Dear researchers,

The ”la Caixa” Foundation launches an open call to select outstanding biomedical research projects that aim to address some of the main health challenges currently faced by our society.

AIM

To foster groundbreaking and highly relevant projects of scientific excellence in its field, that lead the advancement of knowledge, have high social impact, and offer solutions related to some of the most important health problems of our century.

GRANT'S AMOUNT

500.000 - 1.000.000 € (10% overheads)

DURATION

Up to 3 years

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS

Basic, clinical or translational biomedical research projects are eligible for this call and must be led by non-profit Research Performing Institutions based in Spain or Portugal. Projects must be submitted in one of the following 5 Research Areas*:

• Neuroscience

• Infectious disease

• Oncology

• Cardiovascular and metabolic disease: projects associated with cardiovascular risks or alterations

• Enabling technologies*: projects developing health-facilitating technologies focused on the four previous thematic areas, in the following technological fields: micro and nanoelectronics, computational science, big data, photonics, nanotechnology, advanced materials and advanced manufacturing systems

Projects may be submitted as:

• Individual Project:

• A sole Research Performing Organisation (RPO), the Host Institution

• The Host Institution will coordinate the project. Individual Projects may also include Cooperating Organizations

• Projects in this category may receive support up to a maximum of €500,000 and up to 3-year proposal

• Research Consortium:

• Composed of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 RPOs, including the Host Institution

• These projects may also include Cooperating Organizations; the host institution will coordinate the project

• Projects in this category may receive support up to a maximum of €1,000,000 and up to 3-year proposal

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• The Project Leader must be connected, either by statute, employment or other type of collaboration in the framework of this project, to the Host Institution at the time of the grant application

• Team members must be professionally linked to any of the project partners

• Project Leader must have a minimum of 7 years of experience in postdoctoral research, and must have finished their doctoral degree (PhD) at least 7 years before the closing date of the call

• Each Project Leader can only present a single proposal as a Project Leader; however, they can collaborate on other projects as PI of a Research Performing Institution of the Research Consortium or as a Team Member

• The Project Leaders of Projects awarded with a grant from the Health Research Call will not be allowed to submit new proposals as Project Leaders in the three editions following the same call

• The fact that the proposals are submitted as Individual or Research Consortium project, and classified as Basic, Clinical or translational will not in any case be a selection criterion during the evaluation process

• The Project Leader needs the agreement of the Host Institution to be able to submit the proposal. This will be done by an online check by the Host Institution on the “la Caixa” Foundation’s call management online system

• Projects whose results are subjects to rights, of any nature, held by for-profit organizations before the submission of the Proposal are not eligible

• Projects that evaluate the efficacy of safety of products, therapies, medical devices or diagnostic systems of for-profit organizations are not eligible

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

The Application must be submitted electronically by the researcher through the application link available on the “la Caixa” Foundation Call for Projects website.

The whole process of submission and selection of Applications, including the interview, will be carried out in English. All information must be submitted in English

CALENDAR FOR THE FIRST STAGE APPLICATION

• 23/10/2020 - Statement of interest through VHIR's online form

• It is highly recommended to respect this deadline to ensure all steps of the submission procedure. Institutional documents and registration keys are required for this call

• 06/11/2020 - Optional deadline for proposal review

• 20/11/2020 - Internal deadline for budget review, sending an email to ajuts@vhir.org

• 02/12/2020 (2pm) - VHIR's deadline for applications

• 03/12/2020 (2pm) - Official deadline for applications

• Project pre-selection: January-May 2021

• Resolution announcement: late June 2021

Please note that the Research Grants Office will not be responsible for those applications submitted less than 24h before the official deadline.

For further information you can visit the website of "la Caixa" Foundation.

We want to encourage you to apply your projects in this call. We are working for you to facilitate the management of your proposals in the calls of your interest. Please, do not hesitate to contact us for anything you need.

La Direcció del VHIR recorda que és responsabilitat de cada investigador/a vetllar per la qualitat i la veracitat de les dades i la documentació que presenta per optar a un ajut competitiu. En ajuts de recursos humans, la persona candidata que es presenta a la convocatòria queda subjecte per la mateixa obligació. El VHIR podrà comprovar, de forma aleatòria, una mostra de la informació i la documentació aportada per les persones candidates a optar a ajuts competitius. En cas de detectar-se que alguna informació o documentació presentada no és verídica o comprovable, l’òrgan competent del VHIR obrirà un expedient per estudiar el cas i determinar-ne les possibles conseqüències d’acord amb la gravetat de la disconformitat detectada.