Funding, News and Announcements

Minutes prepared by Eileen Denovan-Wright, Associate Dean Research, Medicine
 

University Delegates (UD) Meeting Minutes – November 2, 2023

1. CIHR Updates

The CIHR Strategic Plan 2021-2031 includes a commitment to enhance training and career support (Priority B3). CIHR’s Strategic Action Plan on Training presents a vision to support the development of Research Leaders of Tomorrow, Leaders across Knowledge Sectors, and Experts in Critical Priority Areas by equipping trainees with the experiences, skills, and specialized expertise needed to lead and contribute to impactful, interdisciplinary health research in a rapidly evolving research landscape.

Expect to see more opportunities for applying for training support development and having access to material created to support trainees created by Health Research Training Platforms including:

1) Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Health Data Sciences,
2) Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment in Aging,
3) Health System Impact Training Platform,
4) One Health – Antimicrobial Resistance, AND
5) One Health – Emerging Zoonoses

2. Tri-Agency harmonized CV

Some priority initiatives and programs are piloting the use of the Tri-Agency Harmonized CV. CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC consulted broadly over the last 24 months to revise a harmonized CV. The objectives of a harmonized CV include increased inclusivity for diverse applicant types, enhanced usability, and reduction of administrative burden (yeah!).

Tri-agency harmonized CV template includes:

• Narrative-Style CV
• Six Sections: Personal Information, Personal Statement, Most Significant Contributions, Other Contributions to Knowledge, Supervisory and Mentorship Activities, Other Relevant Information
• Applicants download the CV template in Word from CIHR's website and upload it as an attachment in ResearchNet application.
• Frequently Asked Questions have been developed to support applicants.

CIHR will be collecting feedback from pilot projects and refining the Tri-Agency Harmonized CV

3. Peer Review Update

Peer review training is evolving to increase the community’s awareness of principles of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)

Supports for the research community: Applicant one-pager, Reviewer one-pager and FAQs on DORA.

CIHR continues to consider the quality of peer review, and pros and cons of in person versus virtual review. The Fall 2023 Peer review will be virtual. There is discussion about possibly holding in person reviews in Spring 2024 but no final decision.

4. Ethics Review of Multijurisdictional Research

CIHR is aware of long-standing issues with obtaining ethics approvals for multi-site clinical trials. Current initiatives aimed at supporting ethics streamlining include:

• CHEER initiative 
• Accelerating Clinical Trials Consortium

The Clinical Trials (CT) team continues to collect information from research institutions to examine what else can be done to better support efficient trials. CT team will return to the UD network later this year with a summary of feedback received.

5. Update - Tri-Agency Open Access: A Policy Review

The agencies plan to complete the analysis of survey feedback this Fall, and to host a series of thematic workshops on open access in late 2023 or early 2024. The timeline for the release of the updated OA Policy remains end of 2025.

Comments or questions, please contact: openaccess-libreacces@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

6. Project Grant Competition Update Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 Application Deadline:                

Anticipated Notice of Recommendation (NOR):  Jan 17, 2024
Anticipated Notice of Decision (NOD):  Jan 31, 2024
Funding Start Date:  April 1, 2024
Spring competition Registration:  Mid February, 2024
Spring Application Deadline:  Early March, 2024

Reminder: ResearchNet keeps a list of current funding opportunities.  ResearchNet - RechercheNet