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Call 2 title: Validate Advanced Disease Models and Genetic Screening based on ongoing/completed User Projects (including EU-OPENSCREEN user projects)

Scope of the call
The objective of this internal call is to demonstrate the value of cellular models for hit validation and/or genetic screenings for mechanistic characterization. Proposals should focus on either of the two main areas: first, validate potent and selective ‘hit’ compounds obtained within the context of ongoing/completed EU-OS user projects or other user projects at WP3 partner sites, utilizing advanced cellular models or assay technologies, with an emphasis on demonstrating relevance to human disease, potential clinical utility in disease diagnosis, prognosis, or personalized treatment. Second, applying genetic screenings (RNAi, CRISPR) for elucidation of mechanisms of action of active compounds obtained within the context of ongoing/completed EU-OS user projects or other user projects at WP3 partner sites.

Access
This IMPULSE call is an internal call that offers funding opportunities specifically for WP3 partner sites (CBCS-KI; CNC-UC; Fraunhofer; IMG; UP-IMTM; MEDINA; CIPF; USC; UH; i3S; UTU; UiO; ICHB PAN).

Eligibility
• Only IMPULSE WP3 partner sites that were not awarded in the IMPULSE WP3 Internal Call 1 are eligible to apply for this funding. Partner sites with projects in “reserve list” in Call 1 are eligible to apply in Call 2.
• One application per site per call is allowed. A maximum of one award per site will be granted.
• Applicants commit to have legal and ethical consent regarding their research, their samples and/or their data prior to submitting their application.
• Applicants must agree to comply with the IP and dissemination policies described in the statutes of EU-OPENSCREEN ERIC.
• If you have any doubts or questions relating to the eligibility criteria for this call please contact us at impulse-coordination@eu-openscreen.eu (indicating “EU-OPENSCREEN IMPULSE WP3 internal call 2” within the subject).

Funding Scope
• Each project can claim a maximum of 62,500.00 Euro, which includes personnel costs, other goods, works and services, and indirect costs. An 80% funding rate applies to this budget, meaning the maximum contribution by the European Commission (EC) per project is 50,000.00 Euro.
• The funding should be utilized for research activities directly related to the scope of this internal call.
• Each application must clearly outline the intended use of the funds and how it will contribute to the proposed project`s goals during the application submission.

Application Submission and Deadlines
• Applications must be submitted through the ARIA application platform.
• Please make sure you have already registered to ARIA.
• Ensure all required fields are filled out including the project proposal, budget breakdown, any supporting documentation.
• Regarding applications that include EU-OPENSCREEN users, please make sure that users are aware of the applications and/or added to the application team.
• The online proposal submission will be open until January 17, 2025, 22:00 CET.
• Applicants will be notified about acceptance or rejection of their proposal within eight weeks after the closure of this call.

Evaluation Process
• Applications will be reviewed by external and internal reviewers based on excellence, impact and innovation, feasibility, and alignment on the scope of the call. Internal reviewers will be selected among partner sites not participating in WP3 to ensure impartiality and fairness.
• In the case of similar scoring among proposals, preference will be given to projects that involve EU-OPENSREEN users.

Project Timeline
• Planned project start date: March 2025
• Maximum project duration: 18 months

Publication
Open access (gold or green) is required for any publication of access results. EU-OPENSCREEN-IMPULSE funding must be clearly acknowledged by: “This project has received funding from the European Union´s Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement No 101132028, project IMPULSE.”

Call Submission Guidelines

Application step by step:
Click on “Begin a new proposal” and follow the instructions.
At any time, you can click on “Save Application” and continue to your application at a later stage.

1. Application Details (*required fields)

Application Title: * Provide a title for the project (max 255 characters)

Application Team: In addition to the applicant, indicate other members that will be part of the application; for projects involving EU-OPENSCREEN users, please add them to the application here. Only scientists mentioned in this section will be eligible to manage or modify the application in the future. If you would like to add an Application Team, please ensure that those people are already registered in ARIA.

PID number of the EU-OPENSCREEN user project (if, available): Provide a PID number if the proposed project is an ongoing/completed EU-OPENSCREEN user project.

Project background, significance and objectives: * Provide a detailed overview of the user project and report on its significance and objectives including the rationale and the expected impact of the research. Explain how the project leverages advanced cellular models to validate hit compounds or applies genetic screenings (RNAi, CRISPR etc.) for mechanistic characterization. Additionally, describe which hit compounds you intend to validate, or which active compounds you are selecting for this mechanistic study. Please elaborate on their relevance to human disease. (max 2,000 characters including spaces)

Description of the research design: * Give a detailed description of the research plan. Explain the assay technologies you intend to use for hit validation or for characterizing mechanism of action (max 2,000 characters including spaces)

Description of the disease and/or cell model you will be focusing on in this project. * Specify the sample origin and preparation, including the brief protocol that is planned to be used. Provide information if the cells are currently available or not. Include relevant controls or steps for validation of the model. (max 2,000 characters including spaces)

Description of expected outcomes and impact: * Specify the expected results of the project and potential impact on the field. Describe how the proposed validation relates to disease diagnosis, prognosis, or personalized medicine, or how uncovering mechanism of actions could advance therapeutic strategies or enhance understanding of disease pathways. (max 1,000 characters including spaces)

Relevant publications and patents, if any: List up to five key publications authored by you related to the project proposal. For patents, please provide relevant information in the as additional attachment.

Timeline of the proposed project including milestones:* (max 1,000 characters) Provide an estimated timeline with major milestones for the proposed work.

Expected challenges, risks and mitigation plans: * Explain the potential challenges, risks and your plans to address them. (max 500 characters)

References:* List of references cited in the application. (max 1,000 characters including spaces)

Attachments: please upload preliminary data as attachments here (max file size: 100 MB)

Ethics: does the research activity proposed within this call involve research on animals or any research requiring ethical approvals? * Describe the ethical considerations and how they will be addressed. Ensure all necessary ethical approvements are obtained prior to the commencement of the project. (max 500 characters including spaces)

Please provide a brief CV of the applicant: * Include in this section a brief overview of education, professional background, selected publications and expertise that supports the proposed research. (max. 3000 characters including spaces)

Cost estimation for the proposed project: * The template can be downloaded from here: YYMMDD_IMPULSE WP3_Cost Estimation Request_Template.xlsx  (max file size: 100 MB)

Please specify any in-kind contributions that your team will provide to the project outside of the budget requested in the Cost Estimation Template (e.g., personnel cost, effort and consumable costs etc). This information will help understand the team commitment and the scope of the cost categories planned for the project. (max 500 characters including spaces)

2. Continue to Next Step
Here, you can review your application before submitting it. In case you would like to make any changes, you can click on “Back” and make changes.

3. Submit Application
Your application has been successfully submitted.
Please make a note of your application's APPID number as it will be required if you need any future support or information relating to this submission.
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