ICMR – DFG – Call for Proposals 2022: New Indo-German funding initiative in medical research
Overview
Having concluded a joint Memorandum of Understanding in December 2021, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) wish to announce the beginning of a joint funding initiative for the benefit of Indo-German collaboration in medical research. In their first joint Call under the new funding initiative, the two agencies invite proposals for joint Indo-German academic research projects in the field of Toxicology (e.g.: experimental and molecular, environmental, food and chemical, occupational, regulatory, or systemic toxicology, as well as new approach methods). The agencies are particularly interested in proposals submitted by teams of PIs with some initial cooperation experience. Projects with potential medical relevance may be prioritized.
Proposals under this call may address all fields of toxicology. Projects with potential medical relevance may be prioritized. The following remarks are intended as suggestions regarding specific project topics.
Environmental Toxicology: understand how natural and manmade toxins influence the environment and possible ways to minimize or mitigate environmental toxicity.
Occupational Toxicology: understand exposure through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal absorption of chemical and biologic hazards encountered at work and the probability of impairing the health of the exposed workers which could be acceptable, explore mitigation possibilities.
Food and Chemical Toxicology: understand adverse physiological and/or biochemical, or pathological toxic effects of natural or synthetic chemicals, novel foods and ingredients, biotechnologically-derived products, and nanomaterials in animals and humans, develop techniques for assessing potential food toxicity.
Systemic Toxicology: understand the biological effects on organs and tissues following exposure to medical devices, bio-materials, or their extracts leading to acute, sub-acute, sub-chronic and chronic exposure.
Regulatory Toxicology: encompasses the collection, processing and evaluation of epidemiological as well as experimental toxicology data to permit toxicologically based decisions directed towards the protection of health against harmful effects of chemical substances.
New approach methods (NAMs – or non-animal approaches): understand any non-animal-based approaches that can be used to provide information in the context of chemical hazard and risk assessment including integrated approaches to testing and assessment (IATAs), defined approaches for data interpretation, and performance-based evaluation of test methods.
Specification of projects
Projects within this funding initiative have a duration of three years. Proposals can include fund requests for personnel, consumables, instruments, joint workshops, travel and other items. (For details, see below.) ICMR and DFG expect that proposals submitted under this funding initiative describe ambitious projects which do not just benefit from, but essentially require, international collaboration to achieve the defined objectives. While all researchers can apply, the call particularly addresses Indo-German teams who already have a track record of joint research. On the German side, the regulations governing the funding opportunity, follow the funding line “Sachbeihilfe/Research Grants” (see the DFG guidelines 50.01). On the Indian side, refer to the information given on the ICMR Electronics Project Management System (e-PMS) (see the links given below). Shortlisted proposals on the Indian side will be required to obtain Health Ministry’s Screening Committee (HMSC) approval as a prerequisite before the grant can be released.
Proposal and submission
Proposals must be written in English and clearly marked as ICMR-DFG proposals (as part of the project title). They must be submitted to both ICMR and DFG in parallel in accordance with the proposal preparation requirements of each side, respectively. While conforming to the different respective regulations, forms and submission procedures of the two agencies, the project descriptions must be identical in their scientific substance. As the projects must be fully integrated Indo-German research projects, it is expected that the proposals contain detailed information about the mode and essentiality of collaboration between the Indian and the German side. German researchers can only apply for funds for the German side of a joint project; Indian researchers can only apply for funds for the Indian side of a joint project. The deadline for submission of proposals in this funding initiative is 30 September 2022.
Review and Evaluation
The proposals will be evaluated separately by ICMR and DFG on the basis of the projects’ scientific merit/quality, the justification for scientific collaboration and the qualifications as well as the compatibility of the participating team members. The results of the review process will be shared between the agencies. Funding will be granted for only those proposals where both ICMR and DFG recommend funding. Unilateral funding of only one part of a joint initiative will not be possible.
Contact persons
At DFG Head Office:
Dr. Sigrid Ziegler, sigrid.ziegler@dfg.de, Tel.: +49 (228) 885-2676
At the DFG India Office in New Delhi:
Dr. Vaibhav Agarwal, phone: +91 11 4922 4930 or +49 228 885 4930, vaibhav.agarwal@dfg.de Dr. Franziska Langer, phone: +91 11 4922 4900 or +9 228 885 4900, franziska.langer@dfg.de
At ICMR, New Delhi:
Dr. Harpreet Sandhu
Scientist G,
International Health Division (IHD)
Indian Council of Medical Research Ansari Nagar,
New Delhi -110 029, India
Telefax:+91-11-26589492
E-mail: sandhuh.hq@icmr. gov.in
Dr. Heena Tabassum
Scientist D
Basic Medical Sciences Division
Indian Council of Medical Research Ansari Nagar,
New Delhi -110 029, India
Tel; :+91-11-26588707(Ext:389)
tabassum.h@icmr.gov.in
Alternate official
Dr. Mukesh Kumar
Scientist G and Head,
International Health Division (IHD)
Indian Council of Medical Research Ansari Nagar,
New Delhi -110 029, India
Telefax: 0091-11-26588755
E-mail: mukeshk.hq@icmr.gov.in
Dr Nabendu Chatterjee
SCIENTIST ‘G’ & HEAD
Basic Medical Sciences Division
Indian Council of Medical Research Ansari Nagar,
New Delhi -110 029, India
Tel;+91-11-26589791
E-mail: Chatterjee.ns@icmr.gov.in
Call closing date: 30th September 2022.
Deadline for submission of concept note/expression of interest to R&D Department –August 15, 2022, EoD. The project proposal in prescribed format or the concept note as the case may be, should be sent to Dean R&D (dean.research@ddn.upes.ac.in), with CC to Associate Dean (R&D) (smtauseef@ddn.upes.ac.in) well in time.
For more information, visit https://main.icmr.nic.in/