Application Guidelines Asian Fund for Cancer Research

Application Guidelines Asian Fund for Cancer Research

Funding Period: April 1, 2017 – March 31, 2019 October, 2016

The Asian Fund for Cancer Research (AFCR) is committed to fighting cancer through research into the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer that has a high impact for prevalent cancer types in the Asian population. To fulfill its mission, AFCR is calling for new research proposals. In order to receive research funding from AFCR as a Project Director for the next funding cycle, it is necessary to submit a two-year research proposal. Please read the guidelines carefully before completing the application.

FUNDING LEVEL AND PERIOD

The total funding amount is HK$1,000,000 and the funding period is for two years (April 1, 2017 through March 31, 2019).

The AFCR will provide each winning application a total amount up to HK$500,000 per year in research funding for two years beginning April 1, 2017 through March 31, 2019.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Principal Investigators (PI) from research institutions in Asia and regional countries are eligible to apply.The PI must have a Ph.D., a M.D., or an equivalent degree.

FUNDING PRIORITY

AFCR’s support to cancer research is strong. Funding priority will be given to research proposals that meet the following criteria:

• 1) Research Focus:Programs that investigate new and more effective prevention strategies to reduce cancer incidence; explore early detection and diagnostic technologies; and develop targeted therapies to personalized treatment regimens that will have a high impact for prevalent cancer types in the Asian population including, but not limited to, nasopharyngeal, liver, gastric and esophageal cancer.
• 2) Translational Research:Includes programs that bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and their clinical applications and programs that are readily translated into clinical applications including those performed in a healthcare environment to deliver clinical benefits to cancer patients. AFCR supports research at all stages but preference will be given to translational research.

Collaborations across multi-disciplines will be reviewed favorably.

Submission Deadline

The deadline for submitting an AFCR Research Application isMIDNIGHT on SUNDAY, JANUARY 15,2017.The electronic file complete with signatures must be received by this date. Please do not mail hard copies of your application.

APPLICATION FORM

Please fill out all sections of the application form by following the instructions listed either below or on the relevant pages of the application form:

• 1: Provide the title of the proposed research project, and the name and contact information of the PI.Please make sure to provide the PI’semail addressto receive a notification when an application is received.

  NOTE: PI’s host institution must be in Asia and regional countries.

• 2: Provide the name, title and contact information of the officer(s) in the Grants and Contracts Office of the PI’s organization.
• 3: Provide the proposed budgets for the two years in HK$.
• 4: Sign and date the Assurance by PI.
• 5: Sign and date the Certification and Acceptance by an official from PI’s organization.
• 6: Concisely describe the research proposal/plan. Please follow the format described in the form.
• 7: Provide a summary, in “layperson terms”, on how your research plan will impact cancer research and bring benefits to cancer patients. It is important that you write the summary in “layperson terms”, not in complex technical terms. The information will help AFCR to seek support from donors.
• 8: Provide the biographical information for each key researcher listed in section 6 (beginning with the PI). Consider using NIH’s two-page biographical sketch format. List only the publications that are pertinent to the proposed AFCR research project.
• 9: Describe pertinent resources available in PI’s organization for the proposed research project.
• 10: You may describe additional ideas or suggestions on how else you can help AFCR.
• 11-12: Provide detailed budgets for each year of the two-year project. Please notice that the salaries for PI and collaborating PI(s) should not be included in the budgets – AFCR does not fund PI’s salaries.Requested research budgets must not exceed HK$500,000 for each year. Also, the total expense of laboratory equipment should not exceed 10% of the annual budget unless a written permission from AFCR is issued. AFCR’s rate of Indirect Cost (IC) for the proposed research project will be no more than 15% of the Total Direct Cost (TDC), and this rate has been accepted by all universities and research institutions that host AFCR-sponsored research programs. The combination of IC and TDC must not exceed HK$500,000 for each year.
• 13: Disclose information about all funding from other sources (including any pending applications) that have current or potential overlap with the proposed AFCR project. List all sources of support (governmental,institutional, for-profit, and non-profit) for each PI named in the budget.

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

• A. The application must be submitted on 8 1/2" x 11" paper with 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not submit the application by facsimile. It is requested that text be double-spaced for items 6 and 7, Research Proposal and Impact and Benefits, (except item 6c #5 – PI’s Brief Bibliography, should be single-spaced), and all other items throughout the application should be single-spaced. All pages must be consecutively numbered.
• B. Each principal investigator can only submit one application.

The electronic version of your application must be received by Midnight on January 15, 2017. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered. No supplemental materials will be accepted after the deadline unless requested by AFCR.

Hard copies of your application are not needed

You will receive an acknowledgment letter by email after a complete application is received.

MAILING ADDRESS

The complete application package should be emailed to:

Hali Hartmann, Ph.D. at HHartmann@afcr.org.hk

Director of Scientific Relations

Asian Fund for Cancer Research

REVIEW PROCESS

Each complete application will be distributed to and examined by two selected members of the AFCR Peer Review and Planning Committee who are in relevant research fields.

All applications will be reviewed according to, but not limited to, the following criteria:

• •The significance/impact of the proposed project on cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment for prevalent cancer types in the Asian population;
• • The novelty of the scientific approach;
• • The PI’s facilities and available resources;
• • The productivity of the PI in the past.

AFCR Science Department and AFCR Peer Review and Planning Committee will jointly make the final decision on which application to fund based on the review results and also on funding availability.

NOTIFICATION

Notification letters for both approved and rejected applications will be emailed to all applicants no later than March 22, 2017. The approval or disapproval decisions on all applications by AFCR Peer Review and AFCR Application Guidelines Page 5 of 5 Planning Committee and AFCR Science Department are final, and AFCR has no obligation to explain the reasons that led to the final decisions.

CANCELLATION AND RE-SUBMISSION

Should you decide to cancel or withdraw your application for any reason, please promptly notify the Director of Scientific Relations, by email, with a cancellation/withdrawal letter. Your letter should include your name, title of your research proposal, and the reason for the cancellation/withdrawal.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Promptly notify the Director of Scientific Relations, by email, of any changes in contact information, including changes in mailing address, phone number, and/or email address after the submission of an application.Notification should include your name, new mailing address, new phone number, and/or new email address. If you have moved to a new research institution, AFCR requires that you submit a new cover page from that institution.