The 2022-24 Autism Alliance of Canada Data-to-Policy Fellowship is offered in partnership with the Sinneave Family Foundation, Kids Brain Health Network, and Autism Speaks Canada.

Goal: To provide research trainees interested in neurodevelopment disabilities with the opportunity to apply their data analytic and research skills to support the Autism Data Collaborative’s multidisciplinary working groups in advancing the use of Canadian data assets to inform autism policy and practice in Canada.

Who can apply: PhD students/candidates, postdoctoral fellows, and research associates from health services and policy, population health, epidemiology, neurosciences, clinical psychology, or related research backgrounds.

Funding: The award will provide a stipend for $40,000 over the course of 18 months and is primarily intended to provide additional funding for trainees.

Application deadline: August 7, 2022

For the full call for applicants, please visit https://www.autismalliance.ca/research-and-data/data-to-policy-fellowship/ or contact kenneth.dyson [at] mcgill.ca (Kenneth Dyson), ACAR Manager. 

McGill University and the University of Zurich/Swiss Federal Institute of Technology represented by the Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ) have partnered to establish collaborative research and training opportunities in neuroscience.

Within the framework of this collaboration, we invite applications for competitive Joint Pilot Project Grants to support collaborative work in the area of neurodevelopmental disorders. Focus can be on fundamental or clinical/applied research.

The goal of these projects is to foster scientific excellence through collaboration. It is anticipated that data generated through these collaborations will allow researchers to pursue more comprehensive joint external research funding.

Proposals are invited for up to two 1-year Pilot Project Grants. A collaborative application should involve investigators at McGill and ZNZ and should have the support of the two institutions. Each partner will contribute a total of CAN$50,000 or CHF38,000 to this collaboration. Thus, each joint application can request a maximum of CAN$25,000 from McGill and a maximum of CHF19,000 from ZNZ.

High-risk/high impact approaches are encouraged: in these cases, risk will be evaluated against the potential to deliver ground-breaking results.

Proposals should clearly demonstrate the added value of the planned joint research that would not be possible without the collaboration, and how planned joint research will provide training opportunities.

The partners acknowledge generous funding from the Azrieli Centre for Autism Research (ACAR) and the Neuroscience Centre Zurich.

Key Dates

Costs

Review Process

An ad hoc Joint Review Panel composed of ZNZ and McGill Principle Investigators will review applications according to the following criteria:

• Quality and originality of the proposed activities
• Added value of the joint research project
• Alignment with the priority area described above
• Track record of the applicants
• Evidence that the proposed research might lead to a continuing collaboration between the partner laboratories
• Demonstrated potential for enhancement of training of students/fellows

Each partner institution will establish a review committee of 3-5 senior researchers to conduct the first review of the proposals. The recommendations of these two committees will be forwarded to the Joint Review Panel, which may choose to seek further scientific expert advice if deemed necessary in order to reach a consensus on recommendations for funding.

Funding recommendations may take into consideration the longer-term strategic objectives of the partnership; or other factors deemed appropriate. The Panel’s decision will be final and there will be no appeal procedure.

The Joint Review Panel reserves the right to not award any grants. 

Applicants may not take part in the review process.

How to Apply

Please email applications to both stefano.stifani [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Stefano Stifani) and wknecht [at] neuroscience.uzh.ch (Dr. Wolfgang Knecht).

Documents needed in a single pdf file:

• Completed application form:  McGill-ZNZ 2022 Application Form
• CV/Bio-sketch of PIs including a list of publications in the last five years (maximum 3 pages)
• Short bio-sketch of any listed collaborators (publication list not required)
• A budget including justification of all costs requested

At the end of the project, a brief report detailing achievements is required. This should highlight key results, potential impact, student mobility, presentations at conferences, abstracts, and publications. Any publications arising from an award must acknowledge the support from this scheme.

Should a project cease for any reason, including project end, unspent funds will be returned to the partnership.

Find Research Partner(s)

The following websites can be consulted to find research partners at ZNZ and McGill University:

• ZNZ Research Groups 
• McGill's Integrated Program in Neuroscience (IPN)
• IPN Professors
• Azrieli Centre for Autism Research (ACAR)
• ACAR Research Members

NEW Additional Theme: The Ageing Braing/Neurodegeneration

Thanks to a recent donation, we are now able to fund an additional collaborative pilot project grant in this competition (details below).

The theme of this new opportunity is “the ageing brain/neurodegeneration”.

The deadline for submitting joint applications to this new opportunity is August 29, 2022. 

Application Form:  RFA 2022 Edinburgh-McGill Partnership

McGill University and The University of Edinburgh have partnered to establish collaborative research and training opportunities in neuroscience.

Within the framework of this collaboration, the partners announce a call for applications for competitive Joint Pilot Project Grants to support collaborative work in the following research areas:

1. autism/neurodevelopmental conditions
2. intellectual disabilities (with particular focus on studies using human induced pluripotent stem cells).

The objective of these pilot projects will be to build on synergistic interactions between the two universities to establish long-standing collaborations, ideally leading to joint external research grant applications.

Proposals are invited for one 1-year Joint Pilot Project Grant in each of the two research areas identified above, to support new or ongoing collaborations.

The maximum total amount that can be requested for each application is C$80,000; each university will contribute C$40,000 per grant.

High-risk approaches will be considered. In these cases, risk will be evaluated against the potential to deliver ground breaking results. 

Applications should involve one McGill-affiliated principal investigator (PI) and one University of Edinburgh-affiliated PI. Each PI can participate in maximally one application. Early-career principle investigators are encouraged to apply.

Proposals should clearly demonstrate:

• the added value of the planned joint research.
• how planned joint research will provide training opportunities for at least one trainee (MSc, PhD, MD students or postdoctoral fellows).

It is anticipated that data generated through these collaborations will allow researchers to pursue more comprehensive joint external research funding.

Key Dates

Costs

Review Process

An ad hoc Joint Review Panel composed of McGill and University of Edinburgh PIs will review applications according to the following criteria:

• Quality and originality of the proposed activities
• Alignment with the priority areas described above
• Track record of the applicants
• Evidence that the proposed research might lead to a continuing collaboration between the partner laboratories
• Demonstrated potential for enhancement of training of students/fellows

Each partner institution will establish a review committee of approximately 3-5 senior researchers to conduct the first review of the proposals. The recommendations of these two committees will be forwarded to the Joint Review Panel, which may choose to seek further scientific expert advice if deemed necessary to reach a consensus on recommendations for funding.

Funding recommendations may take into consideration the longer-term strategic objectives of the partnership as agreed at that time; or other factors deemed appropriate.

The Panel’s decision will be final and there will be no appeal procedure.

The Joint Review Panel reserves the right to not award any grants.

Applicants may not take part in the review process.

How to Apply

For each application, PIs will need to send electronically:

• Completed application form: Application Form
• Biosketch of PIs including a list of significant recent publications
• Short biosketch of any listed collaborators (publication list not required)
• A budget including justification of all costs requested

At project end, pilot projects and workshops should provide a brief (normally 1-page max) report detailing achievements. This should highlight key results, potential impacts of continued research in the area, student mobility, abstracts, talks at scientific meetings, funding applications, publications in preparation, and any media highlights.

Any publications generated as a result of an award must acknowledge the partnership specifically referring to support from ‘The University of Edinburgh/McGill University Neuroscience Collaboration”. Investigators should update the partnership coordinators on the progress of publications arising from these awards. Should a project cease for any reason, including project end, unspent funds will be returned to the partnership.

Please email applications to both stefano.stifani [at] mcgill.ca and head.cdbs [at] ed.ac.uk

Find Research Partner(s) 

The following websites can be consulted to find research partners at the University of Edinburgh and McGill University:

• McGill's Integrated Program in Neuroscience (IPN)
• IPN Professors
• Azrieli Centre for Autism Research (ACAR)
• ACAR Research Members 
• Edinburgh Neuroscience 
• Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences (CDBS) Research Groups
• Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences (CCBS) Principal Investigators 
• Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB)