Important Dates

Notices

Table of Contents

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

Description

As part of Canada's contribution to the International Human Microbiome Consortium, research teams funded under the Canadian Microbiome Initiative (CMI) will analyze and characterize the microbes that colonize the human body and its potential alteration during chronic disease state. In addition, through a clear understanding of the composition and distribution of the microbial flora in different body sites we expect to gain new insight in the function of normal flora in healthy individuals.

Summary of Initiative

The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) has had a long-standing interest in Emerging Infections and Microbial Resistance relating to human health. Analysis of the Microbiome offers a unique opportunity to advance the basic knowledge about microbial communities in health and disease. CIHR-III is part of the international effort to study the human microbiome as the Canadian representative on the International Human Microbiome Consortium (IHMC). The IMHC was created to establish a common set of principles and policies that will facilitate the study of the human microbiome and determine the role of the normal human microbiota in the maintenance of health and causation of disease. The Consortium's initial focus will be to coordinate research efforts internationally and generate a shared comprehensive data resource available to investigators working in this area. For III, the process of planning a Canadian microbiome strategy began with a consultation meeting between researchers and potential partner organizations in 2007. This meeting was followed by the Canadian Microbiome Workshop in 2008 and the launch, the same year, of the Catalyst Grants: Human Microbiome, which resulted in the funding of 12 projects. The launch of the Emerging Team Grant: CMI is a continuation of this process and the result of wide consultation with national and international researchers and other interested organizations and funding bodies.

It has been recognized that microbes play an important role in human health, not just as pathogens, or as benign communities that keep pathogens at bay, but also in association with a number of chronic health conditions including gastrointestinal diseases, obesity, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, asthma and cardiovascular disease. Perturbations in the normal microbiome have also recently been associated with certain neurological and behavioural changes. Until recently the task of studying the human microbiota was daunting, not only because of the sheer number of organisms colonizing the human body, but also because of the difficulties involved in studying colonies of microbes, such as the interactions between them, studying them in their natural environment or of culturing them in the numbers needed for in depth analysis. However, with the emergence of the relatively new field of metagenomics and the availability of a new generation of genome sequencing platforms, it is now possible to sequence, analyze and characterize complex microbial communities fast and efficiently. These cutting-edge genomic and accompanying bioinformatics technologies open the door for biological studies on the complex relationships between microbes and humans.

The Emerging Team Grant: Canadian Microbiome Initiative (CMI) is being launched to provide an opportunity for Canadian researchers to join others on the international scene, including their US colleagues working in the NIH road map initiative termed the Human Microbiome Project, as participants in the IHMC. Canada already has several large-scale infrastructures and considerable research expertise in genomics, bioinformatics and microbiological research. By bringing together researchers from different, but complementary, research domains in a multidisciplinary team setting it is expected that new insights will be gained on the interactions between microbes and their influence on human health and disease. CIHR has recently funded Catalyst grants in this area for investigators to organize their effort to participate in this international effort.

Program Tool

The purpose of the Emerging Team Grant program is to strengthen Canadian health research by supporting emerging research teams conducting high-quality research and providing superior training opportunities. The program is expected to enhance the understanding and accelerate the resolution of health issues through new directions of research proposed. It is expected that this investment will further the Canadian capacity for high-quality, problem-based research on relevant health, health care and health system issues.

This program is intended to fund the creation or further development of research teams undertaking collaborative research relevant to a significant health problem or issue. Eligible teams will consist of at least three independent investigators who will form an integrated and effective research team. It is expected that this program will enable such teams to build capacity and add expertise, develop strategies for knowledge translation, provide superior training and mentoring environments and achieve research excellence and establish a sustainable research community that will contribute to the work of the IHMC.

Through the Emerging Team Grant program CIHR intends to fund a variety of emerging research teams (uni-disciplinary teams, multi-disciplinary teams, trans-disciplinary teams, partnered teams, academic-industry teams, etc.). 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 welcome.

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 funding opportunity is $13,275,000. 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. However, smaller teams, in an early stage of their research, will not be penalized for requesting less than the maximum amount and are strongly encouraged to do so if it is more appropriate to their needs. Teams requesting $500,000 per year will be expected to clearly justify their request for the maximum amount. The equipment amount, where applicable, is awarded in year one.
• In the case of 5 year grants, the final two years of funding are subject to a satisfactory progress review by CIHR in the third year of funding.
• Emerging Team grants may be renewable, subject to launch of a relevant competition in the future and success through a competitive peer review process.

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 "Objectives" section.

Objectives

CIHR's collaborative programs focus on support of research teams and a problem-based research culture.

Through the Emerging Team Grant program it is the intent of CIHR to fund the creation or development of research teams of investigators undertaking collaborative research relevant to a significant health problem or issue. This grant will enable such teams to:

• Strengthen capacity and add expertise relevant to a significant health problem or issue.
• Develop strategies for knowledge translation and exchange.
• Provide a superior training and mentoring environment.
• Create sustainable, multi-disciplinary research teams that are internationally competitive in their cutting edge research.

Proposals that represent collaborations between community organizations and research teams based in institutions (including universities, colleges, hospitals, and affiliated research institutions) are welcome.

For community-focused proposals, the guiding principle for participation is that community groups are active, influential and ongoing participants in the research, training, mentoring and knowledge translation activities, and that their roles have been formally agreed upon in the spirit of ensuring equity and mutual benefits from the collaboration.

It is expected that the partners will contribute to:

• Formulating research agendas.
• Providing input into the development of research and training projects.
• Synthesizing and disseminating findings.
• Applying the research findings to inform policies, programs and/or practices.
• In some cases, conducting the research.

For more information about knowledge translation consult "Defining and Framing Knowledge Translation"of the CIHR Knowledge Translation Strategy 2004-2009.

Within the framework of the overall objectives of the Emerging Team Grant Program noted above the specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:

• To characterize communities of microbes found in different body sites in healthy individuals to determine if individuals share a common microbiome;
• To explore the interactions between microbes and determine how perturbations at one site can affect microbes at another body site;
• To investigate the role the microbiota play in human health and to probe the associations between the human microbiome and a variety of diseases and health conditions;
• To establish links and collaborations between researchers with expertise in different fields e.g. genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, immunology, physiology, microbial ecology, ethics;
• To establish links and collaborations between research teams currently studying microbes at different body sites e.g. oral, gastrointestinal, respiratory tract;
• To promote research that utilizes existing Canadian infrastructures such as large-scale genomics and bioinformatics platforms and cohort studies;
• To create competitive Canadian teams that are able to contribute to, and benefit from, the work of the IHMC and other international opportunities. CIHR is one of the partners in the IHMC, therefore CIHR funded teams are expected to participate in the IHMC activities and should periodically check the III website for updates on the IHMC as the principles for membership become finalized;
• To identify and address potential ethical and legal issues associated with microbiome research and the emerging technologies as an integral part of research teams;
• To ensure that the results from the large scale sequencing endeavours are disseminated in a way that promotes their uptake by researchers in other fields, e.g. the biomedical and disease-specific communities, and internationally, in accordance to the IHMC, in order to improve our understanding of the microbiome in health and disease.

Relevant Research Areas:

The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity will provide funding for applications that are determined to be relevant to this initiative. The definition of the human microbiome includes all known microbes e.g. bacteria, viruses, phage, and protists. Relevant research areas may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Studies probing microbial communities of different origin (e.g. oral, nasophayngeal, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, vaginal, skin) using cutting- edge metagenomics technologies, combined with advanced bioinformatics tools for data analysis
• Research on the relationship between the microbiome (and perturbations or alterations in the microbiome) and disease including, but not limited to, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, arthritis, allergy, autoimmune diseases, respiratory diseases, cancer and obesity
• Research on the associations between the microbiome and psychiatric and behavioural disorders
• Research in animal model systems, only if these systems are a validated model of human disease and represent a direct means to develop tools for human research
• Studies on the reaction of the normal microbiome to external pressures such as diet, environment, stress, hormonal status, gender and age differences and antibiotics therapy and the effect that this may have on health and disease status
• Research that probes the potential ethical and legal issues arising from microbiome research, such as the support of studies leading to the development of ethical guidelines for human microbiome research. It is strongly recommended that research teams applying to this initiative consider including research on the ethical and legal issues as an integral part of their project.

Specific Research Foci and Requirements:

• Several of the partners named in this initiative have specific areas of interest. These are described in the section below. Those partners who would like applicants to contact them should they wish to discuss partnership opportunities are indicated.
• Canada is fortunate to have several ongoing cohort studies. The cohorts described in the Partner Section have expressed a strong interest in collaborating with researchers on the microbiome initiative; however applicants are free to collaborate with other relevant and interested cohort studies. Applicants whose research would be likely to benefit from such a resource and who wish to explore the possibility of collaborating with the researchers involved in any of these cohort studies should contact the person identified under the relevant section.
• The CIHR Ethics Office is encouraging all research teams applying to this initiative to undertake a systematic analysis of bioethics or ethics issues associated with the Microbiome Initiative and/or the proposed research. Scientific, social or legal issues, if addressed, should expand the discussion or understanding of bioethical or ethical issues. Teams that undertake a systematic analysis of bioethics or ethics issues associated with the Microbiome Initiative and/or the proposed research may do so by, for example:
  1. engaging a post-doctoral fellow in the area of research in ethics (as it relates to health, health research and/or health policy) to conduct the analysis;
  2. including an independent researcher in the area of research in ethics (as it relates to health, health research and/or health policy) as an active team member;
  3. engaging independent researchers in the area of research in ethics (as it relates to health, health research and/or health policy) for advice.

Partner Research Priorities:

CIHR Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)
ICR is dedicated to supporting research that reduces the burden of cancer on individuals and families through prevention strategies, screening, diagnosis, effective treatment, psycho-social support systems, and palliation. ICR is interested in supporting research teams investigating the microbiome as it relates to cancer.

CIHR Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD)
INMD supports research to enhance health in relation to diet, digestion, excretion, and metabolism; and to address causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions and problems associated with hormone, digestive system, kidney, and liver function. INMD is interested in supporting research teams that are related to INMD's mandate.

CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA)
IMHA supports research to enhance active living, mobility and movement, and oral health; and addresses causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions related to bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, skin and teeth. IMHA is interested in supporting research teams investigating the microbiome as it relates to IMHA relevant areas.

CIHR Ethics Office
CIHR encourages interdisciplinary, innovative and integrative research on ethical issues pertaining to health, and also fosters the discussion of ethical issues and the application of ethical principles to health research. The Ethics Office encourages applicants to undertake a systematic analysis of bioethics or ethics issues associated with the Microbiome Initiative and/or the proposed research. Scientific, social or legal issues, if addressed, should expand the discussion or understanding of bioethical or ethical issues. The Microbiome Initiative has the potential to impact patient care, policy development and public health, at a local level as well as in the global context. This broad impact offers researchers rich bioethical, ethical, social or legal issues for analysis. The CIHR Ethics Office is interested in supporting teams that undertake a systematic analysis of bioethics or ethics issues associated with the Microbiome Initiative.

Genome British Columbia
Genome British Columbia is a research organization that invests in and manages large-scale genomics and proteomics research projects and science and technology platforms focused on areas of strategic importance such as human health, forestry, fisheries, bioenergy, agriculture, mining and the environment. By working collaboratively with all levels of government, universities and industry, Genome BC is the catalyst for a vibrant, genomics-driven life sciences cluster with far reaching social and economic benefits for the province and Canada. Subject to the ongoing availability of funds, Genome BC is interested in supporting British Columbia researchers focused on the translation of discoveries in the area of human health, including those related to the human microbiome.

Genome Prairie
Genome Prairie is a not-for-profit organization supporting and managing large-scale genomics and proteomics research projects in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba and supports research focused on human health, animal health and agriculture. There are many research projects taking place in the prairies that relate directly to the human microbiome and there are possibilities for linkage if the funds become available. Genome Prairie is interested in supporting research on the effects of diet and environment on IBD, psoriasis, CVD, and hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and immune status. Both animal models and clinical investigation approaches are available. Genome Prairie is interested in supporting Manitoba and Sasktchewan researchers interested in using a metagenomic approach to their program that would be within the scope of the CMI competition.

Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF) is a Canada-wide health charity that is currently funding more than 50 research projects exploring all aspects of CF - from investigating new methods of fighting infection and inflammation in the lungs to finding new therapies that target the basic defect at a cellular level. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic multi-system disorder that affects the lungs and the digestive system and is the most common, fatal, genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults. CCFF is supporting research related to treatment, eradication, and antibiotic resistance of bacterial infections that pose a serious health concern for CF patients, such as Burkholderia cepacia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. . CCFF is interested in supporting CMI teams studying the virulence of infections in CF patients or research exploring the role of the natural flora in CF.

Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada
The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) is a charitable foundation dedicated to the support of research aligned with its mission to find the cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The CCFC is committed to raising funds for basic and medical research that will likely accelerate progress toward cures. In the past five years, research related directly to the microbiome has garnered roughly 6.3 million dollars worth of CFCC operating grant funding – just over a quarter of all project funding. This interest in supporting microbiome research that relates to Crohn's disease and/or ulcerative colitis continues in concert with related areas such as immunology, gut processes, genetics and the enteric nervous system.

Institut Rosell Inc.
Institut Rosell Inc. is a privately-owned wholly Canadian company serving the international probiotic industry by providing high-quality pharmaceutical-grade probiotic microorganisms. Institut Rosell has a strong research programme to evaluate the impact of probiotics on host response and host commensal microbiota in human and animal nutrition and disease therapy. Institut Rosell would consider funding any projects incorporating a probiotic intervention as part of the investigation. Applicants interested in collaborating with Institut Rosell Inc. are encouraged to contact Dr. Thomas Tompkins, Director, Institut Rosell – Lallemand Inc. at ttompkins@lallemand.com.

Collaborators on this initiative:

The Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) Study
CIHR and AllerGen NCE (the Allergy Genes and Environment Network Centre of Excellence), are partnering to co-fund the development of a national birth cohort, the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) Study, which will look at the root causes and track the development of asthma and allergy. CHILD will track a population-based cohort of 5,000 Canadian infants, from pregnancy through to age 5, with prospective collection of data on multiple risk factors for allergy and asthma including indoor and outdoor environmental exposures, infections, nutrition, and immunologic responses, and their interactions with genetic and individual host factors. Biologic samples will include meconium, stool, blood and urine. The CHILD study will launch the main recruitment phase in April – May 2009.

For further information on this study, please contact: Dr. Malcom Sears at searsm@mcmaster.ca.

The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)
The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is a large, long-term cohort designed to examine health patterns and trends and to identify ways to reduce burden of illness and disability among aging Canadians. Funded primarily through CIHR and its Institute of Aging, the cohort will follow 50,000 Canadian men and women between the ages of 45 and 85 across Canada for a period of at least 20 years. The study will collect information on the changing biological, medical, psychological, social, behavioral/lifestyle and economic aspects of people's lives including disease, function and quality of life among the adult population, This data collection will include information on neurological conditions, stroke, metabolic, cardiovascular, respiratory conditions, musculoskeletal, sensory, oral health and common cancers. The CLSA is recruiting the first 20,000 participants in collaboration with Statistics Canada. The data in this cohort of 20,000 will be collected through questionnaire only. The more in-depth collection of clinical data and biological samples on 30,000 individuals will begin in mid-2011 and is expected to take three years (to 2014) to complete. By the end of 2012 it is anticipated that the CLSA will have collected blood and urine samples on 10,000 of the 30,000 people across Canada. Researchers interested in the CLSA as a platform for the microbiome initiative are encouraged to contact Dr. Parminder Raina at praina@mcmaster.ca or by phone at 905-525-9140 x22197 to determine the feasibility and relevance of the CLSA to their team grants. Each team will be required to follow specific protocols to apply for data/sample access, and the final approval of the access will be determined by the CLSA Data Access and Utilization Committee.

The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project (CPT)
The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project (CPT) is a prospective cohort being established to facilitate the study of the etiology of cancer, and potentially other chronic diseases, in Canadian adults. Supported by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the CPTP aims to enrol approximately 300,000 adults aged 35-69 years, from five provinces/regions across Canada. Data concerning health, lifestyle and anthropometric characteristics will be collected at baseline, in addition to samples of blood and urine. Active and passive follow-ups will be undertaken at regular intervals.

For further information on this study, please contact Cathy Anne Pachnowski - CPT National Coordinator, Phone: 780-643-4553, Email: cathyann@cancerboard.ab.ca.

The International Human Microbiome Consortium (IHMC)
The goal of the IHMC is to work under a common set of principles and policies to study and understand the role of the human microbiome in the maintenance of health and causation of disease and to use that knowledge to improve the ability to prevent and treat disease The Consortium's efforts will be focused on generating a shared comprehensive data resource that will enable investigators to characterize the relationship between the composition of the human microbiome (or subsets thereof) and human health and disease.

For further information on IHMC please contact David Hartell at CIHR-III, Phone: 613-422-9284, Email: david.hartell@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

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.

Each eligible Emerging Team Grant application will include:

• A Team Leader who meets the criteria of "Principal Applicant" as described in the CIHR Participant Categories for CIHR Grants and who will assume administrative responsibility for the grant as nominated Principal Applicant. In addition, the Team Leader must be a researcher with proven leadership capabilities and experience who will act as research program director.
• At least two additional independent investigators who meet the criteria of "Principal Applicant" as described in the CIHR Participant Categories for CIHR Grants 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.

In addition, the following special conditions apply:

• 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.

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) will be considered under this funding opportunity.

Guidelines

General CIHR 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.

Through the Emerging Team Grant program, funding can be used to support:

• Research operating costs for the proposed collaborative research program (where an application includes overlap with an existing CIHR grant, and that application is successful in the Emerging Team Grant competition, continued funding of the ongoing grant will be reviewed).
• 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 Emerging Team Grant research program.
• Costs of regional, national and international networking activities, including collaboration, planning, and knowledge exchange activities, directly related to the Emerging Team Grant research program.
• Salaries of research assistants, technicians and other personnel (eligible to receive salary) who will enhance the collaborative research productivity of the Team
• Support of research trainees, at the rate specified by CIHR for trainees paid from research grants.
• Salary of a professional coordinator and/or administrative assistant.
• Minimal operating costs for planning and pilot projects.
• Release time stipends to enable employees of community partners to participate in the research program, limited to 50% of their current salary and up to an overall maximum of $50,000 per year.
• A maximum of $20,000 annually for a release time stipend for the Nominated PI/Team Leader.
• Establishment funds and salary for New Investigators joining the team (New Investigators are within the first five years of their independent research careers). Salary contributions paid for by the Emerging Team Grant must not exceed the stipend paid to CIHR New Investigators. Those paid from the Emerging Team Grant cannot also hold a Canada Research Chair or another salary award. Note that new investigators paid from the grant can not be listed as co-applicants on the grant application. Similarly, they can not be listed as co-investigators on the grant after it is approved; however they can be considered members of the team.
• 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).

Co-applicants may not receive a salary, stipend, or honorarium from CIHR grants, with the exception of co-applicants who are trainees or research associates, and the release time stipends for the team leader and employees of community partners as described in Participant Categories for CIHR Grants.

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

The following expenditures will be considered eligible for funding received through this funding opportunity:

• Research teams wishing to collaborate with existing cohort studies, including those listed as collaborators in the Objectives section, can claim any reasonable costs incurred to obtain access the cohort databank or to support the collection of additional information or specimens. Any request must be clearly justified and be accompanied by a letter of Support from the participating cohort study organizers.
• Research teams wishing to undertake a systematic analysis of bioethics or ethics issues associated with the microbiome Initiative and/or the proposed research may do so by:
  • engaging a post-doctoral fellow in the area of research in ethics (as it relates to health, health research and/or health policy) to conduct the analysis;
  • including an independent researcher in the area of research in ethics (as it relates to health, health research and/or health policy) as an active team member;
  • engaging independent researchers in the area of research in ethics (as it relates to health, health research and/or health policy) for advice.

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.
• Research teams will be required to submit a progress report at the mid-point of the granting period and in addition are requested to notify III of any early successes prior to this point.
• It is expected that, if appropriate, research teams funded under this initiative will participate in the IHMC. The IHMC will be open, at any time to the funders and PIs of human microbiome research programs that have the capacity to mount a comprehensive analysis of the human microbiome in health and/or disease, and that agree to carry out their efforts according to a set of commonly agreed-upon IHMC policies. These policies are currently being developed by the IHMC Steering Committee (of which III is a member) and should be made available in the coming months. Applicants are advised to periodically check the III website for updates on the IHMC.
• It is expected that funded research teams will assist III in the capture and evaluation of research outcomes through activities such as participation in workshops, responses to requests for information and updates for CIHR communication documents, and development of an ongoing and sustainable Knowledge Translation Strategy.

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.

CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People

The CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People came into effect as policy for CIHR-funded research on July 1, 2008. Applicants whose proposed research will involve Aboriginal People are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with these guidelines and in particular with the section "Application of the Guidelines," which outlines the situations in which these guidelines apply.

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 bio-molecular 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, Emerging Team Grant recipients will also be required to adhere to special branding requirements as a condition of receiving a CIHR Emerging Team Grant. The official name of the team 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 (area of research)." The name of the Team must be used in all communication and promotion relating to the CIHR Emerging Team Grant. A team name must be proposed as part of the application for a CIHR Emerging 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

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:

• adhere to CIHR's reporting requirements and provide required information in a timely fashion. A Progress Report for Long-Term Grant Holders (5 or more years) will be required in year 3 of five-year grants. Grantees are required to submit the "Progress Report for Long-Term Grant Holders (5 or more years)" form [ PDF (fillable, 95 KB) | PDF (47 KB) | Help ] describing the progress made and the publications issued since the start of the grant. CIHR will cancel the last 12 months of the grant if the progress is unacceptable and will cancel the final two years of the grant if it does not receive a report.
• 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;
• encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review

Relevance review will be conducted at the Letter of Intent (LOI) stage. For planning purposes, at the Letter of Intent stage representatives from the Institute of Infection and Immunity, and all funding partners mentioned in this funding opportunity, will have access to the anonymized Letter of Intent package and the one-page attachment describing how the proposed research addresses the objectives and relevant research areas (see "How to Apply"). At the full application stage, these representatives will have access to an updated version of the one-page attachment and the anonymized research proposal summary to conduct relevance review.

The following criteria will be used in conducting relevance review:

• Alignment with the objectives and relevant research areas as described under the Relevant Research Areas and Requirements section of this funding opportunity.

Funding partners listed on this Funding Opportunity may have access to all application information, unless the applicant indicates otherwise. Collaborators, including the cohorts and the IHMC, will not have access to application information.

Upon completion of peer review of the full applications, the representatives from Institute of Infection and Immunity, and all funding partners mentioned in this funding opportunity, will receive the ratings, rankings and peer review committee recommendations on funding level and term for the applications that are rated in the CIHR fundable range and are found to be relevant to the specific objectives of the research initiative and the research areas described under "Objectives" and "Relevant Research Areas." These applications will be funded from the top down in order of ranking as far as budgets will allow. Applications that receive a ranking below 3.5 will not be funded.

Peer Review

Once relevancy review of LOIs is completed, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application.

Each Emerging Team Grant application will be evaluated as a single, integrated entity: the Team research program and the collaborative aspect. It is critical to demonstrate that the Emerging Team Grant will strengthen capacity and bring added value, in terms of the approach to the health and disease, health care or health system issue, and the speed and efficiency with which new knowledge will be generated, or translated into improvements in health or the health care system, through the new directions of research proposed by the team.

Applications will be reviewed by specifically-constituted, multidisciplinary peer review committee(s) designed specifically for the review of Emerging Team Grants. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the institute(s) / portfolio(s) and partner(s), following CIHR's Policy on Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality in the context of Merit, Relevance and Peer Review (CCIP). For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see the Understand Peer Review section of CIHR's website.

Evaluation Criteria

Peer review will be conducted in accordance with The CIHR Peer Review Process – Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members. Reviewers will use the following set of criteria for the evaluation of all CIHR grant applications:

1. Research Approach
   
2. Originality of the Proposal
   
3. Applicant(s)
   
4. Environment for the Research
   
5. Impact of the Research

A detailed elaboration of these criteria can be found in the Information for Peer Reviewers section of CIHR website.

To support the strategic objectives of this funding opportunity, the following factors will be considered in addition to the standard set of evaluation criteria:

• Research Approach – the cross-functionality of the team structure and the inclusion of the latest metagenomics technologies to address biological questions related to the role of the human microbiome in the health of individuals. It is strongly recommended that research teams applying to this initiative consider including research on the ethical and legal issues as an integral part of their project.
• Originality of the Proposal – a demonstrated knowledge and understanding of how the proposed research might align with the international research scene and the efforts of other IHMC members.
• Applicant(s)
• Environment for the Research – for site-specific research teams, e.g. gastrointestinal tract, an indication of how they will ensure knowledge exchange and collaboration with teams studying either the same, or other body sites.
• Impact of the Research

How to Apply

Note: This funding opportunity requires the use of ResearchNet to apply for funding.

• The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of two steps: Letter of Intent and Application.
• To complete your "Phase 1: Letter of Intent", follow the instructions identified in the Emerging Team Grant - "Letter of Intent" Phase Instructions. To complete your "Phase 2: Application", follow the instructions identified in the Emerging Team Grant - ResearchNet "Application" Phase Instructions.
• An overview of CIHR's application processes can be found under Apply for Funding.
• 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.

Additional instructions that must be followed for this funding opportunity:
(Note: These additional instructions supersede all other policies or guidelines published by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, including, but not limited to, the Grants and Awards Guide, the Memorandum of Understanding, etc.)

Letter of Intent (LOI) (Updated: 2009-09-11)

The Letter of Intent must include:

1. 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. (To be attached in the "Attach Common CVs and Supporting Documents" task). Please note: Only 5 free-form CVs are required, therefore, when any additional applicants are listed please upload a 1 page PDF entitled: "CV not required". (Updated: 2009-10-02)
2. The Project Description in the "Enter Project Information and Supporting Documents" task under "Project Information", is limited to five pages. The description must outline clearly each of the elements below:
• Cover page: maximum one page free form - a standard form is not available for the cover page indicating:
• the title of the Team program as it will appear in publicity and other announcements (CIHR Team/Emerging Team in area of research);
• 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.
• Applicant table: in a table format (4 pages maximum), a list of all applicants and collaborators with their affiliations and expertise (the list need not be final at the Letter of Intent stage).
3. Attachments (To be attached under "Other" in the "Attach Other Application Materials" task):
   • Objectives page: provide an additional one-page attachment (to be identified by the title of the opportunity) describing how the research proposed addresses the objectives and relevant research areas described in the section “Objectives’.
4. Please Note: Effective this competition, the required signatures at the LOI stage of this Funding Opportunity MUST include all Team members (Nominated Principal Applicant and all co-applicants) AND their institutions. (Updated: 2009-09-30)

Please note: 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.

Application

• Once the relevancy review of LOI's is completed, selected applicants will be invited to submit an application by the deadline date.
• The following criteria are mandatory for your Application to be accepted:
  • The maximum number of publications to be appended is 15. (Updated: 2009-09-28)
  • The Research Proposal must be no more than 30 pages including charts, tables, figures and photographs. The 30 pages does not include references.
  • Common CVs are required for all applicants. (Updated: 2010-04-15)

Contact Information

For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:

Carole Chow (Updated: 2010-03-31)
Program Delivery Coordinator
Targeted Initiatives Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-948-2903
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: carole.chow@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:

Christian Brochu (Updated: 2009-11-20)
Associate, Institute Strategic Initiatives
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-4329
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: christian.brochu@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

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 the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health-care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to nearly 12,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

CIHR – Institute of Infection and Immunity (III)
III supports research and helps to build research capacity in the areas of infectious disease and the body's immune system. Through the Institute's programs, researchers address a wide range of health concerns related to infection and immunity including disease mechanisms, disease prevention and treatment, and health promotion through public policy.

Partners

CIHR – Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA)
IMHA supports research to enhance active living, mobility and movement, and oral health; and addresses causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions related to bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, skin and teeth.

CIHR – Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD)
INMD supports research to enhance health in relation to diet, digestion, excretion, and metabolism; and to address causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions and problems associated with hormone, digestive system, kidney, and liver function.

CIHR – Ethics Office
As Canada's major health research funding agency, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is committed to promoting health research that meets the highest standards of excellence and ethics. CIHR encourages interdisciplinary, innovative and integrative research on ethical issues pertaining to health, and also fosters the discussion of ethical issues to strengthen the culture of research ethics and integrity in Canada.

The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF) is a Canada-wide health charity, with 50 volunteer chapters. The mission of the Foundation is to help individuals with cystic fibrosis, principally by funding research toward the goal of a cure or control for CF, and by supporting high quality CF clinical and transplant care.

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada
The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) is a national not-for-profit voluntary medical research Foundation. Its mission is to find the cure for inflammatory bowel disease. To achieve its mission, the Foundation is committed to raising increasing funds for medical research. On a per capita basis, the CCFC is the world's leader in non-governmental, funding of IBD research.

Genome British Columbia
Genome British Columbia is a research organization that invests in and manages large-scale genomics and proteomics research projects and science and technology platforms focused on areas of strategic importance such as human health, forestry, fisheries, ethics, agriculture, and the environment. By working collaboratively with all levels of government, universities and industry, Genome BC is the catalyst for a vibrant, genomics-driven life sciences cluster with far reaching social and economic benefits for the province and Canada.

Genome Prairie
Genome Prairie is a not-for-profit organization supporting and managing large-scale genomics and proteomics research projects in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Focused applications include agriculture, animal health, and human health. Through partnerships with provincial government, academic, and industry organizations, Genome Prairie facilitates enhanced, sustainable research capacity in the region, builds public awareness of genomics, and provides a forum to discuss ethical, economic, environmental, legal and social (GE3LS) issues.

Institut Rosell – Lallemand Inc.
Institut Rosell Inc. is a privately-owned wholly Canadian company serving the international probiotic industry by providing high-quality pharmaceutical-grade probiotic microorganisms. Institut Rosell has a strong research programme to evaluate the impact of probiotics on host response and host commensal microbiota in human and animal nutrition and disease therapy.

Collaborators

The International Human Microbiome Consortium (IHMC)
The goal of the IHMC is to work under a common set of principles and policies to study and understand the role of the human microbiome in the maintenance of health and causation of disease and to use that knowledge to improve the ability to prevent and treat disease The Consortium's efforts will be focused on generating a shared comprehensive data resource that will enable investigators to characterize the relationship between the composition of the human microbiome (or subsets thereof) and human health and disease.