Research in biomedical sciences that targets disease mechanisms and outcomes may be divided into several overlapping areas. Translational research focuses on the areas of biology that impinge on human health and the understanding of disease mechanisms, and on the application of this research toward a particular medical challenge. Clinical research aims to understand disease and health by directly observing and experimenting on patients. Both areas of research are required to promote the effective application of basic knowledge into patient needs. The Clinical and Translational Collaborative Research Grants are designed to enhance and enlarge the clinical and translational research infrastructure in Portugal and to promote collaboration not only within Portugal but also internationally. The research topics to be considered in these calls should be patient and/or disease oriented and the translational and/or clinical outcomes should be clearly stated. It is expected that, through a range of scientific approaches, the Collaborative Research Grants will focus on questions relevant to medicine at the frontier of translational and clinical sciences.
Successful competitive proposals will involve a collaborative effort between (at least) two Portuguese research teams from different legally defined institutions and (at least) one research team from Harvard Medical School, institutions affiliated with Harvard Medical School and/or other Harvard faculties and schools. There will be one call for grant applications in each of the first four years of this Program, each call offering three collaborative research grants. Each grant will provide funding for two years, with the possibility (upon evaluation) of extension for a third year. Grant applications will be assessed on a strictly competitive basis by an international panel of independent experts. A typical award will provide resources for each individual laboratory adequate to cover two salaries (at the levels of PhD or MD-PhD student, postdoctoral fellow, or technician), supplies, and limited resources for equipment. If requested, salary support for principal investigators will be limited to no more than 10% of the principal investigator's then current salary. These grants will also provide the opportunity for Harvard College undergraduates to participate in research in one of the Portuguese laboratories supported by a collaborative research grant (see Technical Annex). Travel support will be provided to allow all the researchers from the Harvard teams to meet annually with their counterparts in Portugal and to participate in the Annual Retreat to be held in Portugal; these meetings and the Annual Retreat will be essential to ensure active networking among all the participants of the program.
As a condition of accepting their research grant awards, the Portuguese laboratories involved in the Collaborative Research Grants will make available laboratory slots to accommodate either MD students or MDs in residency training. MDs enrolled in a research project in these laboratories can participate in a significant period of practical training at the Harvard laboratories involved in the Collaborative Research Grants. While in residence at Harvard, Portuguese MDs will become full members of the host laboratory, participating in laboratory research, group meetings, journal clubs, retreats, workshops, seminars, and nanocourses. The Portuguese MDs will also participate in the Harvard Catalyst Colloquium Series and a bimonthly faculty dinner series together with “peer mentors” from one of the Harvard laboratories involved in the Collaborative Research Grants. These paracurricular activities will allow the Portuguese MDs studying at Harvard to interact with Harvard students and fellows and will encourage community-building among the Portuguese MDs in each cohort.
Investigators applying for a clinical and translational collaborative research grant must organize themselves as an international research team. The team must consist of a least three investigators: one investigator is designated as the "Principal Applicant" and the other investigators as "Co-Applicants." The Principal Applicant and at least one Co-Applicant will be located in Portugal, and at least one Co-Applicant will be located at Harvard. The Principal Applicant will be responsible for coordinating the research on behalf of the team. He/she will also act as the team's liaison with the HMS-Portugal Program and will be required to submit annual budgets and progress reports.
A key requisite for acceptance of a Collaborative Research Grant is that all funded researchers directly supported by the Research Grant (including the Principal Investigators, students, post-doctoral fellows, and technicians) must attend and participate in the Annual HMS-Portugal Program Retreats and Symposia to be held in Portugal. Failure to attend could result in loss of funding.
Duration of activity: A typical proposal should cover research efforts for a period of three years. Funding for years 2 and 3 will be conditional on the progress achieved by the team as determined upon review by the Review Committee.
Funding: The maximal annual funding level for a project is 100,000 Euros per year for each Portuguese team (up to a total of 200,000 Euros per year for all the Portuguese laboratories participating in a given project) and U.S. $160,000 per year for all the Harvard laboratory/(ies) participating in a given project. This is partly funded by QREN and COMPETE.
For the 2009 Call, funding is available for 3 projects. Funds awarded to Harvard Medical School for the HMS-Portugal Program will cover the participation of HMS teams in each project.
Eligible applicants: Applications must come from groups associated with Portuguese Universities, Associate Laboratories, Research Centers, State Laboratories or any other public or private research institutions, including hospitals. Applications must involve participants from at least two different legally defined Portuguese institutions and (at least) one research team from Harvard Medical School, institutions affiliated with Harvard Medical School and/or other Harvard faculties and schools.
Where to apply: Applications must be submitted online through the FCT website https://concursos.fct.mctes.pt/projectos/ following the Announcement of the Call for Proposals. Information on http://alfa.fct.mctes.pt/apoios/projectos/concursos/harvard/2009/translacao
Deadline for receipt of full applications: 30 October 2009.
Applicants are invited to submit a Letter of Intent by 15 September 2009, for the sole purpose of identifying mail reviewers in a timely fashion. A decision not to submit a Letter of Intent will not detract from or influence the reviewing process in any way. The Letter of Intent should be written in English and include: the identification of the principal applicant and co-applicants; the title of the research project; up to three keywords; and a summary of the overall project (do not exceed two pages, Arial regular font, 11 point). The Letter of Intent should be submitted by email to the Chair of the Review Committee (hmsportugalapplications@hms.harvard.edu).
Full applications must:
- be written in English
- include an overview of proposed research emphasizing how the proposal meets the aims of the HMS-Portugal Program. Emphasize also the nature and expected outcomes of the collaborative work. State clearly the aims of the team as a whole and indicate the specific role played by each member in achieving the goals of the team. Explain the advantages of conducting the proposed studies as a collaborative effort. (Do not exceed three pages, Arial regular font, 11 point).
- Include a detailed outline of the proposed research, including preliminary results (do not exceed seven pages; Arial regular font, 11 point). The detailed presentation must delineate the specific contributions of each member of the team.
- Include the CV and publication list of the principal applicant and each co-applicant (for each applicant, maximum of 2 pages, Arial regular font, 11 point, including a list of up to 10 of the most relevant papers).
Review of applications: Applications will be reviewed by a Review Committee of independent experts, from the United States and nations other than Portugal, organized by FCT in close collaboration with Harvard Medical School. The Review Committee will be chaired by Professor Lee Nadler at Harvard Medical School and will be responsible for evaluating the merit of each proposal, and for identifying ways in which successful applicants might work together to avoid the creation of redundant content.
Notification: Successful applicants will be notified by email after 1 December 2009.
Start of activity: Funded applications will commence after 1 January 2010.
Progress Report. A yearly report will be delivered, for interim review by the Review Committee. The Committee has the right to recommend that further funding be discontinued or extended for one more year.
Final Report: A Final Report will be delivered, for review by the Review Committee.