Friday, March 13, 2015

Joint Health Research Call: MRC - TRF - NSTDA - Newton Fund

       

Objectives and scope

“NATIONAL STRATEGIC DISEASES OF THAILAND”

Thailand is presently in a period of epidemiological transition, reflected in key changes in the morbidity and mortality. Today, the major and rising causes of death among Thai citizens are non-communicable diseases. The number one cause of death is cancer. The prevalence rate of communicable (infectious) diseases, which used to be significant health problems have been declining, however drug-resistant and re-emerging infectious diseases are a growing challenge for disease control and prevention in Thailand. For further details please refer to the Thailand’s Health Profile prepared by Bureau of Policy and Strategy, Ministry of Public Healthopens in new window.
To tackle these important, evolving health priorities, key research funding partners in Thailand and the UK have worked together to support this new joint funding initiative, as part of the Newton Fund.
The MRC is working with NSTDA and TRF to support research within the remits of both Thai funders to tackle disease areas of critical importance to the Thai population.
The following areas have been identified by UK and Thai partners as highlight areas and eligible diseases for this call.
The research proposed must be specifically relevant to the Thai population. For example, this may include understanding the cause of disease or epidemiology in the Thai population, or development or implementation of interventions for resource-poor communities.
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Infectious Diseases (to be supported by the MRC and NSTDA)

  • Dengue:   basic research related to dengue vaccine development
  • Malaria:    research and development related to drug resistant parasites (in particular artemisinin), detection, diagnostic kits, etc.
  • Outbreak prediction systems using mathematical models and novel data management systems (IT): particularly to inform emerging infectious disease outbreaks
  • New solutions for important emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) of pandemic threats / endemic infectious diseases: basic research, diagnostic kits, etc.
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Cancer, particularly those outlined below which are major causes of death in Thailand (to be supported by the MRC and TRF)

  • Lung cancer: basic research to understand the disease mechanisms, and research and development related to biological markers for disease detection, monitoring and treatment
  • Cholangiocarcinoma: basic research on early diagnostic markers, and potential new more effective therapies
  • Oesophageal cancer: basic research related to disease development mechanism, and biological marker for treatment
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Research activities

The funders, MRC NSTDA and TRF, welcome proposals for research in these diseases across the spectrum of research activities, from basic discovery research, understanding the mechanisms of disease, novel detection and diagnosis to development of novel preventatives (vaccines) and therapeutics
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Funding available

Funding will be provided by a partnership consisting of:
  • The National Science Technology Development Agency (NSTDA)
  • Thailand Research Fund (TRF)
  • Medical Research Council
The Medical Research Council will lead administration of this call in the UK. Funding from the Medical Research Council has been secured through the Newton Fundopens in new window.
NSTDA, MRC and TRF have earmarked up to £2,889,000 for this call.

NSTDA area:

  • MRC – GBP 1million (in support to the successful UK applicants)
  • NSTDA – GBP 556k (THB 30 million) in support to the successful Thai applicants

TRF area:

  • MRC – GBP 1million (in support to the successful UK applicants)
  • TRF – GBP 333k (THB 18 million) in support to the successful Thai applicants
It is expected that this funding will support up to 4 joint projects at a level of up to GBP 389k per project for infectious diseases, and 3 joint projects at a level of up to GBP 444k per project for non-communicable diseases.
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The Newton Fund

The UK contribution will be channeled 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 pageopens in new window.
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. 
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Assessment Process

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 Thai and UK science;
  • Ethical considerations and governance arrangements.
Applications received and comments from all peer-reviewers will be assessed by MRC and TRF and NSTDA Review Panels in September. 
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Decision making process

Researchers planning to submit to this scheme are asked to submit an Expression of Interest including the names of the leading UK and Thai investigators and a preliminary project title, by Friday 1 May. The deadline for full applications is Tuesday 2 June
Full applications must be submitted by UK PI’s to MRC via the Je-S application system by 4pm, Tuesday 2 June 2015.
Funding decisions will be made through a joint process. This will include:
  1. Joint Expression of Interest emailed to international@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk by Friday 1 May 
  2. Joint application from  the UK and Thai researchers by Tuesday 2 June via Je-S
  3. Joint panel meetings of academic experts for MRC, TRF and NSTDA 
  4. Joint peer review process including UK and Thai academic reviews (plus other international reviewers as appropriate);
  5. Joint panel meetings of academic experts for MRC, TRF and NSTDA
  6. Funds released
The panel’s decision shall be final and will not be open to appeal
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How to apply

UK applications will be submitted to and processed by MRC. Please see guidance (PDF, 331KB)for further information.
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Contacts

For further information, UK applicants should contact:
For further information, Thai applicants should contact:  
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