Call for tenders
EDMUS Foundation, 7th Call for research proposals
The EDMUS Foundation, in partnership with the ARSEP Foundation, launches its annual call for research proposals.
It aims at fostering research with relevance to multiple sclerosis and related disorders, provided the studies are using data collected or to be collected by the Observatoire Français de la Sclérose en Plaques (OFSEP, the French MS registry).
Data collected include clinical and MRI data and biological samples.
Clinical data include the description of the patients, MS course and disease-modifying treatments (socio-demographic characteristics, neurological episodes, disability, treatment, serious adverse events, etc.). Data from more than 70,000 patients are available.
MRIs prescribed as part of care are carried out according to standardized acquisition protocols, defined by the OFSEP imaging group. MRI from more than 5,000 patients are available, corresponding to 13,000 scans.
Biological samples includes blood (serum, EDTA plasma, DNA, PBMC (Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells)), urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, CSF cells), and stools). Data about these samples are entered into a single centralized TK® database (biological sample management software), constituting a virtual BRC. Biological samples from more than 4,000 patients are available.
Prospective studies can include one or several types of data (clinical/ MRI/biological samples) to be collected within the OFSEP network.
Regulations about research grants:
- A principal investigator (PI) can only submit one project per year to this call.
- Projects submitted by a PI outside France can be funded by the EDMUS Foundation provided they are performed in collaboration with at least one French team with a major role in the project.
- The maximum requested budget per project is 100,000.00 €; there is no minimal limit.
- Scientific excellence is the sole criterion on the basis of which grants are awarded.
- Funding will be granted for one or two years, renewable after resubmission.
- Funding is for laboratory expenses, equipment, access to a technology platform, salaries, and acquisition of new data to enrich the database. In case of required biological samples, please contact OFSEP coordination team at contact@ofsep.org for budget evaluation.
NB1: The data management, required before provision of the data, is free of charge only for the members of the OFSEP network (depending on workload). Data management related costs must be incorporated in the budget for the non-OFSEP member project leaders. Please contact OFSEP coordination team for more information and budget evaluation.
NB2: Statistical analyses and project management can be done by the OFSEP coordination team upon request. Related costs have to be incorporated in the budget. Please contact OFSEP coordination team for more information and budget evaluation.
Evaluation of the proposals
- Proposals will be evaluated in parallel by the OFSEP Scientific board and the ARSEP medico-scientific committee.
- The OFSEP coordination team will analyze the feasibility of the projects with regards to availability of requested OFSEP data.
- Participation in a project must be signed by all collaborators involved in the proposed research.
Each application is divided in 2 files:
- An administrative file. Please, send this file in MS Word format. Information provided in this file (summaries in French for a lay audience) will be used by EDMUS Foundation and ARSEP Foundation for their own communication needs.
- A project file. This file could be sent in PDF or MS Word format.
Applications have to be written in English.
BEWARE:
A completed application should have these 2 files.
Applications must be sent by:
1- e-mail to Mrs Véronique MILLOT at call@fondation-edmus.org
For the electronic version, we cannot accept more than 2 electronic files per grant application. The title of the email should contain the name of the candidate + “AO-FEDMUS 2022” (for example: ADAMS-AO-FEDMUS 2022)
2- post to:
Fondation EDMUS – Mrs Véronique MILLOT
Service de Neurologie A – Hôpital Neurologique
59 boulevard Pinel
69677 BRON cedex – France
For more information:
Contact Mrs Véronique MILLOT at call@fondation-edmus.org
Results: July 2022.