Request for Applications

Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (IAPH):

In recognition of the profound public health burden carried by Aboriginal Peoples and the lack of research capacity to address these complex health problems, the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health particularly encourages applications for training programs in all areas embraced by the IAPH mandate.

Institute of Cancer Research (ICR):

The Institute of Cancer Research encourages applications for training programs for all types of fundamental or applied research in areas of cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. Additional training programs may be funded through allocation of Institute strategic funds. The number of approved training programs will be dependant on the acquisition of additional funds from partnership agreements currently being explored.

Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH):

The ICRH recognizes the need to develop a national training strategy in the area of circulatory and respiratory health. In order to be successful, this process requires a concerted effort between many organizations and stakeholders as well as an in-depth assessment of the training requirements in Canada. The ICRH initiated the consultation process by hosting a national Partners Forum in Ottawa on April 18-19, 2001. One of the outcomes of the Forum was consensus between organizations and researchers that an enhanced training milieu and process is essential to the future of health research in Canada. The circulatory and respiratory research community sees ICRH as the facilitator of a process that will link organizations together to create a concerted training strategy. Over the next few months, the ICRH will continue to develop with other public organizations and industry a long-term training strategy specific to areas within the ICRH mandate.

In the interim, the ICRH and its partner organizations (i.e., Canadian Stroke Network, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and likely several others) have an opportunity to fund several additional training programs that will expand the current CIHR call for applications in the area of circulatory and respiratory health. Significant effort will be made to not only increase the number of training programs that can be funded, but also the size of each.

Special Considerations

• The ICRH and its partners envision that some proposals may focus on a particular discipline within the ICRH mandate (e.g. heart, lung, blood, stroke, sleep research), while other proposals will be designed as an integrated approach that embraces several disciplines.

• The ICRH and its partners encourage training models that link several institutions in a creative and workable programmatic structure to support the engagement of trainees from both large and small centres.

• The ICRH and its partners encourage a dynamic and comprehensive approach that integrates quantitative (mathematics, physics and computational sciences, computer modeling), basic biomedical, clinical and behavioural sciences (health services and epidemiological research), technology transfer, professional and scientific education, and public educational outreach activities.

• The ICRH and its partners are particularly interested in applications that include a focus on clinician-scientists, including MDs, nurses, therapists, (occupational, respiratory, physiotherapist) and others, and on basic researchers trained in an environment that fosters a link between biological mechanisms and human disease.

Institute of Gender and Health (IGH):

The Institute of Gender and Health encourages applications for research training programs in any areas covered by the institute's mandate. The IGH supports research regarding the health of females and males across the lifespan; the influence of gender and sex on health and their interactions with other factors (e.g. race, class, sexuality) that influence health; and, interventions designed to enhance the health of women, girls, men and boys. The IGH initiated a consultation process that encompassed an emphasis on training and capacity building. These consultations included two "national" brainstorming sessions, other brainstorming sessions conducted by advisory board members, an IGH website invitation to provide input, and information and feedback meetings across the country. A subcommittee of the IGH advisory board has been struck to guide short-term and long-term strategies for training and capacity building.

The Institute of Gender and Health will propose several training and capacity building initiatives within its short-term strategic plan. These initiatives will likely include career re-orientation, seed grants, and grants for innovative training programs. The IGH is interested in fostering training within and across the four types/pillars of research - biomedical, clinical, health services/systems/policies, and population health/health determinants. The IGH encourages transdisciplinary training models (involving a minimum of two pillars) that involve a cadre of mentors and link several institutions (including large and small centers.)

Funds for additional training programs and/or for expansion of the scale and scope of proposed training programs will be made available through allocation of institute strategic funds. The IGH will seek partners to augment the funds available for training and capacity building in gender and health research and will continue to consult with diverse stakeholders regarding priority training needs.

Institute of Genetics (IG):

The Institute of Genetics encourages applications for CIHR Training Program Grants in any areas embraced by the IG mandate. We particularly encourage applications in the areas of:

• Structural and/or Functional proteomics- Applications will be considered from centers or virtual centers that can provide evidence of established excellence in integrating multiple technologies for proteomics with links to the physical sciences, engineering and computing sciences. Programs should emphasize developing areas such as membrane protein proteomics. Training can be at the postdoctoral or graduate student level. Centres that can provide structured short-term visits to allow researchers in Canada to obtain experience in new methodologies will also be considered.

• Bioinformatics- Genomics and proteomics projects generate vast amounts of primary data for health research that must be analysed by a variety of computational and theoretical approaches to reveal their secrets. Canada has an urgent need to provide training opportunities for its researchers in the new and rapidly expanding bioinformatics field. The Institute of Genetics has recruited Compaq Canada Corp. as a corporate partner for training programs in this area.

• Population Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology of Complex Diseases- Applications are encouraged for training programs that will provide research training in study design, statistical genetics, population genetics, and genetic epidemiology in order to elucidate the contribution of genes and environment to complex human diseases. IG encourage the development of new analytical approaches in addition to providing training in current approaches to analysis of data from cohorts, families and populations.

• Health Care Ethics- At the present time, there is a high (and ever increasing) demand in clinical academic, policy-making, and regulatory settings for people with sound training and established research careers in the area of health care ethics.

Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR):

In recognition of the shortages of national health services and health policy research capacity in the country, the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR) is committed to the funding of at least three training programs in areas embraced by the IHSPR mandate. This commitment will be met through both partnership development currently being explored, and commitment of Institute strategic funds.

Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA):

The Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction encourages applications for training programs in all areas embraced by the INMHA mandate. The INMHA Institute Advisory Board has endorsed the vision that a major portion of available institute strategic funds for this year will be invested in research training programs in Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. All training programs should be multi-disciplinary and "pillar-crossing" (at least 2 pillars). Involvement of more than one Institution/University is encouraged. Accordingly, INMHA will fund at least an additional 3-4 training programs. The actual number of approved training programs will be dependant on the acquisition of additional funds from partnership agreements currently being explored.

Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR) and
Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addictions (INMHA):

The Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addictions and the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research encourage applications for training programs in all areas embraced by the IMHA and IHSPR mandates. We particularly encourage training programs that address the need for building capacity in health services research within the fields of mental health and addictions. Such training programs should involve policy and other decision-maker participation in the training experience, give attention to regional disparities in training capacity and include international linkages. Funding for additional training programs in these areas and embracing these elements may be made available through allocation of Institute strategic funds.

Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH) and
Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR):

The Institute of Population and Public Health and the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research encourage applications for training programs in all areas embraced by the IPPH and IHSPR mandates. We particularly encourage training programs which involve policy and other stakeholder participation in the training experience, give attention to regional disparities in training capacity and which embrace shared core training opportunities at the interface of Population and Public Health Research, and Health Services/Policy Research. Funding for additional training programs in these areas and embracing these elements may be made available through allocation of Institute strategic funds.

Institute of Healthy Aging (IHA):

One of the main strategic orientations of the Institute of Healthy Aging is capacity building in this field. The IHA encourages applications for training programs that focus on aging with a multidisciplinary and cross-pillar approach. The scope of research covered by the Institute encompasses the aging process (biological, psychological, sociological), the age-related diseases and disabilities, the conditions associated with aging, the emerging needs of people as they age, and health services to the elderly population. The IHA is committed to fund at least three training programs in these areas.

In addition, in collaboration with the Alzheimer Society of Canada and the NeuroScience Canada Partnership, IHA encourages applications in the area of cognitive impairment in aging including Alzheimer Disease and other dementias, covering biomolecular basis, neuropsychological aspects, social, psychological and lifestyle influences, diagnosis, natural history, epidemiology, treatment, preventive strategies, caregiving issues, ethics, quality of life, and health services including home care and institution design. The IHA and its partners are committed to fund at least two training programs in these areas.

Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH):

The Institute of Human Development and Child and Youth Health encourages applications for training programs in all areas embraced by the IHDCYH mandate. We particularly encourage training programs that include faculty members covering all four CIHR pillars. Applications must clearly indicate how linkages between trainees of different backgrounds will be achieved. Applications may involve one or more Institutions - the advantages of either of these arrangements should be made clear in the applications, as should any unique characteristics of the proposed training program. IHDCYH is committed to funding up to an additional 3 training programs through allocation of Institute strategic funds.

Institute of Immunity and Infection (III):

The Institute of Immunity and Infection encourages applications for training programs in all areas embraced by the III mandate. III particularly encourages applications for training programs that focus on the development of research capacity in:

• Hepatitis C research

• Allergy and asthma research

• Microbial safety of food and water research

Additional areas of focus may be added to this Institute-sponsored training program list as potential partners are identified and the pool of available funds is expanded. The number of approved training programs in any area will be dependant on the acquisition of additional funds from partnership agreements currently being explored.

Training programs may include some or all of the following training components:

• Introducing undergraduate and professional students to health research

• Graduate training leading to the awarding of a postgraduate research degree

• post-doctoral research training

• additional postgraduate research training experiences of not less than 11 months to health professionals, researchers or academics at any stage in their careers (For example, faculty training/retraining)

• Clinical/health professional education programs are eligible only in cases where training in research methods is undertaken (including disease risk assessment training and outcome measures training).

The Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis encourages applications for training programs in all areas embraced by its mandate (bone, skin, muscle, oral health, and arthritis). We encourage training programs that are multidisciplinary and exemplify a cross-pillar approach.

Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD):

The Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes encourages applications for training programs in all areas embraced by the INMD mandate. Funds for at least 2 additional training programs may be made available through allocation of Institute strategic funds, The final number of funded training programs will be dependant on the acquisition of additional funds from partnership agreements currently being explored.

Canadian Health Services Research Foundation:

Regional Training Centre for Ontario

(Sponsored in Conjunction with CIHR)

This opportunity is addressed to post-secondary institutions in Ontario interested in creating a consortium to develop and administer a graduate-level program for the training of applied health services, health policy and nursing researchers.

The objective is to build a joint program to offer applied research training that is interdisciplinary and sensitive to health system decision maker concerns. It is expected that this program would be delivered through a collaborative effort on the part of at least two post-secondary institutions as well as decision maker organizations to produce a steady output of Master's and PhD graduates in applied health services, policy and nursing research.

In addition to increasing the overall capacity to train such researchers, the centre must also include one or more smaller academic institutions that has/have a limited training capacity but whose involvement would expand the accessibility of such training beyond the traditional academic hubs.

Program development is expected to include the various strengths offered by the participating institutions brought together into a single coherent program of training. Faculty members from a broad spectrum of disciplines are expected to contribute to the program development and delivery. Innovative approaches to program delivery among institutional sites are encouraged. Training in the communication and dissemination of research, as well as placements in decision-maker organizations, must be elements of the centre's program.

As a result of a CHSRF/CIHR partnership, this centre will be funded at a rate of up to $375,000 per year. At steady-state, most of the funding (approximately 80%) must be devoted to student stipends.

Further details concerning the concept of the centre are available on the CHSRF web site (www.chsrf.ca).