GGI

Gabinete de Gestão de Investigação

Caros colegas,


Nesta edição começamos por destacar as candidaturas submetidas no último mês com o apoio do Gabinete de Gestão de Investigação (GGI). Foram apoiados 10 projetos para os pilares de educação (5) e de inovação (5) da Call do EIT Health destinada ao Business Plan 2022 e 5 projetos para os Prémios Maratona da Saúde 2021. Para além da satisfação de continuarmos a assistir a um grande empenho na procura de financiamento, sentimos que os docentes e investigadores da FMUC estão a fazê-lo de forma reiterada, a diferentes Calls e com projetos de tipologias diversas, incluindo de inovação, o que é um sinal de grande vitalidade e resiliência. Acima de tudo isto regozijamo-nos sobremaneira com o alargamento sustentado da comunidade de colaboradores da FMUC que participa em candidaturas a financiamento, nomeadamente a nível internacional. Há inequivocamente mais pessoas a escrever propostas e a concorrer, com projetos que abarcam mais áreas médico-científicas do que as tradicionalmente mais comprometidas. Estamos certos de que é desta forma que conseguiremos ser mais competitivos e atingiremos patamares de qualidade compatíveis com a reputação que queremos cimentar.

Damos igualmente destaque nesta edição a 3 excelentes exemplos dessa mesma qualidade: i) a aprovação da candidatura do Healthy Ageing@LAB ao estatuto de laboratório colaborativo (CoLAB); ii) a aprovação para financiamento de 2 projetos em copromoção – BioImage2CTO e BioRobotBeads; iii) a participação num projeto de grande dimensão internacional – o FirEUrisk. Estas boas notícias são sem dúvida um estímulo adicional para incrementarmos esta dinâmica de procura de financiamento competitivo.

Votos de um mês de boas ideias e concretizações!

Be FMUC!

Flávio Reis 

Coordenador do GGI 

Breves


Submissão de projetos à Call do EIT Health para o Business Plan 2022

O GGI esteve envolvido na elaboração e submissão de 10 projetos envolvendo investigadores e professores da FMUC. Para a preparação desta Call, o GGI esteve presente em 2 eventos de matchmaking on-line, em novembro de 2020 e em fevereiro de 2021. Estes eventos têm como objetivo identificar e contactar parceiros para estabelecer ou consolidar consórcios e parcerias estratégicas para o desenvolvimento de novas atividades. Os projetos submetidos com o apoio do GGI totalizam cerca de 21 M€, dos quais cerca de 3.2 M€ serão destinados à UC, caso as propostas recebam aprovação. Contabilizam-se um total de 59 parcerias internacionais e 7 nacionais.

Cinco projetos submetidos ao pilar Educação:

Transformative Digital Skills for Healthcare 3.0: Pushing the Envelope: liderado por Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft;
Equipa da UC: Joaquim Murta, João Pereira Figueira, Maria João Quadrado, João Pedro Marques e Miguel Raimundo.

Brain Health Academy: liderado por Trinity College Dublin;
Equipa da UC: Joaquim Cerejeira e Ana Rita Silva.

SmashMedicine: Phase III - community driven learning: liderado pela University of Oxford;
Equipa da UC: Carlos Robalo Cordeiro, António Jorge Ferreira,
Hugo Conceição e Inês Costa.

TrainR4U - Training Robot for Ultrasound: liderado pelo Instituto Pedro Nunes;
Equipa da UC: Filipe Caseiro Alves e Luís Semedo (FMUC), António José Mendes e Sílvia Nolan (UC_D), Rui Cortesão (DEEC).

Why this drug? Molecular Clinical Advice: liderado por Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (University of Groningen);
Equipa da UC: Maria Filomena Botelho, Margarida Abrantes
e Ana Salomé Pires.


Cinco projetos submetidos ao pilar Inovação:

CALM3D - Digital strategy to improve prevention, management, engagement, experiences and outcomes in Dyspnea: liderado por Hospital Clinic de Barcelona;
Equipa da UC: Carlos Robalo Cordeiro, António Jorge Ferreira e Inês Costa.

MICROSPONGE4Pharma - A MICROSPONGES-based Drug Delivery Platform FOR the PHARMAceutical management of chronic conditions: liderado por Nanofaber Srl;
Equipa da UC: Rosa Fernandes, Francisco Ambrósio, Rufino Silva, João Figueira, Raquel Boia e Beatriz Martins.

MLSPA - My Little Smart Person Assistant: liderado por Instituto Pedro Nunes;
Equipa da UC: Rufino Silva, Lélita Santos, Luiz Santiago, Flávio Reis, Natália António e Inês Costa.

Play4Health - Gamified neurofeedback therapy for daily home therapy for ASD and ADHD: liderado por Austrian Institute of Technology;
Equipa da UC: Miguel Castelo Branco, Ana Pina Rodrigues,
Otília d' Almeida, Francisco Caramelo e Bárbara Paiva.

Precision Ergonomics enabling a future sustainable workplace – SHAPE: liderado por Wergonic AB;
Equipa da UC: António Jorge Ferreira, Duarte Nuno Vieira
e Carlos Fontes Ribeiro.









Aprovado Laboratório Colaborativo
Healthy Ageing@LAB



Foram anunciados no final de março os resultados finais da avaliação do concurso para atribuição do estatuto de Laboratório Colaborativo (CoLAB). Foram aprovados 9 novos CoLAB, perfazendo um total de 35 aprovados até ao momento. O “Healthy Ageing@LAB – Collaborative laboratory for innovative products and services in the area of ageing”, cuja candidatura foi encabeçada pelo Investigador da FMUC Lino Ferreira, é o primeiro CoLAB liderado pela Universidade de Coimbra. O Healthy Ageing@LAB conta com a participação de 13 instituições de diferentes áreas, incluindo da indústria, da investigação, do terceiro sector e da prestação de cuidados de saúde, para além do município.


Projeto BioImage2CTO
aprovado para financiamento

O projeto em copromoção intitulado “BioImage2CTO – Novos biomarcadores de imagem na avaliação das oclusões coronárias crónicas totais” foi aprovado para financiamento. Tendo como empresa-líder o ICNAS Produção, este projeto conta como copromotores a Universidade de Coimbra (liderado pela Professora da FMUC Maria João Vidigal Ferreira) e a Universidade do Minho. O BioImage2CTO tem como principal objetivo o desenvolvimento e validação de novos biomarcadores na área da imagem molecular que permitam a estratificação do risco, bem como o tratamento apropriado dos doentes com oclusões coronárias crónicas totais. O incentivo não reembolsável total aprovado foi de cerca de 500.000 euros.

Reunião de lançamento do projeto FirEUrisk

Decorreu no dia 12 de abril a reunião que marcou o início do projeto “FirEURisk –Developing a holistic, risk-wise strategy for European wildfire management”. Este grande projeto europeu, com um financiamento de 10 milhões de euros, é coordenado pelo docente da UC Domingos Xavier Viegas e inclui 39 parceiros e 15 linked third parties de 18 países de todo o mundo (Europa, Canadá e Austrália). A reunião contou com cerca de 130 participantes.

Este projeto foi aprovado no âmbito da primeira Call do H2020 lançada na sequência dos incêndios florestais que ocorreram em Portugal no ano de 2017, com o tópico “Forest Fires Risk Reduction: towards an Integrated Fire Management Approach in the EU”. Com a duração de quatro anos, o projeto FirEURisk tem como objetivos principais desenvolver, testar e disseminar uma estratégia integrada e baseada na ciência para a gestão do risco de incêndios florestais na Europa. A Universidade de Coimbra participa na categoria de linked third partie ligada à Associação para o Desenvolvimento da Aerodinâmica Industrial (ADAI), estando envolvida a FMUC (sob liderança do Professor António Jorge Ferreira) e o Instituto Jurídico da Faculdade de Direito.


Submissão de candidaturas aos Prémios Maratona da Saúde 2021 - Investigação em Doenças Raras

Os Prémios Maratona da Saúde são uma iniciativa da FCT e da Maratona da Saúde Associação que visa promover a investigação científica portuguesa em diferentes áreas da biomedicina. Estes prémios são financiados maioritariamente através dos donativos angariados durante o espetáculo televisivo anual da Maratona da Saúde, transmitido pela RTP. A edição de 2021 tem como objetivo apoiar a investigação em doenças raras.

O GGI apoiou a preparação
e submissão de 5 candidaturas:

Translation and validation of the Michigan Retinal Degeneration Questionnaire and the Michigan Vision-related Anxiety Questionnaire for use in Portuguese-speaking countries, área Inhertited Retinal Degenerations/Dystrophies
Rufino Silva e João Pedro Marques

Connexing pulmonary injury and right ventricle failure in pulmonary arterial hypertension, área Pulmonary arterial hypertension
Henrique Girão

A sight on CRB2, a new player in inherited retinal dystrophies (CRB2See), área Inherited Retinal Dystrophies
Celso Henrique Alves.

The molecular events underlying right ventricle failure:
the role of BMPR2, área Pulmonary arterial hypertension
Carla Marques

Tackling cardiovascular senescence to prevent/treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, área Pulmonary arterial hypertension
Mónica Zuzarte

Projeto BioRobotBeads
aprovado para financiamento

O projeto em copromoção intitulado “BioRobotBeads – Sistema robotizado para a produção de biomateriais e partículas” foi aprovado para financiamento. Tendo como empresa-líder a Moliporex – Moldes portugueses, importação e exportação S.A., este projeto conta como copromotores o Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, a empresa Ceramed II, o Hospital Veterinário de São Bento e a Universidade de Coimbra. O investigador da FMUC Lino Ferreira lidera a equipa da UC. O BioRobotBeads tem como principal objetivo o desenvolvimento de um sistema robotizado inovador para a síntese de biomateriais e fabricação de partículas. Apresenta um investimento elegível total de cerca de 1 milhão de euros.


OPORTUNIDADES DE FINANCIAMENTO FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

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

1.
Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) |
4 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. We have dedicated our funding 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.
Four Core Research Funding Programs:
- Drug Development;
- Program to Accelerate Clinical Trials (PACT);
- Neuroimaging and CSF Biomarker Development;
- Prevention Pipeline.

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

Deadline: 31st May

2.
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: 1st June

3.
Gilead Sciences |
“Gilead GÉNESE” Programme

 Two categories of grants to be assigned by Gilead:
- Scientific character (Research): outcomes in health; clinical research; health technologies;
- Community or social projects (Community): quality of life; diagnostics; citizen engagement.

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

Deadline: 1st June

4.
Rainwater Charitable Foundation/Tau Consortium |
Rainwater Prize Program for Neurodegenerative Research

The Rainwater Prize Program was designed with a goal of increasing awareness of critical gaps in neurodegenerative research, attracting and retaining researchers to work on tauopathies and rewarding step-wise scientific achievements that can lead to effective treatments for patients.
The prizes are:
-The Rainwater Prize for Outstanding Innovation in Neurodegenerative Research ($250,000);
-The Rainwater Prize for Innovative Early-Career Scientists ($150,000);
-The Rainwater Milestone Prize for Advances in Tauopathy Research (up to $2 million);
-The Rainwater Breakthrough Prize for Effective Treatments in PSP (up to $10 million).

Further information available at:
https://rainwatercharitablefoundation.org/rainwater-prize 

Deadline: 7th June

5.
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa |
João Lobo Antunes Award - 5ª edição

This award (40,000 €) target for medical graduates in the course of their medical internship, aims to stimulate scientific culture and clinical research in the area of neurosciences, without forgetting the principle of João Lobo Antunes regarding the humanization of the medical act - “Their patients and their stories”.

Further information available at:
https://www.scml.pt/premios-e-investigacao/premio-joao-lobo-antunes/ 

Deadline for submission of pre-proposals: 15th June

6.
M-ERA.NET 3|
ERA-NET for Materials Research and Innovation

The aim of this call is to fund ambitious transnational projects addressing materials research and innovation including materials for low carbon energy technologies, future batteries technology and related production technologies.
The call includes the following thematic areas:
- Modelling for materials engineering, processing, properties and durability;
- Innovative surfaces, coatings and interfaces;
- High performance composites;
- Functional materials;
- New strategies for advanced material-based technologies for health applications;
- Materials for additive manufacturing.
It should be noted that research on batteries is a key objective of this call and is clearly addressed in the scope of multiple topics. Battery-related objectives and impact are explicitly highlighted in the respective detailed topic descriptions.
A total of 45 funding agencies from 32 countries are participating in the call with a total budget of approximately €60 million, including an EU co-fund contribution.

Further information available at:
https://m-era.net/joint-calls/joint-call-2021

Deadline for pre-proposals: 18th June

7.
Michelson Medical Research Foundation (MMRF) |
Human Vaccines Project - Michelson Prizes: Next Generation Grants

The Michelson Prizes: Next Generation Grants are $150,000 research grants given annually to support promising researchers who are applying disruptive concepts and inventive processes to advance human immunology, vaccine discovery and immunotherapy research for major global diseases.
The 2021 Michelson Prizes will be looking for research proposals in two areas:
- Human Immunology and Vaccine Research: The committee will be looking for research aimed at tackling the current roadblocks that exist in human vaccine development and expanding our limited understanding of key immune processes that are fundamental to successful vaccine and immunotherapy development;
- Climate Change and Human Immunology: Climate change has a profound effect on human health; pollution and other environmental stressors related to climate change increase susceptibility to disease, especially in vulnerable populations. Harnessing the immune system will be critical to mitigate negative health impacts. The committee is looking for research that expands our understanding of the potential effects of climate change on immune function with a particular interest in research that will directly translate into vaccine and immunotherapy development to mitigate its impact.
While the Michelson Prizes are focused on research in the fields of immunology, vaccine and immunotherapy discovery, applicants from the full spectrum of related disciplines, including clinical research, biochemistry, molecular biology, protein engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence/machine learning, biophysics, nanotechnology, environmental health, etc., are encouraged to apply.

Further information available at:
https://cfr.gwu.edu/human-vaccines-project%E2%80%94-michelson-prizes-next-generation-grants 

Deadline for pre-proposals: 30th June

8.
Bial | Bial Award in Biomedicine 2021

The BIAL Award in Biomedicine, with the amount of 300.000 Euro, seeks to recognize a work published in the broad biomedical field within the last ten years, the results of which are considered of exceptional quality and scientific relevance. Only works nominated by the voting members of the Jury, the members of the Scientific Board of the BIAL Foundation, previous BIAL award winners or Scientific Societies may be considered candidates for the BIAL Award in Biomedicine. The Jury may also invite other scientific institutions to submit nominations. Self-nominations are not allowed.

Further information available at:
https://www.bial.com/com/bial-foundation/awards/bial-award-in-biomedicine/ 

Deadline for pre-proposals: 29th June

9.
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:
http://transcan.eu/opencall.html 

Deadline: 20th August

10.
John Templeton Foundation |
John Templeton Foundation Genetics Grants

The Foundation's Genetics Grants seek to accelerate the rate of progress in genetics research by supporting novel approaches and contrarian research, particularly research that is undervalued by traditional funding sources. Projects can take the form of basic or translational research, or can be educational programmes to increase worldwide public awareness of how genetics-related research and its applications can advance human development at individual and society levels.

Further information available at:
https://www.templeton.org/grants/apply-for-grant 

Deadline: Applications will be accepted on rolling basis

11.
Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) |
Pfizer/BMS - Atrial Fibrillation and Venous Thromboembolism

The aim of the requests for proposals is to support projects that focus on improving the care of patients by addressing knowledge gaps in following areas:
Atrial Fibrillation (AF):
- Updates on anticoagulation guidelines/guidance;
- Anticoagulation in special populations (i.e. elderly/fragile, obese, renal, comorbidities and/or polypharmacy);
- Anticoagulation and cardiac peripheral procedures (ie bioprosthetic valves, ablation, cardioversion);
- Increasing and scale-up AF diagnosis and its impact in morbidity and mortality.
Venous Thromboembolism (VTE):
- VTE and length of anticoagulation treatment;
- VTE bleeding and thrombosis risk assessment through patient characteristic (age, comorbidities, etc);
- New data on cancer associated (Ca-VTE) thrombosis management;
- Updates on anticoagulation guidelines/guidance.
Eligible applicants are medical, nursing, allied health, and/or pharmacy professional schools, healthcare institutions (both large and small), professional associations and medical societies, medical education companies, and other entities with a mission related to healthcare professional education and/or healthcare improvement. For projects offering continuing education credit, the requesting organisation must be accredited.
The typical grant maximum under these requests for proposals will be up to $150,000.

Further information available at:
https://cdn.pfizer.com/pfizercom/2021-04/Education%20AFib%20VTE_Final.pdf?VersionId=b0s3ZwKwh5vPNJNSFo6leKTsVqe0fWj8 

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