2025 Translational Research Grants in Brain Cancer

Eligibility

• The competition is open to research teams of two or more independent investigators. 
• The team should nominate a Principal Applicant (Principal Investigator). The designated Principal Applicant will be the individual responsible for application submission, all the correspondence with Brain Canada, and accountable for the team’s research activities, reporting, and use of funds. 

• The Principal Applicant must hold a PhD, MD, or other allied health professional designation. 
• Investigators must be conducting research at, and affiliated with, an eligible Canadian academic institution for the entire duration of the grant, and must be considered an independent researcher at their institution. Such an individual normally holds the rank of assistant, associate, or full professor; can initiate and direct their own independent lines of research as principal investigator; has full responsibility for running their laboratories; has full control of their research funds; and is permitted to supervise trainees, if applicable, as per their institution’s policy. Academic appointments must have started by the deadline for Full Application submission. Postdoctoral fellows, research associates, or adjunct faculty are not eligible to apply. 

• Teams must have at least one early career researcher, either as the Principal Investigator or as a co-Investigator. 
• Teams must include at least one person with lived experience (PWLE; includes caregivers). 
• Research applications may be related but cannot overlap with any other currently funded projects. It is the responsibility of the applicant to notify Brain Canada immediately should overlap arise from new funding awarded during the application and review process of this competition. Overlap is defined as having the same objectives and/or experimental aims as any other funded work. 
• Applicants must submit a Registration Form in order to be eligible to submit a Full Application. 
• Applicants may submit only one application as Principal Applicant.

Summary

The funding program is intended to provide opportunities for multi-disciplinary collaborations between basic researchers and clinicians to translate basic research to novel approaches for the study, diagnosis and/or treatment of pediatric and/or adult brain cancer. Projects should develop new translational solutions aimed at new approaches, diagnostics and novel modalities that: • Advance our understanding of mechanisms that lead to brain cancer • Create or test novel technologies, machine learning and artificial intelligence that improve brain cancer diagnosis and treatment • Apply innovative solutions to target brain tumors at primary, metastatic and/or relapsed stage • Develop or refine precision medicine solutions to make better treatment decisions for patients Proposals studying all brain cancers are eligible, and we encourage applications from teams studying rare brain cancers to apply.

This competition has an overall envelope of $2,000,000 CAD to support up to two grants of $1,000,000 CAD each, over up to three years, funded by Brain Canada and Cancer Research Society. An additional grant may be awarded to a research proposal focused on pediatric and young adult diffuse low-grade glioma, should such a proposal be ranked in the top three. This grant would be funded in collaboration between Brain Canada, Cancer Research Society, and Kindred Foundation.

Overhead

Brain Canada does not support overhead for this grant. 

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

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.

How to Apply
Please note that this funding opportunity includes a Registration Form and a Full Application stage.
Applicants must submit a Registration Form in order to be eligible to submit a Full Application. Following
an administrative check and relevance review, applicants deemed eligible will be invited to submit a Full
Application.

Registration Forms and Full Applications must be submitted using Brain Canada’s electronic grant
management system – SmartSimple (https://braincanada.smartsimple.ca/s_Login.jsp). It is the sole
responsibility of the Principal Investigator to ensure their submission adheres to the requirements and
is received by the deadlines outlined above. There will be no appeal to late submissions. Receipt of the
Registration Form and Full Application will be acknowledged by Brain Canada within two business days.

Please see program RFP for full application instructions. 

Additional Resources

Using RMS:

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award LOI

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application

Support for projects involving Indigenous Research:

Support with the development of your grant application is available internally through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST). Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage.

Support for Knowledge Engagement:

Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation is available internally through the Knowledge to Impact Team. Applicants can reach out by email to the KTI team at knowledge.impact@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information, please visit the KTI team webpage.

Support for Research Data Management:

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@libanswers.ucalgary.com and/or visit https://libguides.ucalgary.ca/researchdatamanagement.

Support for EDI in Research:

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice. Contact Erin.OToole@ucalgary.ca for more information.