The purpose of this RFA is to provide operating funds in support of initiatives
Proposals must address and critically analyze one or more of the following research areas:
| May 1, 2004 | Full proposals must be courier stamped by this date. (Please refer to "How to Apply" section of this document.) |
| October 2004 | Anticipated notification of decision |
| December 2005 | Anticipated start date |
| Duration of projects | Up to one year |
| Funds Available | The total amount available for this initiative is $200,000. The maximum amount awarded for a single systematic review project is $25,000 (including equipment) for up-to twelve months. The maximum amount awarded for a single original investigation project (operating grant) is $75,000 (including equipment) for up-to twelve months. |
Introduction
Background
Partners
Specific Objectives and Eligible Research Areas
Eligible Research Areas
Who is Eligible to Apply
Specific Eligibility Requirements
Mechanism of Support
Funds Available
Allowable Costs
How to Apply
Evaluation Process and Criteria For Peer Review
General CIHR Guidelines and Conditions of Funding
Communication Requirement
Performance Measurement and Evaluation
Address for Submitting Application and Contact Information
This RFA is designed to stimulate and promote research from many different disciplines into the ethical, legal and social issues relevant to population-based genetic research. Many of these issues remain under-explored, particularly in the Canadian context.
Around the world, population-based genetic research is fast emerging as an important area of investigation, and Canada is well placed to be a leader in this field. Our public health care system, the emergence of increasingly comprehensive health information databanks, our strong and vibrant genetics research community, and the existence of several unique populations combine to make Canada an ideal place to do this important work.
In order to build research capacity and promote original work in this area, the Institute of Genetics (IG), Institute of Aging (IA), Institute of Aboriginal Peoples Health (IAPH), Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH) and Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH), CIHR Ethics Office have developed a strategic initiative to investigate the ethical, legal and social issues relevant to the study of gene-environment interactions in human populations. This RFA is in support of CIHR's cross-cutting initiative, the "Canadian Lifelong Health Initiative" (CLHI), which is intended to facilitate the establishment of a research program to conduct large multi-centered longitudinal cohort studies of Canadians. These studies will analyze the role and interaction of different genetic and environmental exposures involved in the human development and aging processes over the life course, the multi-factorial causes and evolution of common diseases and the utilization of health care services. The resulting infrastructure will help create a common research platform that will give Canadian scientists a unique advantage in allowing the conduct of original population studies, over decades, that will place Canada at the forefront of modern health research and help attract and retain the best investigators and trainees. As such, this research will require the collection of significant amounts of identifiable health information, and the possible linkage of health information with other personal data. Work in this area has the potential to alter how we think about health, disease, and the disease process, and could impact the manner in which we organize and deliver health care and prevention services in the future. Hence the pressing need to explore the emerging ethical, legal and social issues relevant to this area of research.
The following partners are carrying out this initiative:
CIHR Institute of Genetics (IG)
CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples Health (IAPH)
CIHR Institute of Aging (IA)
CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH)
CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH)
CIHR Ethics Office
CIHR is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other funding organizations and stakeholders to enhance the availability of funding for this and future strategic initiatives in this area, and to create opportunities for knowledge translation related to the scope of this particular RFA. As such, please visit the Collaborator Page, where you will find a list of the Collaborators and their specific mandates. This list will continue to evolve as new collaborators join in this initiative. Therefore, we invite you to check it regularly for updates.
This RFA is designed to solicit small development grant applications for research projects that meet one or both of the following two objectives:
In this RFA, the term "research" includes both original investigation and systematic consolidation of previous research and analysis.
Proposals must address and critically analyze one or more of the following research areas:
1) Defining "Populations" in Population-Based Genetics Studies
2) Potential Social Impact of Gene/Environment Research
Care must be taken when assessing the relative proportions of genetic and environmental contributions to multifactorial diseases.
3) Defining "Normalcy," "Health," and "Disease" in the Genomics Era
4) Rights and Responsibilities in Relation to Genomics Research and Databanks
Enduring issues around the question of who "owns" and "controls" genetic material - both in a legal and a cultural sense - raise numerous problems and research questions, especially in relation to population-based research. The following are examples of issues that require further consideration: the understanding of human DNA as a personal private, public, or human good; the understanding of rights in relation to DNA databases (e.g., application of existing or unique forms of property/intellectual property law); the legal/ethical obligations of researchers/clinicians involved with DNA databanks and their usage, including gene chip technology; and the appropriateness of current autonomy-based consent and privacy models in both the clinical and research setting.
The substance and content of the final deliverables (peer-reviewed publications or final project report) will vary depending on the type of research that is pursued (original investigation or systematic consolidation of previous research and analysis) and the topic area. However, projects that aim at a systematic consolidation of previous research and analysis are generally expected to include the following information:
Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding (grant) programs apply. Please refer to Eligibility for CIHR Grants and Awards on the CIHR Website.
The business office of the institution of an eligible Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. The eligibility requirements for Institutions are found on the CIHR Website in the Financial Administration of Funds Guide.
This RFA is designed to engage new ethical, legal and social investigators. The Principal Applicant must be an investigator who is within the first five years of their academic appointment at a Canadian research institution at the time of application.
Applicants still in training at the time of application must hold an academic appointment at the time of taking up the grant (i.e., December 2004/January 2005).
Funded as a strategic initiative, this RFA is designed to solicit grant applications for projects that can last for up to twelve months.
Applicants should review CIHR's guidelines on Eligible Expenditures for Research Funding Programs for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.
The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.
Complete the full application using the CIHR Operating Grants application package, which consists of the CIHR Research Module, the CIHR Operating Budget Module and a Common CV for each applicant and co-applicant participating in the research project. When completing the CIHR Operating Budget Module provide a detailed justification of all project costs.
Send the original plus eight copies of the full application by May 1, 2004 (i.e. courier stamped by this date at the latest).
Applications will be evaluated by a peer-review committee formulated by CIHR. The committee may be drawn from one of CIHR's pre-existing committees or may be created specifically for this Initiative. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the Institute(s) and Collaborator(s). Names of committee members are published on the CIHR website. The committee will follow the CIHR peer review process for grants.
General criteria for assessing applications are listed below. It is understood that referees and committees will weigh questions such as these differently from one application to another:
Taking into consideration "stage in career":
On completion of the review, the Institute of Genetics and its Partner(s) will receive the ranking lists, merit scores (ratings) and recommendations (approved term and funding amounts of the proposal) of the Committee for the applications that fall in the fundable range. Based on the total funds available for the initiative, applications will be funded from the top-ranked down.
All conditions, as specified in CIHR's Grants and Awards Guides, shall apply to those funded through this initiative. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official Language Policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, Acknowledgement of CIHR support etc. Successful recipients will be informed of any special financial conditions when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding Form (AFF).
In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements, the following shall apply:
Recipients who receive funding are required to acknowledge CIHR, its Institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. The names of the sponsor organizations and institutes must be written in full as follows: CIHR Institute of Genetics, CIHR Institute of Aboriginal People's Health, CIHR Institute of Aging, CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health and the CIHR Ethics Office.
CIHR has made plans to assess performance of this initiative through ongoing monitoring and periodic evaluation. We are committed to informing Canadians about the performance of our initiatives and the results that they deliver. CIHR can provide national leadership to facilitate this process for research and knowledge translation.
The following table is intended to further clarify objectives by linking them to expected outcomes and measures. All funded applicants will be expected to participate in the evaluation strategy, contributing advice, data and reports as required for assessment purposes.
| Objective | Expected Outcome | Measure / Indicator |
| To stimulate and promote single-discipline and interdisciplinary research by new, developing and/or established investigators, alone or in small teams, in four topic areas. | Increased research on the ethical, legal and social issues relevant to population-based genetic research in the four topic areas. Increased publication accessible to a wide audience. Establishment of strong baseline knowledge/ information for future studies and research. Identification of capacities and resources for further research. |
Quality and type of research conducted in each topic area with support from the program. Areas of planned future research by investigators and students supported by this research program. |
| To support research activities, research team development and training in the ethical, legal and social areas related to genetics. |
Increased interest in the ethical, legal and social research. | The number of new researchers who apply to this RFA, either as individuals or as a part of a team. |
| To determine the best direction for future research, policy and practice in the five topic areas. |
Foundation of a national research agenda in the five topic areas. | Lists of research priorities in each topic area developed by subject area experts and non-specialist stakeholders. |
Send Applications and final reports by courier to:
RE: Facing our Future: Human Genetics, Ethics, Law and Society
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Research Portfolio
410 Laurier Avenue W., 9th Floor
Address Locator 4209A
Ottawa ON K1A 0W9
Contact for Further Information:
For questions regarding application forms, submission requirements and review process, please and funding guidelines, please contact:
Suzette Dos Santos
Program Delivery Officer
Knowledge Creation Programs Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
410 Laurier Avenue West, 9th floor, Address Locator 4209A
Ottawa, ON K1A 0W9
Tel: (613) 941-0848
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: sdossantos@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:
Jennifer Jennings, BA
Project Manager
CIHR Institute of Genetics
123 Edward Street, Suite 1211
Toronto ON M5G 1E2
Tel: (416) 813-7670
Fax: (416) 813-7673
Email: jennig@sickkids.ca
OR
Dawn Bruyere
Senior Research Analyst and Project Manager
Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health
Banting Institute
100 College Street, Suite 207-B
Toronto, ON M5G 1L5
Tel: (416) 946-8057
Fax: (416) 946-8055
Email: dawn.bruyere@utoronto.ca
OR
Anne-Cécile Desfaits, PhD
Assistant Director - Programs and Planning
Institute of Aging
Tel: (819) 821-5112
Fax: (819) 821-5205
Email: anne-cecile.desfaits@usherbrooke.ca
OR
Erica Di Ruggiero
Assistant Director
Institute of Population and Public Health
Suite 207-L, Banting Building
100 College Street
Toronto, ON M5G 1L5
Tel: (416) 946-7987
Fax: (416) 946-7984
Email: e.diruggiero@utoronto.ca
