Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Research Program 2023-2024

Eligibility

Applicants:

• Projects must be carried out by at least two Investigators from at least two different research institutions and/or small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• One Alberta-based Investigator is to be nominated as the Principal Investigator (PI).
• The nominated PI must be based in Alberta.

Partner:

• See the Program Guide for partner eligibility criteria.
• A cash contribution of at least 25% of the total amount contributed by Alberta Innovates is required from from a partner external to the nominated PI’s organization.

Summary

The Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Research Program supports collaborative research directly related to understanding and managing CWD, a prion disease that affects deer, elk, and other cervids. The program funds projects to find solutions to the challenges of CWD. The CWD Research Program will result in a better understanding of the mechanisms of CWD and other protein misfolding diseases, develop innovative approaches that contribute to the diagnosis, prevention, cure, and possible elimination of the disease, and explore opportunities for new tests to be developed in Alberta. Projects could provide information useful to all levels of government for the development of public policies regarding CWD. Proposals that embody expertise and approaches including more than one of the program theme areas listed below are strongly encouraged:

• protein folding and misfolding;
• pathobiology of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs);
• surveillance and control; and
• CWD and society.

Funding Considerations

CWD Research projects must include a cash contribution from a partner funder, external to the nominated PI’s organization, of at least 25% of the total amount contributed by Alberta Innovates. In-kind contributions are welcome but are not eligible to be counted against the partner’s cash contribution. The University of Calgary Research Overhead Policy will apply to the partner cash contribution.

Projects must be completed by December 31, 2025. Salaries for investigators are an ineligible expense.

Submission Process

The Alberta Innovates application process consists of two stages: Registration and Full Application.

1. Registration (Intake Form)

All interested Applicants must register by submitting the CWD Research Intake Form in the Alberta Innovates SmartSimple portal. The deadline for registration is August 14, 2023 at 5:00 pm (MT).

RSO review and RMS approval are not required at this stage.

2. Full Application

The full application, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) via a Pre-Award/Application record, must be submitted to the RSO no later than September 20, 2023 at 12:00 pm.

• Required uploads in RMS:
  • PDF version of application form (including the attachments)
  • Alberta Innovates Workplan and Budget Workbook (Excel file)

Please be sure to select 'Submitted for approval' (under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the RSO internal deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines. 

A Research Funding Application Approvals (RFAA) form is not required as approvals are collected electronically in RMS.

Do not submit to the agency until RSO's approval has been granted in RMS.

Once the institutional signature has been obtained, the Principal Investigator will receive an automated message from RMS to their @ucalgary email address. You can then proceed with submitting your application via the Alberta Innovates SmartSimple portal by September 25, 2023 at 5:00 pm (MT).

Resources

• CWD Research Program Guide
• CWD Research Program Webinar
• Alberta Innovates Contact: Ron Clarkson, Acting Executive Director & Director of Prion Programs - Agri-Food Innovation (Ron.Clarkson@albertainnovates.ca)

Overhead

N/A

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

Application deadlines

Registration

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.