Car@s colegas,
Na edição deste mês da Newsletter do Gabinete de Gestão de Investigação (GGI) da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra (FMUC) voltamos a destacar dois temas que têm merecido a nossa especial atenção – a Cocriação e a Inovação – por força da participação de elementos do Gabinete em iniciativas relacionadas com a promoção destas vertentes. Com efeito, o GGI foi convidado a participar em sessões de “Oficinas de Cocriação de Conhecimento”, uma iniciativa da Inspeção-Geral das Atividades em Saúde (IGAS) no âmbito do Plano de Trabalho Colaborativo na Administração Pública. Temos enfatizado junto dos colaboradores da FMUC a necessidade de integração de ideias e perspetivas de diferentes partes interessadas (stakeholders) nos seus projetos de investigação, enriquecendo assim as propostas. O GGI participou também no “Inovação@UC”, um evento organizado pela Comissão de Inovação, Serviço e Relação com a Comunidade do Conselho Geral da UC, com o objetivo de destacar a inovação que se desenvolve na UC. O Gabinete tem estado a acompanhar estas iniciativas para poder dar apoio aos colaboradores da FMUC em projetos de investigação e inovação.
Uma nota final de grande regozijo pela aprovação do projeto Reset Bone Ageing liderado na UC pelo investigador da FMUC Lino Ferreira.
Votos de um mês com ideias inovadoras para projetos vencedores!
Be FMUC!
Flávio Reis
Coordenador do GGI
Breves
GGI em sessões de “Oficinas de Cocriação de Conhecimento”
Esta iniciativa da Inspeção-Geral das Atividades em Saúde (IGAS), organizada em parceria com o LabX - Centro para a Inovação no Setor Público, realizou-se ao longo dos meses de outubro e novembro no âmbito do Plano de Trabalho Colaborativo na Administração Pública. Este exercício de cocriação consiste em sessões de trabalho envolvendo diversas pessoas ligadas ao setor da saúde, incluindo profissionais de saúde com papéis diversos, investigadores, gestores, associações representativas de utentes, responsáveis por start-ups na área da saúde, entre outros, e tem como objetivo recolher informação relevante sobre diversas condicionantes e fatores impactantes no processo de desenvolvimento e adoção de soluções inovadoras para a saúde.
No passado dia 5 de Novembro decorreu o Inovação@UC, um evento dedicado à inovação que se desenvolve na UC, no qual foram apresentados os projetos, ideias e empresas mais disruptivas. Esta iniciativa foi organizada pela Comissão de Inovação, Serviço e Relação com a Comunidade do Conselho Geral da UC e contou com a intervenção do Magnífico Reitor da UC e do Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Coimbra, entre outros. Na sessão foi destacado o elevado potencial das ideias e da investigação que se desenvolvem na UC, bem como a necessidade de promoção da translação. De referir que a larga maioria dos palestrantes não obtiveram financiamento da FCT para desenvolverem os projetos, mas tiveram o devido reconhecimento do seu mérito através de financiamento europeu ou da criação de start-ups que singraram.
GGI no 1º Curso de Metodologia Científica
em Medicina Dentária
O GGI foi convidado a participar no passado dia 29 de Outubro no 1º Curso de Metodologia Científica em Medicina Dentária para falar sobre a importância da pesquisa de oportunidades de financiamento. Num dia dedicado a temáticas relacionadas com a escrita de projetos, pensamento crítico, métricas científicas e temas afins, o GGI pôde apresentar a sua missão e falar sobre as diferentes ferramentas para procura de oportunidades de financiamento e as diversas entidades financiadoras nacionais e internacionais. Numa sessão que pretendeu sobretudo ser de sensibilização para aspetos por vezes descurados, foi destacada a importância de conhecer a entidade financiadora à qual vamos submeter os projetos para que os mesmos estejam o mais alinhados possível com a missão da entidade.
Projeto Reset_Bone_Ageing
aprovado para financiamento
O projeto Reset_Bone_Ageing: Revestimento para próteses ortopédicas com capacidade de aumentar a regeneração de tecido ósseo envelhecido, submetido em 2020 ao Aviso Compete 17/SI/2019, foi agora aprovado para financiamento. Após a apresentação de alegações contrárias à avaliação inicialmente recebida, este consórcio, liderado pela empresa Ceramed Coatings, S.A. e na UC pelo investigador da FMUC Lino Ferreira, recebeu agora a decisão final favorável para financiamento. O projeto, que conta com um investimento total de cerca de 690.000€, pretende desenvolver um revestimento para dispositivos ortopédicos com capacidade de “rejuvenescer” o tecido ósseo envelhecido e aumentar a sua capacidade de regeneração.
8º Congresso em Envelhecimento Ativo e Saudável
O GGI encontra-se ativamente envolvido na organização de mais uma edição do encontro anual do Consórcio Ageing@Coimbra. O evento deste ano terá um programa mais reduzido, decorrendo apenas na tarde de dia 7 de dezembro, na Sala D. Afonso Henriques (Antiga Igreja) do Convento São Francisco em Coimbra. Entre outros painéis, decorrerá a cerimónia de entrega da 4ª edição dos Prémios de Boas Práticas em Envelhecimento Ativo e Saudável, organização da Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Centro em parceria com o consórcio Ageing@Coimbra. Para mais informações sobre o evento consulte a página https://ageingcoimbra.pt/
OPORTUNIDADES DE FINANCIAMENTO FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Two Grants are open:
• New Investigator Grants provide two years of funding to a new diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG) investigator for hypothesis-driven research projects. The grant is up to $250,000 over 2 years (maximum of $125,000 per year).
• Research Grants provide three years of funding for hypothesis-driven research projects. The proposed research must represent an innovative approach to a major challenge in DIPG research. The funded projects must have the potential to lead to groundbreaking discoveries in the field, and transform understanding of the tumorigenesis process or the ability to treat or detect DIPG. Single investigator and collaborative, multi-institutional research proposals are supported.
Further information available at:
https://defeatdipg.org/grant-awards/
Within the framework of the '2021/2022 Global Cachexia ASPIRE' requests for proposals, funding is available to support research into:
• Evidence generation in Understanding Cachexia/Unintentional Weight Loss in Cancer or Heart Failure;
• Role of GDF-15/GFRAL Pathway in Disease;
• GDF-15/GFRAL Biology;
• Natural History (longitudinal) studies specifically related to cachexia/weight loss and/or heart failure.
Individual projects requesting up to USD $250,000 will be considered. Pfizer anticipates a total fund of USD $750,000.
Further information available at:
https://www.pfizer.com/purpose/independent-grants/competitive-grants
The goal of the Marfan Foundation Innovators Award is to provide funding to explore an innovative concept that has applicability to improving human health. Examples could include fundamental research, diagnostic tests, biomarkers, biomedical engineering advances, and imaging advances. The grant programme is designed to provide financial support for investigators studying any or all disciplines involved in Marfan syndrome, VEDS, EDS, LDS, and other aortic and vascular conditions.
The grant has a value of up to $50,000 per year for two years.
Further information available at:
https://marfan.org/resource-library/innovators-award/
The Fund Sophia was created to support medical scientific research on neurodegenerative diseases. The fund is administered by King Baudouin Foundation (KBF). Priority will be given to research projects with focus on Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) or related diseases characterized by parkinsonism, but excluding idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. The funding should enable the researcher/research team to launch a new research line or to continue an existing research project. Financial support of up to €150,000 will be given to a research project covering a period of two years.
Further information available at:
https://www.kbs-frb.be/en/sophia-fund-1
The NPF More than Skin Deep: Mental Health Grant funding instrument supports researchers interested in conducting projects focused on mental health in psoriatic disease. The goal is to support this area of unmet need in the psoriatic disease community by funding research focused on, but not limited to, investigation of psoriatic disease on mental health, as well as interventions for addressing this comorbidity, inflammatory processes, stigma, psychosocial impact of psoriasis, barriers to care, financial burden of chronic disease, or other related areas. The grant amounts to up to $100,000 per year for one year (direct costs only).
Further information available at:
https://www.psoriasis.org/available-funding-opportunities
The NPF Translational Research Grants funding instrument focusses on helping scientific discoveries from clinical, laboratory or population-based studies move rapidly into treatments that have a clear benefit for patients with psoriatic disease. Applications related to all aspects of psoriatic disease are strongly encouraged, including basic science, translational research, technology, epidemiology, health services, and clinical research. Prospective applicants are encouraged to review recent publications and reports identifying research gaps and priorities in psoriatic disease research. The grant amounts to up to $100,000 per year for two years (direct costs only).
Further information available at:
https://www.psoriasis.org/available-funding-opportunities
The following Action Grants will be available:
• Action grants boosting cancer prevention through the use of the European Code against Cancer and other concerted actions
• Action grants to organize and collect data to understand the safety, quality and efficacy of therapies applied in the field of assisted reproduction and based on haematopoietic stem cells
• Action grants to support the implementation of best practices in community-based services for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections
• Action grants supporting training activities, implementation, and best practices
• Action grants for ‘Cancer Diagnostic and Treatment for All’ including ‘Genomic for Public Health’
• Action grants for the Computer-aided Drug Repurposing for Cancer Therapy Project
• Action grants to reduce liver and gastric cancers caused by infections
• Action grants for developing a pilot project for an EU infrastructure ecosystem for the secondary use of health data for research, policy-making and regulatory purposes
• Action grants to support implementation of best practices on the ground with direct impact on the effort to tackle mental health challenges during COVID-19
• Action grants to support actions to improve access to human papillomavirus vaccination
• Action grants for the initiative ‘HealthyLifestyle4All’: promotion of healthy lifestyles
• Action grants for ‘EU Cancer Treatment Capacity and Capability Mapping’ project - Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres
• Action grants to create a ‘Cancer Survivor Smart Card’
Further information available at:
https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/default/files/funding/docs/wp2021_annex_en.pdf
Develop novel concepts in immunoglobulin research in the field of neurology, encourage the discovery of beneficial immunoglobulin applications for neurologic disorders and promote research of novel therapeutic options for patients with neurologic conditions. The award offers €50,000 to one applicant to support a 12-month project.
Further information available at:
https://www.spin-awards.com/en/home
The research must be in the field of pancreatic diseases. Studies intended to advance knowledge in the areas of pancreatic carcinoma, and all forms of pancreatitis would be the closest to the areas of interest of the NPF. Applicants must be employed by an institution engaged in health-related research. They must hold an advanced degree (MD, DO, PhD or international equivalent) and be early-stage faculty within 5 years of their first faculty or staff appointment. Postdoctoral fellows may apply if they will hold a faculty position at the time the grant starts.
The maximum grant is $50,000 for one year.
Further information available at:
https://pancreasfoundation.org/research/grants-and-awards/
The following Calls will be available:
• HORIZON-CL6-2022-FARM2FORK-01-07 - Fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food systems from primary production to consumption
• HORIZON-CL6-2022-FARM2FORK-01-09: Microbiomes in food production systems
• HORIZON-CL6-2022-FARM2FORK-01-10: Integrated surveillance system to prevent and reduce diet-related Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
Further information available at:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2021-2022/wp-9-food-bioeconomy-natural-resources-agriculture-and-environment_horizon-2021-2022_en.pdf
Identify and support innovative clinical and scientific research focused on gaining greater insight into the biologic roles of Alpha-1-Antitrypsin (AATD). Eligible candidates are early career clinicians and scientists under 40 at the time of application who are new to the field, as well as those who are already studying AATD. The award offers two annual grants of €50,000 each (one for clinical research and one for basic research to support a 12-month project.
Further information available at:
https://www.alta-awards.com/en/home
Martín Villar Haemostasis Awards: Eligible candidates are scientists and clinicians up to 40 years of age with an innovative idea relevant to haemophilia and von Willebrand disease pathologies or management with plasma-derived protein therapies. The award offers €50,000 to one applicant (clinical research or basic research) to support a 12 month project.
Further information available at:
https://www.martinvillar-awards.com/en/home
Excellence hubs are an initiative to strengthen regional innovation excellence in placed based innovation ecosystems where companies, research institutions, governmental bodies and societal actors are mutually reinforcing each other in a territorial context and together raise the level of innovation excellence in their regional fabric. Consortia must include at least two different place based R&I ecosystems in at least two different countries eligible to host the coordinator under the widening part of Horizon Europe. Each ecosystem needs to include four different categories of actors i.e. a) academic institutions b) business entities c) public authorities or authorized agencies and d) societal actors.
Further information available here.
ERA Chairs projects bring outstanding academics, with proven research excellence and management skills, to universities and research institutions in Widening countries with potential for research excellence. They aim to attract and maintain high quality human resources under the direction of an outstanding researcher (the 'ERA Chair holder') while at the same time implementing structural changes necessary to achieve excellence on a sustainable basis.
Further information available here.
The ERC Consolidator Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they may still be consolidating their own independent research team or programme. Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal.
Consolidator Grants may be awarded up to a maximum of €2.000.000 for a period of 5 years.
Further information available here.
The following Calls will be available:
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-STAYHLTH-02-01: Personalised blueprint of chronic inflammation in health-to-disease transition
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-ENVHLTH-04-01: Methods for assessing health-related costs of environmental stressors
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-DISEASE-07-03: Non-communicable diseases risk reduction in adolescence and youth (Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases - GACD)
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-DISEASE-07-02: Pandemic preparedness
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-DISEASE-07-01: Support for the functioning of the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R)
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-CARE-08-04: Better financing models for health systems
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-TOOL-11-01: Optimising effectiveness in patients of existing prescription drugs for major diseases (except cancer) with the use of biomarkers
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-TOOL-11-02: New methods for the effective use of real-world data and/or synthetic data in regulatory decision-making and/or in health technology assessment
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-IND-13-01: Enhancing cybersecurity of connected medical devices
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-IND-13-02: Scaling up multi-party computation, data anonymisation techniques, and synthetic data generation
• HORIZON-HLTH-2022-IND-13-03: New pricing and payment models for cost-effective and affordable health innovations
Further information available at:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2021-2022/wp-4-health_horizon-2021-2022_en.pdf
