UK-Philippines: Joint Health Research Call

Time remaining: 4w 0d 8h 56m

Status: Open

Open date: 23/04/2015

Closing date: 16/07/2015 16:00

Type: Calls

Categories: Infections and immunity, Molecular and cellular medicine, Global health

Researchers planning to submit to this scheme are asked to submit an Expression of Interest by Friday, 19 June

Objectives and scope

The funders wish to support the development and strengthening of new and existing UK-Filipino research collaborations. The focus of this call is research into infectious diseases of relevance to the Philippines, particularly on diseases that impact the most vulnerable in society. This may include but is not limited to:

Dengue and dengue-like illness

Multidrug-resistant / extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB)

Drug-resistant malaria

Influenza-like illness

Leptospirosis

Sepsis

HIV

Hepatitis

Areas of particular research interest within the infectious disease space include:

Genomics and molecular technologies: for novel biomarker identification, with a focus on host and pathogen ‘omics and host-pathogen interactions

Diagnostics: Development of cost effective diagnostic tools (point of care; differential/discriminatory; confirmatory; early detection of most severe) for priority infectious diseases, utilizing or repurposing off-patent or lapsed and/or novel technologies

Vaccines and therapeutics: exploratory/applied research which might lead to the development of new more effective prevention or therapeutic strategies

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) / e-health: Development of user-friendly ICT solutions to accelerate the gathering and processing of health and related information for policymaking, and delivery of quality healthcare services

The funders are looking to develop and strengthen UK-Filipino collaborations, and support collaborations which will have a real impact in this field. Applicants must therefore successfully demonstrate the sustainability of the collaboration and the potential impact of the activities proposed.

The total funding available for this call is as follows:

MRC -  up to £2m (Funding provided to the successful UK applicants)

PCHRD – up to £1.2m (Funding provided to the successful Filipino applicants)

It is expected that this funding will support around 5 joint projects. Applications will be required to have at least one UK Principle Investigator and one Filipino Principle Investigator. If appropriate, applications with industrial partners are welcomed (although no funding will be available to these partners).

The UK contribution will be channelled through MRC, from the Newton Fund. The Newton Fund is an initiative intended to strengthen research and innovation partnerships between the UK and emerging knowledge economies. It was launched by the Chancellor in April 2014, and will deliver £375 million of funding over the course of five years.

The Fund forms part of the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment which is monitored by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). ODA funded activity focuses on outcomes that promote the long-term sustainable growth of countries on the OECD Development Assistance Committee list. Newton Fund countries represent a sub-set of this list. For more information please visit the MRC Newton Fund page.

The Newton Fund requires that the funding be awarded in a manner that fits with Official Development Assistance (ODA) guidelinesopens in new window. All applications under this call must therefore be compliant with these guidelines. 

To be funded, proposals must be internationally competitive and at a standard equivalent to that normally expected to be supported by each funding organisation.

Key assessment criteria for the submissions will be:

Significance and Impact of the research

Scientific Rationale: novelty, importance and timeliness of the research

Design and Feasibility of the Project Plan

Partnership: including strength and clarity of collaborations and opportunities provided, quality of the project management structure proposed

Quality and suitability of the research environment and of the facilities

Value for money for Filipino and UK science

Ethical considerations and governance arrangements.

Applications will be externally peer reviewed and assessed by a joint MRC-PCHRD Review Panel in November 2015.

Funding decisions will be made through a joint process.

This will include:

Joint application received from the UK and Filipino PIs (see guidance for applicants to this call)

 

MRC and PCHRD carry out eligibility and internal checks and agree which proposals will go forward for assessment

 

Joint peer review process including UK and Filipino academic reviewers (plus other international reviewers as appropriate),

 

Joint panel meeting of academic experts including experts from both the UK and the Philippines – provide funding recommendations to MRC and PCHRD

 

MRC and the DOST-PCHRD Governing Council meet to approve the recommendations made by the panel and agree a list of projects they wish to fund.

 

The panel’s decision is final and not open to appeal.

Due to Newton Fund restrictions, all MRC funding must be complete by March 2019, meaning that research projects must end by 31 December 2018. Therefore to support 3 year projects, the projects must begin by 14 Jan 2016.

 

Other Funding Opportunities: 

 

 

  

  

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