For more information about the items below or to request application materials, contact Elizabeth Noseworthy at the Office of Research, 737-8251 or e-mail elizaben@mun.ca

Strategic Training Program in Cancer Research
The Queen’s University Cancer Research Institute in partnership with the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Cancer Research Society are inviting applications under a Strategic Training Program in Transdisciplinary Cancer Research. Applications may be submitted by individuals interested in pursuing further training through graduate studies, post-doctoral or post-clinical research in transdisciplinary cancer research. Priority will be given to the pursuit of training in five broadly themed areas that reflect the interests and research expertise in the research institute at Queens: molecular epidemiology, cancer progression and intervention, cancer treatment and service delivery, drug development and experimental therapeutics, and cancer genetics and molecular diagnostics. The deadline for application is July 1, with future deadlines of Nov. 1 and March 1, 2004. For detailed information, visit http://meds.queensu.ca/
cancertraining/index.html.

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC) invites nominations for lay reviewers for its Scientific Review Committee panels. The lay reviewer’s role is to provide a mechanism for public accountability for the HSFC peer review process and advocacy of the merits of the HSFC’s scientific review and the value of the foundation’s investment in research. Lay reviewers may include volunteers, long-time donors/major donors, policy makers, or representatives from other HSFC organization affiliates. Nominations can be faxed to Jennifer Gee, Manager, Research, at 613-569-3278, or e-mailed to: jgee@hsf.ca. The deadline for nominations is July 2.

Call for proposals — SARS research
CIHR has issued a call for proposals from multidisciplinary research teams that would like to conduct research involving the examination and analysis of the recent public health and health care system response to the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in Canada, in the context of the global epidemic. Special emphasis is placed on ways to ensure that evidence-based practice and cost-effective outbreak management strategies are utilized to the maximum extent possible in any future outbreaks of this kind. Up to $1 million has been allocated for this call. Projects of up to 18 months duration will be funded to a maximum of $250,000 per project. The deadline for submission of applications is Sept. 1. No advance registration is required. For detailed information, click here.

Multiculturalism issues in Canada
SSHRC and the Multiculturalism Program of Canadian Heritage has announced a new three-year Strategic Joint Initiative on Multiculturalism Issues in Canada. One-year research grants of up to $50,000 and Workshop Grants of up to $100,000 are offered under this program. The initial competition will address three priority areas: cross-cultural understanding; social indicators focused on anti-racism; and micro-data compiled by the Ethnic Diversity Survey. For further details, click here. The application deadline for a research grant is Oct. 3, while for workshop grants it is Feb. 3, 2004.

Fragile X Research Foundation of Canada/ CIHR
The Fragile X Research Foundation of Canada (FXRFC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) have entered into an agreement to jointly fund four postdoctoral fellowships in the research of Fragile X. The funding is designed to encourage biomedical research for improved treatment and, ultimately, a cure for Fragile X, which is the leading inherited cause of mental impairment, and one of the most common single-gene diseases in humans. Each fellowship provides $45,000 annually for up to three years, plus a $3,500 research travel allowance per annum. Further information can be obtained from the foundation’s Web site at www.fragile_x.ca. The deadline for applications is Nov. 1.

CIHR priority announcements
Priority announcements by CIHR institutes for the fall open competition have been posted on the CIHR Web site. Once the peer review process for the competition has been completed, participating institutes will fund highly-rated applications that are responsive to their mandate or priorities. If a research application falls within the priorities announced by one of the institutes, the applicant must either fill out a responsiveness form to be included with the application package or indicate on page 7 of the application form the suggested institutes that are relevant to the application. For details on the institutes’ priorities as well as on which institutes require completion of the responsiveness form and which Institutes require a statement on page 7 of the application form, visit here.

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Research
The Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) has adopted interim measures for human pluripotent stem cell research which will be in effect immediately until the end of September 2004. At that time it is expected that guidelines covering this area of research will be formally incorporated into the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans. Under the interim guidelines, review by the Stem Cell Oversight Committee (SCOC), local REB and, where appropriate, animal care committee is required for: all research to derive and study human embryonic stem cell (ES) lines or other stem cell lines from human embryos; all research to derive and study human embryonic germ cell (EG) lines or other stem cell lines from human fetal tissue or amniotic fluid; all research on anonymized human ES lines, or EG lines created in Canada or created elsewhere and imported for research purposes; all research involving the grafting of human ES cell lines, EG cell lines or other human pluripotent stem cell lines into non-human adults; and all research involving the grafting of human pluripotent stem cell lines into legally competent adults. For detailed information, click here.

Canadian Research Information System
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, in conjunction with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Arthritis Society, and the National Cancer Institute of Canada has established a Canadian Research Information System (CRIS) to facilitate the retrieval of information concerning research funding provided by multiple research funding agencies. The NCIC data has not yet been integrated into CRIS, but this will occur soon. The new database is available online at http://webapps.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/pls/
cris/cris_intro_e. The data may be searched by investigator, research subject, location, funding, and granting agency.

NSERC Discovery Grants Competition
Faculty members who plan to submit applications for discovery grants or applicants to the University Faculty Awards Program under NSERC’s fall grants competition are required to submit a “Notification of Intent to Apply for a Discovery Grant” (Form 180) to NSERC by Aug. 15. NSERC has forwarded, by e-mail, an information package to all known potential applicants. First-time applicants and researchers who have not recently applied to NSERC will not receive this information directly. This information and an electronic version of Form 180 are available only at NSERC’s Web site: www.nserc.ca/forms/formtable_e.htm. New this year, applicants can submit Form 180 and attachments electronically, accessing the form and instructions through the On-Line System on NSERC’s Web site. Those submitting electronically do not send a paper copy of Form 180; however, they have a choice of attaching the documents electronically, or indicating that paper copies of the attachments will be sent by mail. For those who choose to submit the traditional paper version, NSERC is also allowing applicants to submit four copies (on 81/2 x 11” paper) of Form 180, plus attachments, by mail, using either the On-Line System or the PDF version. Before completing Form 180, all applicants should consult the documents posted on NSERC’s Web site provided above, particularly Notice 2003. Potential applicants who do not intend to apply this year are requested to send an e-mail to coord@nserc.ca advising NSERC of their intent not to apply to the Discovery Grants competition. For instructions on how to access the Form 180 on NSERC’s On-Line system, contact the Office of Research at 737-4745 or 4076.

Advance Material for NSERC MFA Applications
Faculty members who plan to submit an application for an MFA grant to the Oct. 1 competition must submit a Notification of Intent to Apply for a Major Facilities Access Grant (Form 181 – a form-fillable PDF version) to NSERC by Aug. 15. NSERC’s Memo to potential MFA applicants, a document titled Frequently Asked Questions, the electronic version of Form 181 and instructions for completing the form are only available on NSERC’s Web site: www.nserc.ca/forms/formtable_e.htm. Up-to-date information on this program is also available on the Web site: www.nserc.ca/guide/d2_e.htm.

CLLRNET Letter of Intent Notice
The Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network may fund up to five new research projects in January 2004. To assist in identifying suitable projects, the Network is inviting Letters of Intent to be submitted by July 4, 2003. CLLRNET is a community of researchers and partners seeking to improve language and literacy skills and to apply this knowledge to facilitate programs and practices to strengthen the language, communication, and literacy skills of Canada’s children. The network covers the spectrum of literacy and language research in five research themes: biological factors underlying the development of language and literacy skills; sensory processes and environment; language; literacy; social, economic and program influences, families, schools and communities. Details on how to submit a Letter of Intent are available at www.cllrnet.ca or by contacting the program coordinator, Katy Evans at 509-850-2930.

Imminent Deadlines

Aug. 1

Associated Medical Services — Tri-Program Workshop Grant.

Deafness Research Foundation — grants for research projects (renewals).

Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation — research grants.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society (US) — research grants.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Science Programme, Cooperative Science and Technology Sub-Programme, Physical & Engineering Science — advanced study institutes; advanced research workshops; collaborative linkage grants; expert visits.

Aug. 2

Canadian Space Agency — John H. Chapman Award of Excellence.

Aug. 15

Arthritis Society — new investigator; investigator — registration process.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research — group grant (letter of intent deadline).

Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Health Canada — research initiative on hepatitis C: operating grants; training/salary support (letter of intent).

Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation — fellowship award.

Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International (JDF) (US) — research grants/career development awards/postdoctoral fellowships (abstract).

Canadian Institutes of Health Research — operating grants (letter of intent); programmatic operating grant (letter of intent).

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) — discovery grants program (individual, group, project, university faculty awards, major facilities access) [notification of intent].