CIHR and NSERC are pleased to announce Enhancements to the Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) Program

The Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) Program supports focused interdisciplinary collaborative research projects involving any field of the natural sciences or engineering and any field of the health sciences. Proposed research projects should be innovative and lead to health benefits for Canadians, more effective health services, and/or economic development in health-related areas. All applicant teams are required to demonstrate how they will engage and collaborate with a knowledge/technology user organization that could benefit from the research results. Typically, support will be for up to three years for defined projects with clear milestones and decision points.

Objectives

In the context of improved health for Canadians, the following are the objectives of the CHRP Program:

• Translate research results to knowledge/technology users and other stakeholders
• Encourage the NSERC and CIHR research communities to collaborate and integrate their expertise
• Advance interdisciplinary research that lead to knowledge and technologies that are useful for improving the health of Canadians
• Train highly qualified personnel in collaborative and interdisciplinary research relevant to health

Changes to the CHRP Program for the 2012 Competition
(Notification of Intent due May 1, 2011)

The following program enhancements benefiting researchers and potential partners will come into effect:

• Additional program funding
• Applicants will be required to include a knowledge/technology user organization (non-academic partner such as industry, hospitals, health charities, etc.) in their proposal
• Ongoing research projects will be eligible for funding
• Priority Announcements or Special Calls for Proposals for research conducted in identified target priority areas for Canada may offer additional funding opportunities

Funds Available

From 2012-2015 there will be $25.275 million available in combined funding from NSERC and CIHR.  Of this, $17.4 million ($5.8 million per year) is expected to be available for the open competition pool.  Funds will also be available for projects in the following target areas:

• $6 million over three years is available from NSERC and CIHR to fund applications relevant to the development and commercialization of specific Medical Diagnostic Imaging Technologies (in addition, the National Research Council (NRC) will contribute $3 million in resources to support R&D conducted at the NRC Research Institutes)
• $900,000 is available to fund applications relevant to the Institute of Genetics in the area of Invention - Tools, Techniques and Devices
• $450,000 is available to fund applications relevant to ongoing and upcoming Institute of Infection and Immunity strategic initiatives in the areas of transplantation, antibiotic resistance and alternatives to antimicrobials, inflammation, microbiome, and auto-immunity
• $300,000 is available to fund applications relevant to the area of Epigenetics, Environment and Health Research through the Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction
• $225,000 is available to fund applications relevant to the Institute Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes in the area of Sodium Reduction in the Food Supply and Health

Projects are for up to three years funding, with no maximum amount. Some priority announcements have specific eligibility requirements.  Complete descriptions of these priority announcements and their specific requirements are available in the Grants Programs Overview section of the NSERC Web site.