Ontario Brain Institute - Integrated Discovery Program, 2022

Sponsor

Ontario Brain Institute (OBI)

Program

Integrated Discovery Program (IDP)

For More Information

For complete program details, please visit OBI's Integrated Discovery Program web-page.

Description

The Ontario Brain Institute's call for Integrated Discovery Programs (IDPs) will foster discovery and deliver innovative products and services to improve the lives of those living with brain disorders. IDPs are collaborative, translational brain research networks that harness patient and community involvement, industry collaboration, and data-driven innovation. They are established with the goal of deeply understanding clinical cohorts and generating evidence that will be translated into better care.

OBI’s goal is to cultivate partnerships and enable innovation in brain health that is person-centered and internationally recognized. Through their collaborative ‘team science’ approach, they aim to achieve better integration of research, commercialization, and community engagement, and collect and enable the use of data for improvements in patient care and economic prosperity.

The call for IDP proposals is a critical step in advancing OBI’s vision and seeking to improve the lives of people living with brain disorders. The IDP proposals should align with the 30-year vision, foster innovation and demonstrate a positive impact on the research community, on patient care and/or the healthcare system, as well as economic impact, such as job creation, commercialization of products or services, and the creation of companies. The successful network will maximize the value of its range of expertise, collaborations, and resources, to generate a meaningful impact for Ontarians.

Eligibility

This competition is open to neuroscience networks focused on studying prospective clinical cohorts whose outputs target improving brain health, understanding the molecular basis of brain disorders, and creating new tools and technologies. The IDP members must demonstrate the experience and capabilities outlined in the sections below and plan to work together across multiple clinical research sites toward standardized data collection. IDP proposals should be oriented within a national or global context and seek to involve or leverage the work of others to deepen the potential for health and economic impact. Although the main source of OBI operational funds has been Ontario-based, successful applicants are encouraged to involve or identify additional funds (leverage).

For an application to be eligible:

• One or more of the IDP investigators will be designated the Director/Co-directors and serve as the main point(s) of contact with OBI. The Director/Co-directors will also be responsible for the overall management of the program in collaboration with OBI.
• At least one Director/Co-director must have an academic appointment and be conducting research at an Ontario-based university, hospital, or clinical site.
• IDP members include all people involved in the IDP activities, and they should be based at either a recognized research institution, not-for-profit, or neurosciencerelated company and be eligible to receive research funding or contracts.
• The IDP proposal and associated research must align with OBI’s vision (above) and meet the requirements set out below.
• IDP proposal must involve multiple sites and have multidisciplinary composition.
• IDP proposal should add clear value within a national and/or international context.
• Applicants must be able to initiate the proposed activities by October 2023.

Funding Availability

OBI plans to enter into direct agreements with IDP network sites, for the purpose of outlining annual deliverables and budget for network expenditures. The Annual Financial Contribution for the networks ranges from $1M to $3M annually. Continuation of funding will be tied to the performance and ability of network to meet its deliverable targets.

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs are not eligible.

Project Duration

The funding term commences on October 1, 2023 and ends on March 31, 2028.

How to Apply

For complete program details and how to apply, please visit OBI's Integrated Discovery Program web-page.