AXA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2012: New Deadline

AXA Research Fund

Post-doctoral Fellowship

Good News!

TropMed has been awarded one quota in the 2nd AXA Campaign for 2012

Call for Nominations

Extended Deadline is now Friday 31 August 2012

The AXA Research Fund encourages scientific research that would contribute to understanding and preventing environmental, life, and socio-economic risks. The Fund supports world class research in these areas by providing institutions with the means of attracting and retaining the leading scientists of today and of the next generation. The Fund seeks to support innovative and cutting-edge transdisciplinary projects; particularly as such projects may encounter difficulties in gaining support elsewhere.

Call for Nominations: The Faculty of Tropical Medicine can submit only one (1)Postdoctoral Fellowship Nomination. If there is more than one nomination, we must select the best one to forward to AXA. We are therefore now calling for nominations by members of the Faculty for Postdoctoral Fellows who meet the selection criteria.

Eligibility: Members of the Faculty should ONLY nominate candidates who are citizens of one of the EU member states (see http://www.eucountrylist.com/), or one of the EU-FP7 countries: i.e. Switzerland, Israel, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Turkey, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia, Albania and Montenegro), or, in Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, India), or, in Latin America (Brazil and Mexico). Nominees must apply to undertake their postdoctoral fellowship program at the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University.

Timeline for Second Campaign, 2012

1st round: Institutions to post their intention to participate in the campaign

• Opening: May 29th, 2012
• Closing: June 21st, 2012
• Results Announced: June 28th, 2012
• Completed (one quota awarded)

2nd round: Institutions to propose candidates

Step 1: Opening: June 28th, 2012

Please forward your candidate nominations to Mr. Paul Adams, Research Administrator, Office of Research Services (paul.ada@mahidol.ac.th), no later than Friday 31st August 2012. 

The 2nd round aims to select a PostDoctoral candidate according to the following criteria:

• Academic excellence of the candidate

• Innovative nature and originality of the project

• Feasibility of the project (management, organization, budget)

• International reach/International scope of the host laboratory

• International mobility (valued but not required)

• Application should be submitted within the 5 years following the Ph.D/Thesis (valued but not required)

Detailed Guidelines in PDF format can be downloaded from: http://www.axa-research.org/sites/dev/files/A-Howtoobtain-Modus/Post-Doc2012.pdf

The AXA Research Fund homepage is at http://www.axa-research.org/

For further assistance and advice, please contact Paul at the Research Administration Unit, Office of Research Services

Malaria Eradication Scientific Alliance (MESA) Grant

MESA Grant

Availability & application instructions

DESCRIPTION OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
Grants: US$50,000-US$200,000

Project duration: 6 to 24 months

Submission deadline: 21 August 2012

Researchers are invited to apply for grants from the Malaria Eradication Scientific Alliance (MESA). The aim of these MESA grants is to fund one or more scientific investigations in two research areas pertinent to the science of malaria elimination and eradication. These projects will contribute to MESA's

objective of catalysing needed research in malaria eradication science. These MESA grants will support two malaria eradication research areas: health systems’ readiness and measurement of transmission.


KEY AIMS


Proposals addressing health systems’ readiness should build on the malaria eradication research agenda.


(1) Proposals may include, but are not limited to research that:

• Develops and partly validates structured approaches to establish the minimal essential needs, feasibility and systems readiness for malaria elimination in endemic countries (extended feasibility study).
• Establishes structured approaches to understand where efficacy of interventions is lost (from efficacy to effectiveness or ‘efficacy decay analysis’).
• Proposals addressing measurement of transmission should build on the malaria eradication research agenda.

(2) Proposals may include, but are not limited to research that:

• Measures the force of infection (incidence of malaria infections/time) in programmatic settings.
• Optimizes malaria surveillance and response approaches.
• Addresses the role of asymptomatic malaria infections in malaria transmission.
• Addresses the relation between population genetic diversity and malaria transmission intensity.

ELIGIBILITY

• The principal investigator (PI) and co-PI must be appropriately qualified (scientific expertise and project management experience) to lead the scientific project and to realize the project objectives.
• The host institution (legal entity hosting the PI) may be either a public or private institution (including civil society, industry, medical, military, research) or a public–private partnership.
• The proposed project may or may not have co-funds. Where the project objectives cannot be accomplished without co-funding, evidence of the co-funding is needed.

APPLICATION


The proposal should include:


A. Project summary: The summary is a stand-alone, one page description of the project, which must include the project objectives. If the project is selected for a MESA grant, the project summary will be posted online.


B. Project narrative

• Rationale: Describe the rationale for the project and why it is necessary. Summarize the evidence base for the hypothesis and objectives. Explain how the proposal differs from past work or builds upon it. Describe the importance of the project in relation to the key aims in this call for proposals (above).
• Project goals and objectives: State the long-term, overarching goal(s) of the project. Describe the objectives i.e. the specific outcomes that will be accomplished in order to reach the stated goal(s) and milestones. The objectives must be attainable within the project period and should be specific, measurable, and realistic.
• Project methods and study design: Describe the proposed project activities, the methodology and the analysis plan. Provide a timetable indicating activities. Describe the limitations of the project, potential risks to achieving the project objectives and handling of such risks.

As appropriate to the research project, methodological descriptions may include:

• Experimental plans, technical aspects
• Ethical considerations
• Study setting and participants / model
• Specificity, sensitivity
• Data collection, data management
• Statistical considerations including pertinent sample size calculation and analysis plan
• Where the project proposal is a pilot or proof of concept study, include a description of how the work will be developed.

• Project partners: Describe the role and responsibilities of each party or partner in the project, including the PI and co-PI. Describe the project coordination. Personnel should be clearly identified and should correspond with the budget request (see below).
• Significance: Describe the significance of the project to malaria eradication efforts, its relevance beyond the MESA grant and possible next steps. Include any plans for future funding.
• Peer reviewers: List up to 3 individuals as potential peer reviewers and up to 3 individuals who should not be considered for peer review.

C. Budget

MESA grants may only be used to cover expenditures which are directly relevant to the project and not indirect costs (categories include personnel, supplies, travel costs and other direct costs). The budget spreadsheet should follow the template (available to download) and include unit prices. Requests for salary for personnel must include full time equivalent costs, the % dedication to be directly charged to the project and where possible the name of the person. The narrative supporting the budget must justify the requested budget and demonstrate a clear connection to project activities and objectives.

PROPOSAL APPLICATION CHECKLIST

1. Project proposal (<8 pages Word)
2. Budget (1 page Excel)
3. PI’s curriculum vitae (1-2 pages)
4. Co-PI’s curriculum vitae (1-2 pages)
5. PI’s conflict of interest statement

SUBMISSION INFORMATION

• Please submit your proposal in English.
• The text must be no more than 8 pages in a Word document, Arial font size 12. Figures, tables, budget, CVs and conflict of interest statement are not counted in the 8 page limit.
• The reference list must not exceed 20 references.
• Your budget should use the Excel template (available to download).
• Submission deadline: 21 August 2012, 12 noon CET
• E-mail your proposal to mesa@isglobal.org with subject heading ‘Submission of proposal health systems' readiness / measurement of transmission’.
• By submitting a proposal to the call, the PI agrees to the MESA transparency criteria (below).

APPLICATION REVIEW


A. Review process

• The MESA Secretariat performs a preliminary check that the proposal is complete, adheres to the call and to MESA transparency criteria.
• The MESA Steering Committee agrees potential peer reviewers for each proposal.
• A minimum of two peer reviewers appraise each proposal (criteria below).
• The MESA Steering Committee reviews the proposals and the peer reviewer appraisals and takes the final decision on projects to be funded. When a MESA Steering Committee member has potential conflict of interest, s/he will not take part in decision-making for the specific proposal.
• Amendments of the project and/or the budget may be requested before funding.
• The MESA Secretariat informs the PI.
• The list of funded projects is published online.
• The MESA Secretariat administers the grants for the approved projects.

B. Appraisal criteria

• The project makes an important contribution to the understanding of malaria eradication science.
• The rationale and project design are based on the best available evidence.
• The methods and statistical analysis plan are suitable to address the project objectives.
• The project proposal demonstrates reasonable indications of feasibility and objectives are achievable.
• Ethical issues are adequately addressed.
• The project team includes active participation of scientists and/or scientific institutions from malaria endemic countries.
• The project team, resources and budget are well-suited to the project and the accomplishment of the project objectives in the project period.
• Equal opportunities.
• Capacity building in malaria-endemic countries.

C. Transparency criteria


PIs awarded MESA grants agree:

• That the project summary is posted online.
• To present their work during a MESA-organised meeting.

PIs awarded MESA grants commit to:

• Publishing the results of the project irrespective of the findings (as far as possible in an open access journal).
• Providing access to the raw, anonymized data for secondary analysis once the study is completed.
• Declaring sources of co-funding.

AWARD ADMINISTRATION

• Successful PIs will be emailed. PIs whose projects are not selected for funding will not receive email notification.
• The MESA Secretariat administers the grants for all approved projects.
• The project period for selected projects begins on the date the grant agreement is signed by the MESA Secretariat.
• PIs are required to submit a final scientific and financial report after 30 days of the end of the project period to the MESA Secretariat. PIs may be asked to submit a mid-term report in addition.

CONTACT
For further information on MESA please consult www.isglobal.org and contact the MESA Secretariat at:
mesa@isglobal.org
Rosselló 132, 5th, 2nd
08036, Barcelona
+34 93 22 71 803


1. The malERA Consultative Group on Health Systems and Operational Research (2011) A Research Agenda for Malaria
Eradication: Health Systems and Operational Research. PLoS Med 8(1): e1000397.
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000397


2. The malERA Consultative Group on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Surveillance (2011) A Research Agenda for Malaria
Eradication: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Surveillance. PLoS Med 8(1): e1000400. doi:10.1371/journal. pmed.1000400

Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases: TRND Program

Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases 

(TRND) Program

Opportunity to Submit Proposals

Open Dates: August 1 to September 30, 2012

TRND collaborative projects will be initiated at any stage during preclinical development. Projects of interest will be at one of the following stages:

• Lead optimization including clear structure-activity relationships (SAR) in at least two structurally distinct chemical series or well defined biological lead, reproducible activity in primary and orthogonal assays, efficacy in an accepted animal model (or when not available, cellular model) of the disease, and initial indications of favorable Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) properties
  
  
• High-quality New Molecular Entity (NME) lead(s) with clear efficacy, good DMPK properties, and initial non-GLP safety studies demonstrating absence of gross toxicities

• • NME clinical candidates with incomplete IND-enabling PK/PD/toxicology/formulation studies or
  • drug previously approved for another indication by FDA with efficacy in an animal (or when not available, cellular) model of a rare or neglected disease, making it a candidate for repurposing but in need of formulation, dose-finding, disease-specific toxicology, or other studies to allow clinical testing to commence.

The TRND program will partner with academic laboratories, not-for-profit organizations, and for-profit companies.  Foreign organizations may also apply. 

Applications are made through the online grants management website, ProposalCentral (https://proposalcentral.altum.com/). Submitted research applications will be reviewed for scientific merit and technical feasibility, as well as program balance and availability of resources.  Successful applicants will collaborate with TRND to create and implement a therapeutic development project plan.  Note this is not a grant or contract program; no extramural funding will be provided.

For more information about the TRND program, including deadlines for current or upcoming opportunities, please visit the TRND webpage at http://trnd.nih.gov. The application deadline for the current cycle of the program is September 30, 2012.

Further details of this Opportunity: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-TR-12-007.html

TRND Program FAQ: http://www.ncats.nih.gov/about/faq/trnd/trnd-faq.html

Inquiries

Andre M. Pilon, PhD
Division of Preclinical Innovation (DPI)
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
National Institutes of Health [c]
P: 301-827-2746
F: 301-827-2534

TRF-CHE-Scopus Researcher Awards 2012

TRF-CHE-Scopus Researcher Awards 2012

Call for Nominations & Applications

Deadline: 15 August 2012

The TRF-CHE-Scopus Researcher Awards are currently receiving nominations and applications for this year’s exciting event.

Jointly supported by TRF, CHE and Scopus, the awards are designed to recognize outstanding and exemplary new researchers and mid-career researchers who have received grants from the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) and The Commission on Higher Education (CHE).

A panel of distinguished guests and experts will use the following criteria to pick the winners: Research Productivity; Research Impact; Research Excellence; and Social, Economic or Scientific Impact.

Prizes are available at two levels:

(1) TRF-CHE-Scopus Researcher Awards – Six awards are available in this category. Each winner receives a cash prize of 150,000 Baht, and a commemorative plaque.

(2) TRF-CHE-Scopus Young Researcher Awards – Six awards are available in this category also. Each winner receives a cash prize of 75,000 Baht, and a commemorative plaque.

Categories: Awards are distributed in six main categories –

Health Sciences	Life Sciences & Agricultural Sciences
Physical Sciences (Mathematics & Physics)	Humanities & Social Sciences
Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences	Engineering & Multidisciplinary Technology

Timeline: 

Nomination/application period: 1 July-15 August 2012

Close of applications: Midnight on 15 August 2012

An announcement of the winners will be made during the 12th TRF-CHE Annual Congress, on 10th October 2012 at the Holiday Inn Resort, Regent Beach in Cha-Am, Thailand.

More Info: For full details, including selection criteria, click here:

http://asia.elsevier.com/elsevierdnn/EventsConferences/TRFCHEScopusResearcherAward2012/tabid/2057/Default.aspx

Contact: For more information, please contact TRF-CHE-Scopus Awards Secretariat at:

siripat@trf.or.th or l.new@elsevier.com

Good luck to all applicants!

AXA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2012

AXA Research Fund

Post-doctoral Fellowship

Good News!

TropMed has been awarded one quota in the 2nd AXA Campaign for 2012


Call for Nominations


Deadline: Friday 27 July 2012

The AXA Research Fund encourages scientific research that would contribute to understanding and preventing environmental, life, and socio-economic risks. The Fund supports world class research in these areas by providing institutions with the means of attracting and retaining the leading scientists of today and of the next generation. The Fund seeks to support innovative and cutting-edge transdisciplinary projects; particularly as such projects may encounter difficulties in gaining support elsewhere.

Call for Nominations: The Faculty of Tropical Medicine can submit only one (1) Postdoctoral Fellowship Nomination. If there is more than one nomination, we must select the best one to forward to AXA. We are therefore now calling for nominations by members of the Faculty for Postdoctoral Fellows who meet the selection criteria.

Eligibility: Members of the Faculty should ONLY nominate candidates who are citizens of one of the EU member states (see http://www.eucountrylist.com/), or one of the EU-FP7 countries: i.e. Switzerland, Israel, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Turkey, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia, Albania and Montenegro), or, in Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, India), or, in Latin America (Brazil and Mexico). Nominees must apply to undertake their postdoctoral fellowship program at the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University.

Timeline for Second Campaign, 2012

1st round: Institutions to post their intention to participate in the campaign

• Opening: May 29th, 2012
• Closing: June 21st, 2012
• Results Announced: June 28th, 2012
• Completed (one quota awarded)

2nd round: Institutions to propose candidates

Step 1: Opening: June 28th, 2012

Please forward your candidate nominations to Mr. Paul Adams, Research Administrator, Office of Research Services (paul.ada@mahidol.ac.th), no later than Friday 27 July 2012.

The 2nd round aims to select a PostDoctoral candidate according to the following criteria:

• Academic excellence of the candidate

• Innovative nature and originality of the project

• Feasibility of the project (management, organization, budget)

• International reach/International scope of the host laboratory

• International mobility (valued but not required)

• Application should be submitted within the 5 years following the Ph.D/Thesis (valued but not required)

Detailed Guidelines in PDF format can be downloaded from: http://www.axa-research.org/sites/dev/files/A-Howtoobtain-Modus/Post-Doc2012.pdf

The AXA Research Fund homepage is at http://www.axa-research.org/

For further assistance and advice, please contact Paul at the Research Administration Unit, Office of Research Services