Alzheimer s Research UK Prevention and Risk Reduction Fund

Alzheimer’s Research UK Prevention and Risk Reduction Fund Important Dates Deadline for workshop expressions of interest: 14 December 2016 Workshop pa...
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Alzheimer’s Research UK Prevention and Risk Reduction Fund Important Dates Deadline for workshop expressions of interest: 14 December 2016 Workshop participants invited: 21 December 2016 Workshops take place: 1 and 2 February 2017 Deadline for submission of research proposals: 31 March 2017 Outcomes announced: July 2017

Background The Alzheimer’s Research UK Prevention and Risk Reduction Fund was established as part of the charity’s Defeat Dementia Campaign. This came from a strategic initiative by Alzheimer’s Research UK to make a positive contribution to prevention and risk reduction research. This is an area which has been underrepresented across dementia research funders’ portfolios but which conversely is seeing overall increased research interest, activity and funding. In 2015, Alzheimer’s Research UK hosted a workshop comprising researchers and other funders to consider some of the barriers to this research field and ways of addressing them. A report from this workshop was published in the Journal of Public Health. Consequently, Alzheimer’s Research UK is now launching a call for proposals to the research community to fund valuable and high-quality research in this area.

Call for applications This is a one-off call for applications. Alzheimer’s Research UK would like to invite applications for research on modifiable risk factors for primary prevention and risk reduction of cognitive decline. This research must have the potential to significantly alter the course of cognitive decline in populations that are at-risk of Alzheimer’s disease and/or other dementias. An Advisory Panel has identified the following broad priority topics. Proposals must address one of these priority topics and consideration should be given to the sub-topics below. 1. Methodology or research tool development 



Tools to measure (functional) population impacts beyond subtle changes in cognitive measures, e.g. patient reported outcomes which can become standardised as best practice for future interventional studies Biomarkers for study selection or intermediate outcome measures, especially for studies of long duration and for how they reflect future real world measures of cognition and disability

 

More effective recruitment tools for prevention studies to aid recruitment of representative populations Population simulations for primary prevention in relation to different risk profiles/categories.

2. Proof of concept evaluation, feasibility or 'piloting' of promising interventions 

 

The inclusion of decision-making science in proof of concept studies and how we most effectively translate research findings into behavioural change at a population level, alongside the development of robust metrics of behavioural change if applicable Piloting of pragmatic trials (as against explanatory trials) The utilisation of pre-existing datasets from prior trials to inform new intervention studies

Proposals must be supported by pre-clinical or clinical evidence, if applicable. Proposals that are developed in conjunction with the wealth of existing cohorts, data and resource brought together under Dementias Platform UK will be particularly encouraged. Across both themes, Alzheimer’s Research UK supports an emphasis on populations at higher risk of dementia (e.g. higher vascular risk, genetic risk, etc). The following areas of research will be outside of the remit of this funding call:   

the establishment of new cohorts purely observational studies studies involving animal models

Workshops Alzheimer’s Research UK will run two workshops prior to the deadline – one per priority area. The aims of the workshops are to encourage collaborative thinking around each of the priority areas set by Alzheimer’s Research UK and to help develop research ideas for future applications. Participants will be expected to engage constructively in dialogue with each other and to be open to the development of new collaborations in order to develop proposals that are innovative and take dementia prevention and risk reduction in new directions. Alzheimer’s Research UK has committed to supporting proposals addressing the priority areas discussed at the workshops, subject to external peer review. Participants are encouraged to bring their unique expertise and research interests and apply these to the challenge of dementia prevention and risk reduction. As the workshop progresses, participants will articulate the challenges from their perspective, consider how to address these, and convert their ideas into nascent proposals. Expression of interest procedure for workshop participants Expressions of interest are welcome from across a range of academic disciplines and the topics of the workshops mean we are actively seeking a diverse range of expertise. We invite online expressions of interest from individuals using the online form. Please fill out the form and send to [email protected] by 14 December 2016. By submitting an expression of interest you are confirming that you are available for the full program of the workshop. Attendance of the workshops is open to all researchers interested. Individual researchers may apply to participate in one or both workshops. In case of oversubscription, priority will be given to those eligible to be Lead Applicants. Attendance of the workshop, although strongly encouraged, is not a prerequisite for application submission.

Participants will be invited and sent further details on 21 December 2016. The workshops will take place in Cambridge on 1 and 2 February 2017 with a dinner on the first night. Workshop 1 on Wednesday 1st February 2017: Methodology or research tool development workshop; Workshop 2 on Thursday 2nd February 2017: Proof of concept evaluation, feasibility or ‘piloting’ of promising interventions. Deadline for research proposals Friday 31 March 2017 Amount Applications for funding can request up to £1m to cover salaries, equipment and running costs. Applicants should be aware that they are competing for limited funds. Proposals should represent good value for money and all funding requests should be clearly justified. Alzheimer’s Research UK may be able to consider requests over the stated amount. Please contact the Research Team to discuss this in advance of submitting a grant application. Alzheimer’s Research UK covers any directly incurred costs within the terms of the award Contract. Payments of the grant are to be made quarterly in arrears following the receipt of authorised invoices. Alzheimer’s Research UK is a National Institutes for Health Research non-commercial partner and therefore the Department of Health could meet some of the costs of non-commercial Alzheimer’s Research UK-funded research in the National Health Service. Please refer to the AcoRD guidelines for more information. Alzheimer’s Research UK is flexible to different funding arrangements and applicants are encouraged to contact the Research Team ([email protected]) early to discuss their projects and co-funding opportunities. Duration Dependent on proposal

Eligibility The lead applicant and point of contact must be based in a UK academic/research institution. However, the application can include researchers or institutions outside the UK. The applicants should include or engage with the appropriate specialist expertise necessary to carry out the proposed projects, including social scientists where appropriate. The Lead Applicant is expected to have a contract (fixed term or tenure) which covers the proposed duration of the grant. If the Lead Applicant does not hold a tenure appointment, the application must include a co-applicant that does. The award is dependent upon the requisite ethical approvals being granted. Applicants who are in collaboration with commercial organisations are acceptable, in particular if these add value to the trial – for example, access to expertise, technologies, reagents or funding.

Application form Applications are made via our grant application website. Grant schemes only appear on this website when the round is open and we are accepting new applications. This grant scheme will open on 13 February 2017. The structure and questions of the application form will be adapted from this form. Review process – from April to June 2017 Alzheimer’s Research UK is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities and follows their guidelines for best practice in peer review. Grants are awarded on scientific merit in relation to Alzheimer’s Research UK’s remit and on the basis of open competition. The quality of the application and applicants are the key determinants of outcome, although the strength of the collaborations and dementia research environment within the institution(s) are also considered. External peer review – from 1 April to 16 June 2017 Applications are subjected to external peer review. Applications are sent to researchers in the UK and worldwide who specialise in the area of the application, but who do not have a conflict of interest and are not a member of the review panel. The comments made by the external reviewers are made available to the review panel members. Review response – from 17 June to 30 June 2017 The applicants are provided with anonymised copies of the external reviews and given the opportunity to provide a written response. Lay review – from 1 April to 30 June 2017 Applications for research studies that involve people require lay review. Applicants are requested to complete a lay summary of their application which is sent to lay review volunteers for comments. The comments made by lay reviewers are made available to the review panel members. Discussion in meeting – AAIC London 2017 Each application is allocated to two review panel members, based roughly on their areas of expertise. The two members will present the application to the rest of the panel, including any relevant information from external reviews or applicant responses. A short discussion will follow before the review panel scores the application. Applications for each grant scheme are ranked by their average score and recommendations for funding are made. Trustee meeting Those applications recommended for funding by the review panel are presented to the trustees for final approval. Review Panel     

Prof Kenneth Langa (University of Michigan) Prof Nikolaos Scarmeas (Columbia University/University of Athens) Prof John Gallagher (University of Oxford; Director of Dementia Platforms UK) Dr Edo Richard (Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam/Radboud University medical Centre, Nijmegen) Prof Eric Larson (Group Health Research Institute)



Prof Kristine Yaffe (University of California San Francisco)

Contracting – August 2017 Standard terms and conditions apply. Reporting Standard reporting procedures apply.

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