European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) is currently inviting proposals for its strategic primer grants. Founded in 2003, EDCTP is an association created in response to the global health crisis caused by the three main poverty-related diseases of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. EDCTP’s focus remains on development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. It also gives special attention to phase II and III clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa.
Objective
Strategic Primer grants provide funding for research groups in sub-Saharan Africa and Europe to conduct innovative, ambitious studies that will:
- Generate results to inform future clinical trials
- Sustain and strengthen the capacity built up under EDCTP I
- Increase networking of African and European Member States’ research programs
Funding is available to support clinical research studies of up to two years duration to address high priority research issues and barriers to progress. The purpose of the award is to provide pump-priming to allow researchers to explore novel and innovative lines of research that may lead to the development and testing of new or improved clinical interventions against HIV/AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis.
Available funding
Awards are for up to two years and must terminate by 30 September 2014 according to the timelines for closure of EDCTP-I. Funding may be requested from EDCTP for salaries, consumables, equipment, networking and capacity building. There is no upper limit on the level of funding that can be requested, however, applicants should note that the total amount of funding available under this Call is around € 5,500,000. Awards are likely, therefore, to be in the region of € 300,000 to € 800,000.
Cofunding Requirements
It is expected that the EDCTP contribution of € 5,500,000 will be matched by cofunding from the Member States. All applications should include details of cofunding. Cofunding may take the form of ‘cash’ directly to EDCTP or ‘in kind’ contributions, i.e. the provision of goods or services, including salaries and costs, supported by the partner towards carrying out the project.
Eligibility criteria
Applications must involve researchers from publicly funded institutions in two or more EDCTP-EEIG Member States, and one or more publicly funded institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. Applications to support research projects undertaken in collaboration with private or public partnerships are encouraged.
Selection Criteria
- Track record of the applicants, composition of the research team and the team’s ability and expertise to deliver the project’s objectives
- Importance of the research question(s), evidence of a clear need for this study, innovation and excellence of the scientific plan
- Feasibility and appropriateness of the methods and project management to answer the research question(s) within the time frame of the grant;
- Impact of the study results and how the outcomes will lead to the development of future clinical trials
- How the proposal strengthens and sustains capacity built up via EDCTP funding
Last date for submitting the Letter of Intent is February 14, 2012.
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