Joint Translational Call 2019 for research projects on Translational Biomarkers for Brain Disorders

The ANR launches in collaboration with the ERA-NET NEURON a joint call to support multinational, collaborative research projects addressing the unmet medical need for valid and reliable biomarkers in neurological and psychiatric diseases.

The present call is supported by 17 agencies located in the following countries:

Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey

The main focus of the call is on Biomarkers in Brain Disorders. Research proposals should cover at least one of the following areas:

Fundamental research addressing the discovery and validation of biomarkers to be used as bio signatures of the pathophysiology associated to specific neurological and psychiatric diseases.  
Clinical research on clinically relevant biomarkers for the diagnosis, patient stratification, prognosis or monitoring or prediction of treatment response and side effects for specific neurological and psychiatric diseases.

Proposals may include hypothesis-driven studies on a variety of biomarkers, e.g. structural, functional, molecular, genetic biomarkers. Digital, behavioral or cognitive biomarkers are eligible only in combination with other bio signatures. In all cases, a clear pathophysiological correlate and studies on human participants or tissue should be included in the proposal. Clinical studies are eligible up to the point of proof of concept.

To address an important translational gap in the biomarker validation process, proposals are encouraged to perform retrospective validation for pre-identified candidates using high quality data samples such as highly stratified patients populations and rigorous analytical methods. Moreover, the combination of at least two types of biomarkers is required for biomarkers’ validation studies.

Research consortia must demonstrate relevant expertise and range of skills required to conduct the study, including rigorous study design; alternatively, appropriate collaborations should be in place upon submission. Readily access to high quality biological materials- i.e. data sets, cohorts, animal models; high quality facilities and the latest analytical technologies- should be established. In this context, it is highly encouraged to get in contact with relevant European infrastructures early in the planning of the projects; in particular EATRIS-ERIC (focused on translational medicine), BBMRI-ERIC (focused on biobanking) and ELIXIR (focused on data sharing). Specific contact details can be found in Annex I for each of these infrastructures.

The development of new technologies is excluded from this call unless appropriately justified by the absence of an alternative validated technology. Animal models or cell models used in the project should already be established and validated. The development of new animal or cell models is excluded from the scope of the call.

Research on neurodegenerative disorders that are addressed by the EU Joint Programme - Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) is excluded from the present call .

The ERA-NET NEURON seeks to strengthen patient engagement in research. Applicants are expected to include patients, where appropriate, in their research process. Meaningful patient engagement can occur at the level of research planning, conducting research or research result dissemination. Patient representatives will participate in the review of selected proposals and provide feedback on patient engagement aspects.

The proposals should be submitted by consortia composed by a minimum of three and a maximum of five research groups, from at least three different countries. The inclusion of consortium partners from the following underrepresented countries Latvia, Romania and Slovakia increases the maximum allowed number of partners to six. No more than two research groups should be from the same country. Only the French parties of each selected consortium will be funded by the ANR.

Selected projects can be funded for a duration up to three years. Funding is expected to start early 2020.