ERA-NET on Cardiovascular Diseases Joint Transnational Call for Proposals 2017 (JTC 2017): “Mechanisms of early atherosclerosis and/or plaque instability in Coronary Artery Disease”

The ANR has teamed up with the ERA-NET ERA-CVD to launch a first joint transnational call for proposals for funding of innovative research projects in cardiovascular diseases, on mechanisms of early atherosclerosis and/or plaque instability in Coronary Artery Disease.

Sixteen countries are participating in this call for proposals: Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Turkey.

The JTC 2017 aims at enabling scientists in different countries to build an effective collaboration on common multidisciplinary research projects based on complementarities and sharing of expertise in the field of coronary artery disease, with a clear translational research approach. Supported projects are expected to have a concrete impact in the early recognition and prognosis of CAD and will be of help at identifying those individuals /patients who will likely develop acute events in the near future (0-12 months).

Transnational research proposals must cover at least one of the following two sub-topics, which are equally relevant for this call, in relation to early recognition of CAD:

• exploration of mechanisms leading to plaque instability, including the role of genetic factors, nutritional and gut microbiota giving mechanistic insights into the development, progression or plaque instability;
• improvement of imaging techniques as well as validation of biomarkers (genetic, epigenetic, lipidomic, proteomic, metabolomics, microbiota), leading to earlier recognition of risk and/or protective factors. Biomarkers are characteristics that are measured as an indicator of a biological or pathological process, or of a pharmacological response. Validation studies must provide published data on the sensitivity of the biomarker in question and may apply for further specificity, bio-analytical assessment, probability of false positives or false negatives and Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) model validation steps.

Additionally, each proposal should consider the following cross-sectional aspects:

• interdisciplinary approach, e.g. integrating biomedicine, physics, chemistry, mathematics, systems biology and clinical medicine for the development of the applications;
• research on sex/gender differences in order to give further mechanistic insights into the development of the disease, its progression and to identify difference in treatment responses;
• Translational research approach/perspective.

The research proposals should be built on an effective collaboration between the different research participants from different countries. Project proposals must clearly demonstrate the potential scientific impact as well as the added value of transnational collaboration: sharing of resources (models, databases, diagnosis etc.), harmonisation of data, sharing of specific know-how and/or innovative technologies, etc.

Each transnational collaborative project should represent the critical mass to achieve ambitious scientific goals. Consortia are encouraged to demonstrate engagement with clinics, SME or Pharma and Patient organisation for its active participation including areas of collaboration, sharing of resources, capabilities and expertise, in order to ensure an efficient transfer of pre-clinical results into clinical utility.

The following types of research projects are excluded from the call:

• Interventional clinical trials;
• Building up of new cohorts, registries and/or biomaterial banks;
• Neurological aspects (stroke);
• Research that primarily leads to cardiovascular risk management instead of early diagnosis. Risk management is understood as long term health improvement and/or CAD prevention strategy;
• Conducting screenings.

Only transnational projects will be funded. Each consortium submitting a proposal must involve a minimum of three (3) eligible partners and a maximum of five (5) eligible partners. Additionally, eligible partners must come from at least three (3) different countries participating in the call (see list above). No more than one partner from the same country participating in the call will be accepted per application. As an exception, two (2) research groups from Spain may be comprised in the same research consortium. As for Spain, Universities and Research Performance Organizations are not allowed to apply independently in a proposal and can only participate if they apply together with Hospitals, primary health care or public health settings of the Spanish National Health System (SNS), Accredited Health Research Institutes (Institutos de Investigación Sanitaria Acreditados, IIS), CIBER or CIBERNED or Intramural ISCIII.

Consortia including partners from countries that are to date underrepresented in this funding scheme (Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey) may increase the total number of partners to six (6).

One additional partner that secures his own funding may join consortia.

Taking into account the above-mentioned rules a consortium can have a maximum of seven (7) partners.

Funding will be awarded for a maximum of three years. ANR funding will be limited to 250 000 € per French partner. In case if French team takes over the coordination of the project the maximum budget can be increased up to 300 000 €. The ANR will fund only the French partners in the selected projects.