GGI

Gabinete de Gestão de Investigação

Caros colegas,

O Gabinete de Gestão de Investigação (GGI) esteve fortemente empenhado no apoio a candidaturas dos colaboradores da FMUC a diferentes Calls. O destaque deste mês vai para o elevado número de propostas submetidas com o apoio do GGI ao concurso promovido pela FCT para projetos de IC&DT em todos os domínios científicos: 51 projetos, 16 dos quais exploratórios. As novas regras introduzidas pela FCT nesta edição não esmoreceram os docentes e investigadores da nossa Escola, que responderam de forma muito afirmativa. É uma prova de resiliência que deve ser estendida a outras Calls, de outras agências de financiamento. Como temos dito, a diversificação das fontes de financiamento às quais nos candidatamos é uma estratégia que pode produzir bons frutos, especialmente em fases em que as percentagens de aprovação da FCT são tão residuais, como foi aquela que assistimos no ano passado e que deverá repetir-se nesta edição, independentemente da cosmética aritmética que venha a ser apresentada.

Nesta edição destacamos ainda o estatuto de Laboratório Associado obtido pelo CIBB – consórcio no qual o iCBR se integra –, em reconhecimento da qualidade da candidatura apresentada. É um estatuto que pode trazer alguns benefícios, mas que deve servir, acima de tudo, como fator de motivação extra para todos os investigadores integrados no iCBR, com o objetivo de alcançarmos patamares mais elevados, com os quais poderemos vir a recuperar classificações de excelência em futuras avaliações.

Votos de um mês muito produtivo!

Be FMUC!

Flávio Reis 

Coordenador do GGI 


Breves


CIBB obteve estatuto de Laboratório Associado 

No passado dia 24 de fevereiro foram divulgados os resultados das candidaturas apresentadas à FCT para obtenção do estatuto de Laboratório Associado. Foram aprovadas 40 instituições ou consórcios, tendo o CIBB (Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology), no qual o iCBR se integra, sido um dos consórcios contemplados com um score de 100%. O GGI teve um papel ativo na candidatura e congratula-se com este resultado.

Seminário alusivo ao cálculo
do tamanho da amostra e Power Analysis

Decorreu no passado dia 5 de março o seminário organizado pelo GGI intitulado “Cálculo do tamanho da amostra – Power analysis”. Esta sessão, conduzida pelos docentes da FMUC Bárbara Oliveiros e Francisco Caramelo, colaboradores do Laboratório de Bioestatística e Informática Médica, contou com a presença de cerca de 50 participantes.








Concurso da FCT para projetos de IC&DT
em todos os domínios científicos

Terminou no passado dia 10 de março o prazo para a submissão de candidaturas ao concurso da FCT para projetos IC&DT em todos os domínios científicos. Nesta edição o GGI apoiou 51 projetos (16 deles exploratórios), com intervenções a diversos níveis, incluindo na revisão de orçamentos e de textos diversos, nomeadamente sumários, descrição da estrutura de gestão, descrição das instituições e alinhamentos com a Agenda das Nações Unidas. O GGI articulou-se com a DAPI, uma vez mais, para facilitar os processos de validação de orçamentos e de assinatura das declarações de compromisso. Apostando num apoio diferenciado, o GGI promoveu sessões iniciais (a 4 e 5 de fevereiro) sobre as regras do concurso e as particularidades do formulário e, posteriormente, sessões abertas, todas as semanas, para esclarecimento de dúvidas. 

OPORTUNIDADES DE FINANCIAMENTO FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Deadline: 15th April 

1. 
Dystonia Coalition (DC) | 
DC Pilot Projects Program  

The goal of the Pilot Projects Program is to foster the most promising clinical and translational studies of direct relevance to dystonia.
Applications must focus on clinical or translational projects with direct relevance to dystonia. The Dystonia Coalition is particularly interested in applicants focusing on projects that exploit data and/or resources already collected by the Dystonia Coalition and/or projects that encourage collaborations by involving different centers of the Dystonia Coalition, although independent projects related to dystonia are also welcome.
The programme is sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the Office of Rare Diseases Research (ORDR) in the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and several patient advocacy groups. The grant has a value of up to $50,000. Indirect costs of up to 10% are eligible. Projects must be completed in one year.

Further information available at:
https://www.rarediseasesnetwork.org/cms/dystonia/News-Events 

Deadline: 16th April

2. 
Boehringer Ingelheim & Ordem dos Médicos | Boehringer Ingelheim Award for Innovation in Healthcare 

The Boehringer Ingelheim Award for Innovation in Healthcare invest in the innovative Hackathon format with teams up to 6 members being supported by specialized mentors to implement their projects.
Proposals should focus on the central pillars of this award:
- Improve access to health care in an equity way to all citizens;
- Improved Health care services allying technological development with more humane approaches;
- MedTech field and informative systems in health;
- Organization and management of health care services;
- Results in health.
The prize of 47.500 € will be divided between the three awarded teams.

Further information available at:
https://biaward.pt

Deadline: 16th April

3. 
FCT e Maratona da Saúde | 
Maratona da Saúde Prizes 2021 - Rare Diseases Research

FCT and Maratona da Saúde (MdS) intend to support Rare Diseases Research through the 2021 edition of the Maratona da Saúde Awards. The two best scientific research projects in the area of Rare Diseases to be developed in Portugal will be distinguished.
This call is open for researchers and/or medical doctors, Portuguese or foreign, who have completed their doctoral studies for less than ten years (Junior Category) and for more than ten years (Senior Category) at the date of the call opening.

Further information available at:
https://www.fct.pt/apoios/premios/maratonadasaude/2021/index.phtml.en 

Deadline: 16th April

4. 
EIT Health | 
EIT Jumpstarter | 

EIT Jumpstarter, recognized as the 2019 Best Association Training Initiative in Europe, is one of the widest cross-industrial programmes designed for early-stage innovators who want to gain traction and jumpstart their business.
EIT Jumpstarter is open to students, PhDs, researchers or entrepreneurs. Participants will learn how to get started on building a business in a unique cross-industry environment. How to create a team, business processes, and organizational design.
During the 8 months-long program, you will find and validate the best business model for your innovative idea. The courses build on the lean start-up methodology from the Silicon Valley translated to the European Environment. You will learn about: how to refine your deal, market segmentation, customer value proposition, market segmentation, financials, investment basics, legal basics
You will receive travel and accommodation support during the program, and the best teams in each category will have the chance to win a €10,000 money prize.

Further information available at:
https://eitjumpstarter.eu/why-eit-jumpstarter/ 

Deadline for submission of an
Expression of interest: 22nd April 

5. 
Cancer Research UK and National Cancer Institute in the US | 
Cancer Research UK Grand Challenge Awards

This international scheme aims to catalyse a revolution in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, with awards of up to £20m available for innovative, game-changing research aligned with nine Grand Challenges.
Funding is available to interdisciplinary teams with novel, exciting ways of solving one of the Grand Challenges, which together encompass some of the most important unanswered questions in cancer research. For the current call, the following nine topics of interest are:
Challenge 1: Cachexia and performance status
Challenge 2: Dormancy
Challenge 3: E-cigarettes
Challenge 4: Extrachromosomal DNA
Challenge 5: Inflammation
Challenge 6: Macromolecules
Challenge 7: Normal Phenotypes
Challenge 8: Senescence
Challenge 9: Solid tumours in children.

Further information available at:
https://cancergrandchallenges.org/challenges 

Deadline: 22nd April

6. 
European Commission under the Justice Program | 
JUST-2020-AG-DRUGS 

The Project applications submitted under the present call for proposals must address at least one of the following priorities:
- To support activities in the area of epidemiology of use of new psychoactive substances, including potent synthetic opioids, as well as emerging drug problems (notably on challenges related to cocaine and heroin use) and technological developments, including online trade of drugs;
- To support the civil society organisations by reinforcing their (i) advocacy function, (ii) capacity to make a difference at the local level, (iii) best practice sharing methods;
- To support key stakeholders by expanding their knowledge and skills in the context of implementing minimum quality standards in drug demand reduction (also on development of tools which would allow to measure possible improvements), particularly in the area of social integration and vulnerable groups;
- To promote practical application of drug-related research, and, in particular, addiction research with a view of addressing current challenges and new threats.

Further information available at:
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/content/call-proposals-just-2020-ag-drugs_en 

Deadline: 14th May

7. 
Fundação Amélia de Mello & COTEC Portugal | Bolsa de Investigação em Inovação Tecnológica, Mobilidade e Indústria | Prémios Alfredo da Silva

To celebrate the 150 years of birth of Alfredo Silva an illustrious man from industry, the Amélia de Mello Foundation and COTEC Portugal will support research projects focusing on Technological Innovation, Mobility and Industry up to 25 000€.

Further information available at:
https://cotecportugal.pt/pt/projects/bolsa-de-investigacao-em-inovacao-tecnologica-mobilidade-e-industria-premios-alfredo-da-silva/  

Deadline: 21st May

8. 
AAL | Advancing Inclusive Health & Care Solutions For Ageing Well In The New Decade

The aim of the Call is to support innovative, transnational and multi-disciplinary collaborative projects.
The Call 2021 would like to stress three elements, namely an inclusive health & care approach (health prevention, preservation of physical & mental health, social participation), the stimulation and upscaling of innovation in active & healthy ageing through health & care eco-systems and the accessibility of digital solutions to end users, e.g through education for greater e-literacy.
Collaborative projects - carried out by consortia composed of at least 3 organizations from 3 different countries including an end user organization and a business partner will remain the main funding tool for this call. This type of projects has a duration of 12 to 30 months with a maximum funding of €2.500.000.
Small Collaborative projects - have a duration of 6 to 9 months, the same central eligibility criteria as the Collaborative projects, a maximum co-funding budget of €300.000 and leaner application and reporting procedures.

Further information available at:
http://www.aal-europe.eu/call-2021/ 

Deadline for submission of a Letter of Intent: 28th May

9. 
Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation | 
Four Core Funding Programs

The ADDF provides funding to academic centers and biotechs from around the world that are advancing therapeutic and biomarker development for Alzheimer's and related dementias. The funding is dedicated to several key areas:
• Translational research to develop new drugs and build preclinical evidence
• IND-enabling studies and early-stage clinical trials for novel and repurposed drugs
• Development and validation of plasma, CSF, neuroimaging and digital biomarkers
• Epidemiological studies and comparative effectiveness research
The Four Core Funding Programs are:
• Drug Development RFP
• Program to Accelerate Clinical Trials (PACT) RFP
• Neuroimaging and CSF Biomarker Development RFP
• Prevention Pipeline RFP.

Further information available at:
https://www.alzdiscovery.org/research-and-grants/funding-opportunities

Deadline: 31st May

10. 
BIAL Foundation and Portuguese Medical Association |  
Maria de Sousa Award 

This award (up to €25.000) aims to reward and support young Portuguese scientific researchers, up to 35 years old, for Health Sciences topic research projects. An internship at an international center of excellence is included.

Further information available at:
https://www.bial.com/com/bial-foundation/awards/premio-maria-de-sousa/  

Deadline for pre-proposals: 31st June 

11. 
ERA-NET TRANSCAN-3 | 
Joint Transnational Call co-funded by the European Commission (JTC 2021) 

The co-funded call of TRANSCAN-3 (JTC 2021) will focus on: "Next generation cancer immunotherapy: targeting the tumour microenvironment”. In the context of translational research, this topic at the intersection of laboratory and clinical research in immuno-oncology will comprise two general aims which concur to the possible clinical applications. Proposals will have to cover at least one of the six (6) specific sub-aims. Approaches should be directed to draw up a multidimensional TME map paving the road for new efficacious immunotherapy strategies. Projects should be built from a solid and established hypothesis and should be relevant with regards to the possible improvements in clinical practice.
Aim 1: Identification and validation of TME subclasses and their contribution to the resistance mechanisms: Translational research using tumour samples collected from retrospective and/or prospective cohorts of patients.
Aim 2: Targeting TME to improve efficacy of immunotherapy in human patients.
Only transnational projects will be funded. Each research consortium must involve a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of six (6) eligible partners from at least three (3) different countries participating in the call. In addition, a research consortium must not involve more than two (2) research groups from one country.

Further information available at:
https://www.transcanfp7.eu/images/documents/CALLS/JTC_2021/TRANSCAN-3_Preannouncement_JTC_2021.pdf