative, team-based research in the area of clinical imaging. It is the intent of all funding partners to support expert teams such as multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, trans-disciplinary, multi-sited cross Canada teams, community-partnered teams, and academic-industry teams that bridge from molecules to populations where possible. Proposals that represent active and meaningful partnerships between community organizations and research teams based in institutions (including universities, colleges, hospitals, and affiliated research institutions) are encouraged. The unifying element underlying all successful Team Grants will be a commitment to excellence and the pursuit of a problem-based, collaborative approach to health research.

Eligible teams will consist of at least three independent investigators, each of whom has an established research track record in areas related to the collaborative project(s) proposed. Collectively, team members will have an extensive record of success, be creative and original in their approach to research and its translation¹ and have experience with working in research teams. Successful Teams funded through this Request for Applications (RFA) will form the Clinical Imaging Consortium (CIC) to facilitate inter-team collaboration, including exploration of resource-sharing opportunities, exchange of best practices in interdisciplinary team management, development of new research collaborations, enhancement of training and mentorship opportunities, and joint development of knowledge transfer and translation strategies.

The objective of Clinical Imaging Team Grants is to strengthen Canadian and international health research by supporting teams of talented and experienced researchers conducting high-quality research and providing superior research training and mentorship. Canadian research will be enhanced by the opportunity to include international collaborators from Finland, as team members, whose research contributions will be supported through funding from their home country. The program emphasis is on the production of new knowledge, and the translation of research findings into improvements in the health of populations and health care systems. These results will be realized more rapidly and more efficiently through Clinical Imaging Team Grants than if the components were to be funded as a series of separate operating grants.

Background

Imaging has been hailed as one of the top 11 medical advances in the past millennium (Ciccarelli E.C. et al., N Engl J Med, 2000). Innovations in imaging technologies including those in the cardiovascular and respiratory field continue to advance at an astounding pace, creating the potential for earlier, less invasive and more accurate diagnosis of disease and the unprecedented opportunity to substantially improve health outcomes. Because of this, medical imaging is one of the fastest growing sectors in health care expenditures. In the United States (US), for instance, overall Medicare spending on imaging rose by 88%—from $5.8 billion to $10.9 billion—between 1999 and 2004, and has outstripped growth in spending for other Medicare services (Hackbarth, G, C.o.E.a.C. Subcommittee on Health, US House of Representatives, Editor, 2006). Such marked increases in utilization have captured the attention of payers and regulators, and underscore the need to ensure medical imaging technology is developed, implemented and used effectively, so that it provides value to patients and to society. The evaluation of the clinical and economic impact of the technology lags behind the pace of imaging technology and biomarkers development (Douglas, P., J Am Coll Cardiol, 2006). The successful translation of technology development to clinical application will require strong leadership and close communication between imaging scientists, industry, clinical imagers, clinicians, clinical epidemiologists, payers, and policymakers (Douglas P.S. et al, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2006).

Designing the future for disease management in clinical areas such as heart, lung, brain (stroke), vascular wall/plaque and sleep, we are faced with particular challenges. These include the fact that most diseases are detected at late advanced stages because of a lack of sensitive biomarkers for early stage risk stratification and early management, and validated approaches are not consistently translated into clinical practice. This is especially true for advanced imaging techniques, limited by lack of studies into feasibility, diagnostic performance, and cost efficiency. Non-invasive imaging has produced a powerful set of tools to address clinical challenges. A strong multidisciplinary effort linking such tools to clinical application through better understanding of disease pathophysiology will be critical in realizing the potential of new, more effective risk reduction and treatment strategies.

To better identify the pressing research questions and knowledge gaps in this important area of research, the ICRH and other partners supported and participated in an internationally attended New Frontiers Program (NFP) workshop in March 2007. The overarching objective of the NFP workshop was to discuss and identify knowledge gaps, as well as research themes that could become the focus of a strategic initiative, as well as possible Requests for Applications.

The central challenge in moving innovations in imaging to broad clinical applications, as identified through the NFP workshop, is linking basic advances to clinical imaging applications to affecting health outcomes. Understanding this link is critical to all facets of the "translation" process from development of new imaging technologies tools and targets, through appropriate clinical implementation to policy decision making regarding differential allocation of resources to improve population health. That said, imaging measures can only affect outcomes by influencing patient management and, more specifically, when imaging information is integrated with the application of effective therapies. This suggests the need for coordinated efforts to guide and evaluate imaging developments in the context of broader efforts to understand disease progression and to develop new therapies altering disease progression.

This strategic initiative announcement provides support for research that will link imaging measures to health outcomes by addressing one or more of the following challenges:

1. Relating imaging measures to fundamental molecular and cellular processes as well as pathophysiology at the organ level;
2. Use of imaging measures at all stages (patient and therapy selection, evaluation of biologic effect, prediction of longer term outcomes) in prospective clinical trials of therapies;
3. Developing practical tools for direct evaluation of imaging technology; and
4. Comparison of approaches to incorporate imaging modalities in efficient & cost-effective decision making

The fundamental goal of this strategic initiative is to facilitate a coordinated effort developing imaging measures and relating them to disease pathophysiology, exploiting this information to direct therapy, and tracking differential health outcomes based on the characterization of the disease process and the associated patient management strategy. It also includes design and implementation of cutting-edge, methodologically sound, policy-relevant trials that specifically examine new clinical imaging technologies and provide assessment of their diagnostic and prognostic utility and cost-benefit.

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. Partner contributions are subject to relevance with organizational mandate and stated priorities, and availability of funds. International contributions are subject to available funding.

• The total amount available for this initiative is $5,000,000. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
• The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $500,000 per annum for up to 5 years. The equipment amount is awarded in year one. The final two years of funding are subject to a satisfactory progress review prior to the end of the third year. At the end of the five year funding term, Team Grants investigators may apply for grant renewal through CIHR's Team Grant open competition, subject to competition and peer review.

Note: The total amount of funding reserved by the Tekes Pharma Programme for Clinical Imaging Initiative is 1,5 million euros (about 2,2 million CADs) over the three-year period 2009-2011. Tekes may consider renewed funding for two additional years.

Partner/Collaborator Participation

CIHR is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other 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".

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:

• To support the development of multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, trans-disciplinary, community-partnered, or academic-industry teams of investigators that will undertake research that will promote moving innovations in imaging to broad clinical applications;
• To support research that will facilitate the connection of imaging measures to health outcomes across the spectrum from development of new imaging technologies through appropriate clinical implementation, to policy decision making, leading to improved health of Canadians.

Relevant Research Areas:

Eligible areas of research for this strategic initiative are described below. Applicants are encouraged to explicitly address scientific questions or health research problems in their proposed research projects that align with the areas described below. Applicants are encouraged to consult the Clinical Imaging Workshop Report for more information on relevant research areas.

• Studies that will relate imaging measures to molecular and cellular processes as well as to disease pathophysiology at the organ level;
• Research into the use of imaging measures in prospective clinical trials of therapies;
• Investigations that will support the development of practical tools for direct evaluation of imaging technologies

Examples of research that might be conducted are provided below. These examples are not intended to be exhaustive and there is no intent to imply that applications in these research areas would be more successful than those in other research areas.

• Creation of national imaging research resources (centres of excellence in imaging technologies, chemistry labs for reagent / tracer / biomarker development, pathophysiology analysis labs, image analysis labs, core labs for image interpretation, training programs, databases/image registries);
• Developing consensus on standards for archiving of images and associated acquisition parameters, image quality metrics, definition of image-based measures of anatomy and function and analysis methods, development and dissemination of standard disease models for use in imaging studies, diagnostic protocols;
• Standardization of quantitative imaging measures that correlate to or represent the underlying biology (e.g., aging and cognition) and establishment of a common lexicon relating descriptors of anatomy and physiology in models of disease progression to image measures;
• Biomarkers (including molecular) - development and validation of novel biomarkers; investigations into the validity and utility of current biomarkers; correlation to pathology and outcomes
• Development and dissemination of standardized animal models for comparative studies relating imaging measures to disease pathophysiology;
• Studies that will lead to the development, standardization, and dissemination of novel and improved image analysis methods;
• Application of imaging measures in population-based longitudinal studies that examine biological processes linked to disease progression and/or response to therapies;
• Studies targeting high risk populations (e.g., aging, diabetes, hypertension);
• Research that focuses on the evaluation and comparison of diagnostic imaging strategies

Clinical Imaging Consortium (CIC)
Successful Teams funded through this RFA will form the CIC to facilitate inter-team collaboration, including exploration of resource-sharing opportunities, exchange of best practices in team management, development of new research collaborations, enhancement of training and mentorship opportunities, and joint development of knowledge transfer and translation strategies. The Consortium will consist of all successful Teams funded through this RFA and will operate with guidance from an Executive Steering Committee and External Advisory Panel. The Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PIs of each Team must agree to be active participants in Consortium-wide activities as deemed necessary by appropriate oversight committees. Such activities may include development of a common website, sharing best practices relating to the management of teams, development of new research proposals, student/trainee exchanges, and organization of public forums, workshops and similar events to facilitate knowledge translation and transfer.

CIC Executive Steering Committee
The Executive Steering Committee will consist of Team Leaders, two additional investigators per Team, and representatives from Canadian and international partner organizations. The PI and two Co-PIs must agree to participate in an Executive Steering Committee that will meet quarterly by teleconference and once each year in person, to encourage exchange of information among participating CIC Teams.

The purpose of the Executive Steering Committee will be to discuss and evaluate concerns and cooperative activities of the CIC. The Executive Steering Committee may form subcommittees as needed (e.g., training, knowledge translation, best practices, etc.). A major goal of Executive Steering Committee meetings is to facilitate progress by providing a forum for sharing skills, ideas, technology, data, and resources among participating CIC sites. At the meetings, it is anticipated that participants will also discuss issues concerning project coordination, knowledge translation, training, quality assurance, etc. CIC Teams will also respond to recommendations provided by an independent External Advisory Panel.

CIC External Advisory Panel
Members of the External Advisory Panel will be nominated by the Executive Steering Committee in collaboration with the ICRH and all Canadian and international partners, and will be invited by ICRH on behalf of partners. Applicants should not suggest names for External Advisory Panel members in their grant application. A Chairperson will be chosen from among the External Advisory Panel members. The External Advisory Panel will meet annually with CIC members to review interim progress of the individual Teams and provide an annual report and recommendations to funding partners and the Executive Steering Committee. The External Advisory Panel will review mid-term progress reports and advise the funding partners as to whether funding should continue after year three.

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.

Randomized Controlled Trials: 2008-2009 (RCTs) will not be considered under this funding opportunity.

Specific Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility requirements specific to this funding opportunity include the following:

Each eligible Clinical Imaging Team Grant application will include the following:

• A Team Leader who meets the criteria of "Principal Applicant" as described in the CIHR Participant Categories for CIHR Grants. The Team Leader must be a researcher with proven leadership capabilities and experience who will act as research program director and who will assume administrative responsibility for the grant.
• At least two additional independent investigators who have an established research track record in areas related to the collaborative project(s) proposed, who together with the Team Leader will form an integrated and more effective research team. Teams with a nucleus of experienced and productive investigators are encouraged to include some promising new investigators in the team. Investigators may also include international collaborators from Finland as described in the special conditions section found below.
• Collectively, team members must have an extensive record of success, be creative and original in their approach to research and its translation, and have experience working in research teams. The specific contribution of each team member and community partner, where applicable, must be described.
• The proposal must be relevant to the ICRH mandate, as found through link in the Description Section.

In addition, the following special conditions apply:

The members of the Team Grant may pursue other avenues of research in addition to their commitment to the Clinical Imaging Team Grant; however, each individual investigator must contribute sufficient time to the Clinical Imaging Team Grant research program to ensure the achievement of its research objectives.

Members of a team may be located in one or more departments, faculties or CIHR-eligible institutions in Canada. As well, international or private sector collaborators who make a substantial intellectual contribution to the research program may be listed as additional team members; however, CIHR funding is restricted to work performed within CIHR's Eligible Individuals and Institutions.

Team members from Finland who are eligible to apply to the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes) may be included as team members and if the Team Grant is successful, costs related to their research will be funded through Tekes according to general conditions of Tekes funding. Such funds will be administered according to Tekes policies. Teams that include Canadian and Finnish investigators should review the section Special Instructions for Canadian-Finnish Teams.

Guidelines

This funding opportunity will follow the General Guidelines for Grant Programs. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of Gender and Sex-Based Analysis in applications.

Allowable Costs

Applicants 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.

The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.

The following mandatory items must be included in the budget:

• All proposals must include travel costs for three individuals to attend a one day annual Reporting and Advisory Session as described in the section Performance Measurement, and a one day research-oriented meeting.
• All proposals must include costs of knowledge translation activities, including the development and maintenance of a Clinical Imaging website. This effort will be accomplished through the coordination of funded Teams and developed collaboratively in order to reduce costs (e.g., all Teams would contribute resources toward the development of a single website).

Funding can be used to support:

• research operating costs for the proposed collaborative research program, which must be distinct in its objectives from those for which team members currently receive funding²;
• purchase of equipment and maintenance contracts for common services and shared facilities;
• costs of data collection, database and maintenance of information holdings directly related to the Team Grant;
• costs of regional, national and international networking activities, including collaboration, planning, and knowledge exchange activities, directly related to the Team Grant;
• salaries of research assistants, technicians and other personnel who will enhance the collaborative research productivity of the Team Grant;
• support of research trainees, at the rate specified by CIHR for trainees paid from research grants (Team Grants are expected to provide a superior training environment);
• salary of a professional coordinator and/or administrative assistant;
• release time payments to enable employees of community partners to participate in the research program, limited to 50% of salary costs, and an overall maximum of $100,000 per year;
• a maximum of $20,000 annually for a release time stipend for the Team Leader; and
• costs involved in linkage with and dissemination of research findings to those who use the results, as appropriate for the research program, including other researchers, the public, practitioner and policy communities, and the industrial sector. For example, costs to hire an editor.

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.

In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements, the following special requirements shall apply:

Within six months after the end of the grant's term, the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a final performance report, summarizing the results and describing how the grant funds were used.

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.

Policy on Access to Research Outputs

CIHR believes that greater access to research publications and data will promote the ability of researchers and knowledge users in Canada and abroad to use and build on the knowledge needed to address significant health challenges. Open access will promote accessibility to CIHR-funded research and will serve to increase the international visibility of Canadian research. As of January 1, 2008, CIHR grant recipients are reminded to adhere with the responsibilities outlined in the Policy on Access to Research Outputs. Under this policy, grant recipients must make every effort to ensure that research papers and biomolecular data generated from CIHR funding are freely accessible online.

Communication Requirements

In addition to following the policies relating to the Public Communication and Acknowledgment of CIHR's Support, team grant recipients will also be required to adhere to special branding requirements as a condition of receiving a CIHR Team Grant. The official Team name is "CIHR Team in (area of research)." In cases where there is another major funding partner a shared title should be considered. The format of a shared title is " CIHR/(partner name) Team in." The Team name must be used in all communication and promotion relating to the CIHR Team Grant. A team name must be proposed as part of the application for a CIHR Team Grant. Successful applicants and their host institutions will be required to agree in writing to proper use of the Team name as well as the CIHR (and applicable partners) logo(s) on appropriate communications materials such as brochures, letterhead, publications and media materials. Recognition guidelines, including instructions on logo use, will be provided to successful applicants as part of the approval package.

Performance Measurement

All partners are 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 adhere to CIHR's and/or partner, including internal partner reporting requirements and provide required information in a timely fashion. Teams will:

• contribute to the monitoring, review and evaluation of this program, 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; and
• encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.

As the lead Institute of this initiative, ICRH has established a reporting framework, and in collaboration with partners will:

• create a formal network of successful Teams referred to as the Clinical Imaging Consortium (CIC);
• establish an External Advisory Panel comprised of international and national experts to evaluate the Teams on an annual basis;
• organize an annual Reporting and Advisory Session (RAS);
• provide Teams with an annual reporting template and performance survey for completion each year for the purpose of maximizing the potential of the research programs;
• conduct a mid-term review for the purposes of evaluating continued funding after year three; and
• co-organize, with partners, regular research-oriented meetings for members of the CIC.

As a member of the Clinical Imaging Consortium, successful Teams will meet on an annual basis to participate in an evaluation/progress review meeting that is led by an External Advisory Panel. In some years, this review may coincide with a scientific meeting, the objectives of which are to bring together Team Leaders and representatives from the Teams to share knowledge, and best practices in order to facilitate the development of linkages across Teams.

The External Advisory Panel will assist research Teams to maximize research, training and knowledge translation outcomes of the research program. The External Advisory Panel will:

• review annual progress reports;
• provide constructive written and verbal feedback to the Teams in response to their annual report; and
• review the Team website.

Expectations

Teams of the Clinical Imaging Consortium (CIC) will:

• attend an annual one day Reporting and Advisory Session (RAS) and present research objectives, methodology, findings, outcomes, budget and other information requested by the External Advisory Panel;
• prepare and submit an annual progress report and a performance survey;
• participate in regularly held scientific meetings to exchange ideas and research results with other research teams and stakeholders;
• participate in a nominal number of teleconferences organized by ICRH and partners as required (e.g., explanation of reporting processes, etc.); and
• ensure that the website created as a result of the grant is maintained and accessible for review by the External Advisory Panel (e.g., publications and team membership listings are up-to-date, etc.).

Partners may cancel funding of the grant if progress is deemed unacceptable or if they do not receive annual reports by the date requested.

The table included below is intended to further clarify objectives of this RFA by linking them to expected outcomes and measures which will be included in CIHR's Management Resources and Results Structure (MRRS) required by Treasury Board.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review

The CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health will provide funding for applications that are relevant to (in alignment with) the objectives and research priority areas described in the "Objectives" section.

Prior to peer review, the partners will have access to anonymized project titles and summaries to conduct relevance review.

Upon completion of peer review, the partners 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.

Peer Review

A CIHR peer review committee will evaluate the full applications. The committee may be drawn from one of CIHR's pre-existing committees or may be created specifically for this funding opportunity. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the institute(s) / portfolio(s) and partner(s), following CIHR's Policy on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest and Privacy Issues in Peer and Relevance Review (CCIP). For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see the Peer Review section of CIHR's website.

Clinical Imaging Team Grant applications will be evaluated as a single, integrated entity. While each research component included in the application must be meritorious, it is critical to demonstrate that the Clinical Imaging Team Grant brings added value, in terms of the approach used to examine the problem of clinical imaging and the speed and efficiency with which new knowledge will be generated, and translated into improvements in health or the health care system, when compared with funding the proposed work as a series of separate operating grants.

Evaluation Criteria

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 in the Assessment" (section 6.2).

General criteria for assessing applications are listed below. Because different Team Grants will emphasize different approaches to research and to knowledge translation, it is understood that reviewers and committees will weight questions such as these differently from one application to another.

Note: For Canadian-Finnish applications, the Finnish component must respond to the Tekes criteria (see Special Instructions for Canadian-Finnish Teams).

Address an important health and disease, health care or health system problem or issue as outlined in the below:

• How important is the health problem being addressed? Will anticipated findings be of broad interest and applicability?
• How important, novel and/or original are the hypotheses or the questions to be addressed, and how clearly are they formulated?
• How important and original are the contributions expected from the research proposed? What is the potential for important new knowledge or impact on health and health research?

Research proposed:

• How well will the proposed research address the hypotheses or questions?
• How appropriate are the methods for the conduct of the research? Where applicable to the type of research proposed, does the proposal take into account the social, cultural and environmental factors surrounding the research problem?
• Do the methods represent the best current practice, and the most economical, effective approach?
• How well have the applicants anticipated difficulties in their approach and considered alternatives?
• How critically has the relevant literature been appraised and evaluated?

Applicants' productivity, experience and training:

• How appropriate to the research proposed is the training or track record of the applicants?
• How important and original is the recent productivity of the applicants?
• What is the likelihood that the team can do the work proposed? (The proposed time commitment to the research may influence this judgment).

Appropriateness of the team:

• Do key members have a track record of having participated and/or having provided leadership to collaborative research teams?
• Have team members demonstrated sustained productivity, creativity and originality in their research?

Value added of funding through a collaborative program:

• How well will a Clinical Imaging Team Grant enhance the understanding and accelerate the resolution of the health and disease, health care or health system issue, with respect to Clinical Imaging when compared to independent research projects?
• Is there a commitment to participating fully in the Clinical Imaging Consortium?

Propose a coherent, integrated and feasible research plan:

• Is the health and disease, health care or health system issue approached through an original, cohesive/integrated and feasible research plan that will generate valid, reliable and useful knowledge?
• Does the team have a plan for engaging and linking with, and dissemination of research findings to, those who will utilize and apply the results?
• Has the team identified the roles and contributions of all the parties in planning, execution, and evaluation as well as management activities?

Provide superior training opportunities:

• Will the research training and mentoring environment provide a superior experience for undergraduate, graduate and/or post-doctoral trainees, including those with a health professional background?

Propose an innovative problem-based approach to research:

• Does the proposed program of research challenge current research thinking and paradigms and/or address unexplored areas?
• Does the proposed program of research bring together, in a meaningful collaboration, researchers from different disciplines?
• How is this approach going to build on the different expertise and perspectives of team members?

For those engaged with partners and/or international collaborators:

• Are governance and management structures in place to ensure the meaningful integration of community partners in the decision-making process?
• To what extent are partners involved and committed to formulating the research agenda, providing input into the development of research and training projects, disseminating findings, and applying the outcomes of research?
• Does the proposal demonstrate the involvement of the necessary local, regional, provincial/territorial, national and/or international partners in the planning and execution of the research plan, and the application of the research results? Will this involvement permit research activities and outcomes that would not otherwise be possible?
• Does the proposal demonstrate feasibility with respect to the integration of international team members (e.g., sufficient budget for international travel and exchange, regular conference calls, etc.)?

In addition, proposals which include technology/innovation/commercialization components and involve more than one institution must have an inter-institutional intellectual property plan and agreement in place. This aspect is particularly important for Canadian-Finnish collaborators as Tekes-funded research projects work in close collaboration with companies interested in utilizing the results.

How to Apply

Note: This funding opportunity requires the use of CIHR Web Forms to apply for funding.

• A step-by-step overview of CIHR's application processes can be found under How to Apply for Funding.
• The application process is comprised of two stages: Letter of Intent and Full Application.
• To complete your Letter of Intent and Full Application follow the steps identified below.
• Reminder to applicants: Please ensure that your application is complete (including all required signatures) and submitted on time to CIHR. Effective September 1, 2008, CIHR will assume no responsibility in following-up with applicants who submit an incomplete application. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted into the competition.

1) Letter of Intent (LOI)

In the first stage of the application process the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a Letter of Intent.

The Letter of Intent must include:

a) The Registration pages of the CIHR Research Module:

To generate the Registration pages, you must access the CIHR Web Forms. When creating a new application, select "Operating" under "Grant Programs" and complete the following six sections of the Research Module web form. Print the "Registration Pages Only."

• Research Funding Program
• Nominated Principal Applicant / Candidate
• Project
• Applicants / Co-Applicants
• Suggested External Referees
• Collaborators and Committees (do not fill in "Suggested Peer Review Committee")
• Total requested is maximum $10,000 for development funds.
• Signature page: provide signatures of the Nominated Principal Applicant and co-applicants.

b) A cover page of maximum one page (free form; a standard form is not available for the cover page) indicating:

• the name of the Nominated Principal Applicant;
• the title of the proposal;
• the title of this Funding opportunity;
• a brief description (10 lines maximum) of the research area of the proposal;
• five keywords describing the research.

c) In a table format, a list of all applicants with their affiliations and expertise (the list need not be final at the Letter of Intent stage).

d) Proposal.

In a maximum of five pages (not including references), the proposal must outline clearly each of the elements below:

• the objectives of the research program to be undertaken over the period of funding;
• the relevancy of the research proposal to the identified focus described under "Objectives";
• The preliminary plan for the research program and schedule of work;
• how the proposal addresses the evaluation criteria described under "Review Process and Evaluation Criteria."

e) A brief curriculum vitae (maximum two pages per applicant) for a maximum of five of the key applicants. This must include information on grants held (source, type, title, amount/year, duration), relevant publications from the last five years, and 5-10 expertise keywords. Full CVs will not be considered.

f) Reference: a short bibliography (maximum one page) of any references cited in the proposal.

g) A request for development funds. Applicants may request up to $10,000 to be used in the development of a full application. Submit a one page outline of the activities for which the development funds will be used plus a one-page budget description.

Any additional materials will not be sent to the review committee; this includes letters of support, figures not included in the proposal, updates on publications, updates on other support received, letters confirming academic appointment, reprints, etc.

The results of the Letter of Intent review will be posted on the CIHR web site.

Send the original Letter of Intent and six copies by courier to:.

RE: "Clinical Imaging Team Grant"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

2) Full Application

Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application by the deadline date. It is expected that the full application will generally be consistent with the Letter of Intent with respect to the outline of the research program and the participating investigators.

Complete the following Operating Grant program application modules. The modules are found in alphabetical order on the List of Forms and Guidelines for Completion. You may find it useful to print the PDF versions of the application forms and guidelines for their completion to familiarize yourself with the application requirements.

• Research Module
• Operating Budget Module
• Common CV (External Site) - validated for CIHR. Full CV Module for Nominated Principal Applicant and any other Principal Applicants and Co-Applicants, properly signed by each. Draft versions of the CV modules will NOT be accepted. It is the responsibility of the Nominated Principal Applicant to ensure that all CV modules submitted with the application are the validated versions.

Additional instructions must be followed for this funding opportunity:

• In the Research Funding Program section of the Research Module, select "Strategic Initiative" and enter the title of this funding opportunity.
• Please note the following modifications to the guidelines for completion of CIHR application modules:

Research Module

• Routing slip for registration/application:
  Under Name of Research Funding Program indicate Clinical Imaging Team Grants.
• Page 12, research proposal:
  In a maximum of 30 pages, describe your proposal using the headings below and addressing the review criteria for Clinical Imaging Team Grants.
• Overview of the team's research program:
  • Describe the importance of examining the problem of Clinical Imaging on the health of Canadians.
  • Describe the objectives, hypotheses, approaches, research plan and milestones of the proposed team.
  • Describe the nature of the team's linkages and how the results will be integrated to achieve the objectives.
  • Describe the anticipated value of the results highlighting the relevance of the scientific or technical advances, new expertise and the innovative techniques that will be developed.
• Background:
  • Relate the proposal to current research developments in the field referring to the current literature.
  • Describe the background research on which the team is built.
  • Explain the relationship of the research program to other initiatives in this area in Canada and abroad.
• Advantages of a team approach:
  • Explain how the Team brings added value, in terms of the approach to a health problem, by showing how the research components together form an integrated research program able to address issues which could not readily be approached were the components to be funded separately.
  • Show how working as a team will result in sharing equipment and facilities and reduce redundancies in research efforts.
• Training:
  • Provide a training plan describing the role of students and postdoctoral fellows including the extent to which all team members are involved in the training.
  • Describe any opportunities for training in settings that encourage interaction with other members of the team and permit interdisciplinary training in a variety of methods or techniques.
• Organizational aspects, interactions and communications:
  Describe the organizational aspects of the team structure including:
  • The administrative and operational structures and their roles in coordinating activities, enhancing interactions among team members, monitoring progress, setting schedules and controlling expenditures.
  • The responsibility for planning, decision making and resource allocation within the team.
  • The communications mechanisms proposed for internal communications among the team members and how they will accelerate the exchange of research results, material and techniques within the team.
  • Plans for dissemination of the team's research findings through linkages with the appropriate user community.
  • Commitment to sharing best practices and developing inter-team collaborations with other successful Teams under the Clinical Imaging Consortium.
  • Commitment to participating in the annual external review process and submitting the required annual reports and performance surveys.
• Institutional support and partnerships:
  • Describe the nature and extent of the host institution's commitment to the research program, financial and otherwise, and to ensuring a favourable environment for carrying out the research activities.
• For those teams engaged with partners and/or international collaborators:
  • Describe governance and management structures.
  • Describe the extent to which partners are involved and committed to formulating the research agenda, providing input into the development of research and training projects, disseminating findings, and applying the outcomes of research.
  • Describe the nature and extent of involvement of relevant regional, national and international partners in the planning and execution of the research project, and the dissemination of the research results.
• As part of the 30 page (maximum) research proposal the major component research projects and core facilities should be described.
• For each major component research project and core facility:
  • Identify the project leader and participants.
  • Summarize the specific objectives, hypotheses, approaches, research plan, methods, and milestones.
  • Provide details on where the research will be carried out.
  • Describe the pertinent expertise, role and expected contributions of the team members and how they will be integrated.
  • Describe how the project fits into the overall research program and contributes to achieving the objectives of the team.
• Appendix 1, letters of support:
  • Letters from appropriate officials of the host institution(s) and community partners must be attached to Appendix 1 describing the details of their support for, and involvement in, the team.
• Publications:
  • A total of up to 15 publications from the past five years, relevant to the Clinical Imaging Team Grant proposal, may be appended.

Operating Budget Module

• Provide the following:
  • A spreadsheet summarizing the overall budget request with each major component or core facility in a separate column and using the budget categories shown on page 1 of the module.
  • A summary of the human resources devoted to the team using the format of the Human Resources section on page 2 of the Operating Budget Module.
  • A complete Operating Budget Module with detailed justification for each major component or core facility.
  • For applications that include eligible international team members from Finland, the cost of supporting those research contributions must be explicitly and separately outlined, with adherence to appropriate funding guidelines (e.g., Tekes). The international budgets will be reviewed and approved by representatives from the appropriate funding organization.
  • All applications must budget for three individuals to travel to approximately five annual two-day meetings of Clinical Imaging Consortium that will include review by an External Advisory Panel. Applicants should also budget for activities that enable inter-team collaboration (e.g., teleconferences among team members, meetings to develop new research proposals, exchange of trainees, joint public forums, etc.)

Refer to Allowable Costs for further information on budget requirements.

Appendix:

• Add an appendix entitled "Support from Other Sources". In this appendix applicants must:
  1. describe the other sources of financial support for the request, which could include: cost-sharing arrangements with the sponsoring institution(s), industry, or other agencies; institutional expenditures involved in upgrading or constructing facilities to house equipment; indirect institutional support such as provision of services and computing resources; and,
  2. summarize information on other support (currently held or applied for) which has budgetary overlap with the Clinical Imaging Team Grant application.
• Where an application includes overlap with an existing CIHR grant or a grant from another funding partner in this initiative, and that application is successful in the Clinical Imaging Team Grant competition, continued funding of the ongoing grant will be reviewed.

CV Module

• Where the CIHR CV module asks the applicant to indicate % budgetary overlap and describe the conceptual and budgetary relationships of other funds held or requested to the proposed research, "proposed research" refers to all of the components of the Clinical Imaging Team Grant in which the applicant is involved.
• All support (currently held or applied for) which has budgetary overlap with the Clinical Imaging Team Grant application must be summarized in an appendix to the Operating Budget Module (see above).

Competition Results

• The results of the competition are expected to be announced in March 2009 with an anticipated funding start date of April 1, 2009 (subject to availability of funds).

Send the completed application package (original plus 8 copies) by courier to:

RE: "Clinical Imaging Team Grant"
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:

Wendy Street
Program Delivery Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-952-5701
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: wendy.street@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:

Katherine Gardner
Project Manager
Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-0086
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: katherine.gardner@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions on Tekes funding and evaluation criteria please do not hesitate to contact:

Auli Pere
Chief Technology Adviser
Life Science Industries
Bio and Health Technologies
Tekes, Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation
Telephone: +358 10 605 5799
GSM +358 50 5577 799
Fax: +358 10 605 5905
E-mail: auli.pere@tekes.fi

For questions on general conditions of Tekes funding contact:

Ms. Liisa Ewart
Senior Legal Counsel
Tekes, Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation
Telephone: +358 10 605 5738
Fax: +358 10 605 5902
E-mail liisa.ewart@tekes.fi

Partner/Collaborator Description

Note: Additional partners/collaborators, including partners/collaborators from industry and the private sector are expected to join this funding initiative over the coming year.

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 Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH)
ICRH supports research into the causes, mechanisms, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with the heart, lung, brain (stroke), blood, blood vessels, critical and intensive care, and sleep. The ICRH vision is to achieve international leadership by fostering an environment of openness, excitement, energy, commitment and excellence in highly ethical, partnered initiatives focused on research, research training, and research translation for the circulatory and respiratory sciences and for the betterment of the health of Canadians. In March 2007, following consultations with the ICRH community and Institute Advisory Board, the following new priorities were identified:

• Genetics/biomarkers
• Psychosocial, behavioural, environmental research
• Technology
• Sleep, circadian impact on circulatory/respiratory health, metabolism and obesity
• Injury repair, inflammation mechanisms of chronic disease
• Transplantation, regeneration, stem cells, bioethics
• Aging, changing epidemiology

Partners

Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes)
Tekes is the main public funding organization for research and development in Finland. Tekes funds challenging, innovative and risk-intensive research and development projects in companies, universities, polytechnics and research institutes. Tekes offers partners from abroad a gateway to the key technology players in Finland. Encouraging development of innovative products and services as well as business competence to support health and well-being is one of the strategic application areas of Tekes.

Tekes participates this initiative through Pharma Programme (Pharma - Building Competitive Edge).  The programme supports development of methods and novel operations models that help increase competitiveness of pharmaceutical industry. The programme especially encourages creation of active networks among industrial and academic actors in pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and clinical research fields. One of the goals is to support development of business skills in the pharmaceutical industry and service sector.

The programme has three main themes:

1. Predictive models and tools to support and accelerate R&D processes
2. Chemical manufacturing technologies and innovative drug formulations
3. Nationally accepted practices for clinical drug research

In the Clinical Imaging Initiative, Tekes can fund projects that support the goals of the Pharma Programme. Pharma Programme themes 1 and 3 form a natural platform for collaborative projects. Tekes will favour projects with strong application and exploitation potential.

Additional Information

Tekes Criteria - Special Instructions for Canadian-Finnish Teams

Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes) is the main government financing and expert organisation for research and technological development in Finland. The aim is to boost the development of Finnish industry and the service sector by technological means and through innovation. This will renew the economy and increase added-value, productivity and exports, thereby creating employment and enhancing well-being.

Tekes intends to encourage innovation especially in certain focus areas defined on the basis of clear user need – in fields such as health and well-being, the environment and energy, products and business models, services, safety and security, and work and leisure.

Tekes finances challenging, innovative and risk-intensive research and development projects in companies, universities, polytechnics and research institutes. Projects are selected using criteria based on Tekes' strategy. The impact of Tekes' funding must be substantial.

Applicants that develop Canadian-Finnish collaborations must respond design a proposal that also meets the goals and criteria of Tekes, that is, has a strong technological and commercialization component.

The following instructions are for only those applications which include Canadian and Finnish applicants that are eligible for CIHR and Tekes funding, respectively:

1. Letter of Intent: Canadian and Finnish co-applicants will develop one LOI that will be sent to both CIHR and Tekes.  The Canadian applicant(s) must prepare the LOI jointly with the Finnish co-applicants using CIHR forms and the Finnish applicant(s) must prepare the LOI jointly with the Canadian co-applicants using Tekes forms [MS Word]. The copy of the CIHR LOI will be sent to Tekes together with the Tekes LOI, and the copy of the Tekes LOI will be sent to CIHR together with the CIHR LOI (see special instructions for Finnish applicants on the Pharma web pages). It is the responsibility of the Nominated Principal Applicant to ensure that a copy of the CIHR LOI will be sent to Tekes along with the Tekes LOI, and that the copy of the Tekes LOI is sent to CIHR along with the CIHR LOI. (Updated: 2008-08-05)
2. Proposal: Canadian and Finnish co-applicants will develop one research proposal that will be sent to both CIHR and Tekes. The Canadian applicant(s) must prepare the proposal jointly with the Finnish co-applicants using CIHR forms and the Finnish applicant(s) must prepare the proposal jointly with the Canadian co-applicants using Tekes forms. It is the responsibility of the Nominated Principal Applicant to ensure that the proposal is sent to both CIHR and Tekes. (Updated: 2008-08-05)
3. Letter of Collaboration: In addition to the required components listed in the RFA, Canadian co-applicants must include a letter of collaboration from their counterpart in Finland. Similarly, Finnish co-applicants must include a letter of intent to collaborate from their Canadian counterpart.
4. Budget: The budget must clearly delineate Canadian costs (paid by CIHR to Canadian host institutions) and Finnish costs (paid by Tekes to Finnish institutions). Applicants should submit separate budgets and justification for Canadian and Finnish costs.
   • Costs paid by CIHR must be eligible expenses as outlined in the RFA.
   • Costs paid for by TEKES  Tekes include must be eligible expenses as per Tekes guidelines.
   • Applicants are reminded to include sufficient budget for travel between Finland and Canada that is required to ensure significant collaboration and attendance of 3 individuals at the annual reporting and evaluation session.
5. Duration of Funding: If approved, Canadian applicants will receive 5 years of funding, contingent on successful mid-term review. Finnish applicants will receive a maximum of 3 years funding which may be renewed for additional years. The full proposal can be based on a maximum of 5 years funding.
6. Added Value: In addition to the project proposal, applicants must include a one page summary which states how the proposed collaboration adds value to both countries.
7. Protection of Intellectual Property: Canadian-Finnish proposals must include a plan for protection and management of intellectual property. A general condition for funding from Tekes is that applicants sign an inter-institution/company agreement addressing how intellectual property will be managed and protected.
8. Peer Review: The Finnish component of the proposal must respond to Tekes evaluation criteria. The criteria include elements such as: potential for commercial exploitation by Finnish companies; novelty of the project idea; technology and competence to be developed; extent of collaboration; plan for utilization of results; potential for impact on the Finnish nation (e.g. social and economic welfare). Applicants should therefore be familiar with Tekes guidelines and with the General Terms and Conditions for Tekes Research Funding for Government Agencies and Institutes.

1. CIHR defines knowledge translation as "the exchange, synthesis and ethically-sound application of knowledge - within a complex system of interactions among researchers and users- to accelerate the capture of the benefits of research for Canadians through improved health, more effective services and products, and a strengthened health care system". CIHR recognizes that the approach to translation of research results will vary depending on the type of research being performed, and the likely users of research knowledge. For example, some biomedical research may give rise to intellectual property of commercial potential, with Industry as the user of this product of research. The results of health services research would be expected to influence the organization and policies of the health care system, through interactions with provincial or regional health authorities.
2. Where an application includes overlap with an existing grant funded by any partner, and that application is successful in the Clnical Imaging Team Grant competition, continued funding of the ongoing grant will be reviewed.