Catalyst Grant: STBBI Research in Canada: Beyond HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C

Eligibility

1. The Nominated Principal Applicant must be:
   1. an independent researcher or a knowledge user affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution and/or its affiliated institutions (including hospitals, research institutes and other non-profit organizations with a mandate for health research and/or knowledge translation) at the time of funding.
      • Applicants applying as Early Career Researchers (ECRs) must meet CIHR’s requirements of being an Early Career Researcher.
      • if the Nominated Principal Applicant is a knowledge user, there must be at least one Principal Applicant who is an independent researcher

      OR

   2. an individual affiliated with an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.

      OR

   3. an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.
2. The Nominated Principal Applicant must have their substantive role in Canada for the duration of the requested grant term.
3. The Institution Paid must be authorized to administer CIHR funds before the funds can be released (see Administration of Funds).
4. The Nominated Principal Applicant must have successfully completed one of the sex- and gender-based analysis training modules available online through the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health and have submitted a Certificate of Completion (see How to Apply section).
5. For any research applications involving First Nations, Inuit, Métis and/or urban Indigenous populations, the research team must include at least one knowledge user who self-identifies as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis and/or who can demonstrate their experience of meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples in an Indigenous Health Research environment and must submit an "Other" attachment describing their experience working in an Indigenous Health Research environment (see How to Apply section for more details).

While not a requirement for eligibility, research applications NOT involving First Nations, Inuit, Métis and/or urban Indigenous populations are also encouraged to include knowledge user(s) when appropriate.

Summary

In Canada, sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) disproportionately affect several key populations¹ and these disparities reflect the many and often intersecting systemic, biomedical, behavioural and social factors that influence STBBI acquisition, disease progression, access to care, effectiveness of interventions and, ultimately, health outcomes.

The overall goal of the Catalyst Grant is to strengthen the current landscape of STBBI research in Canada, and to build capacity and spur innovation in this field, with a specific focus on STBBI of public health relevance beyond the fields of HIV and hepatitis C and in alignment with the CIHR HIV/AIDS and STBBI Strategic Plan 2022-2027.

Research Areas

The CIHR HIV/AIDS and STBBI Research Initiatives defines STBBI as infections that are transmitted primarily through exchange of body fluids during sexual contact and/or through blood. This funding opportunity will support projects across all pillars of research (biomedical research; clinical research; health services research; and social, cultural, environmental, and population health research) with a primary focus on STBBI of public health relevance including, but not limited to:

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Syphilis
• Hepatitis B
• Human papillomavirus (HPV).

Application deadlines

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

Overhead N/A

Submission Process:

Full application, plus approvals in RMS, will be required by RSO by noon on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Please be sure to select "Submitted for approvals" (Under Save & Progress) in RMS in enough time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the internal RSO deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.

Do not submit through ResearchNet until RSO's signature has been granted!! 

Once institutional signature has been obtained, a copy of the CIHR signature page will be available via the RMS record, under Documents. Upload the CIHR signature page and routing slip in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet by 6:00PM Calgary time on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.