Hlsa

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Hälsa

• Gunnar Sandberg
• Gunnar.Sandberg_at_VINNOVA.se

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Main points

• The 7th Framework programme (FP7)
• Rationale and approach
• Basic principles
• 3rd call for proposals
• Funding opportunities
• Factors for success

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What is DG Research

• Part of the European Commission
• 2 Objectives
• Develop European research policies and strategies
  in collaboration with EU Member States
• Provide support to research through the
  Framework Programmes

• The Framework Programme (FP) is the European
  Unions multi-annual research funding mechanism

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Budgets of the EU Framework Programmes1984-2013
NB Budgets in current prices. Source Annual
Report 2003, plus FP7 revised proposal
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FP7 (2007-2013)
Indicative breakdown (million )
ERC
Total 50.4 billion for 7 years (40 increase
compared to FP6)
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Collaborative research across borders and other
barriers

• between countries
• multinational consortia, with at least 3 partners
  from 27 EU Member States (MS) Associated
  Countries (Albania, Croatia, FYROM, Iceland,
  Israel, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway,
  Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey)
• researchers from any country in the world can
  participate
• However researchers from highly industrialised
  countries outside Europe can rarely receive
  funding (i.e Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea,
  New-Zealand, USA)
• between different types of organizations
• Public private sector universities, research
  centres, large companies, small and medium-size
  enterprises (SMEs), etc. disciplines
  multidisciplinary, translational research

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(No Transcript)
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Main policy drivers in the Health theme

• Improving health of European citizens
• Increasing competitiveness of European
  health-related industries and businesses
• Addressing global health issues, e.g. emerging
  epidemics

• Budget
• 6.1 billion (19) over 7 years (2007-2013)

Both basic and applied research is supported
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Submission evaluation
Basic principles

• annual calls for proposals
• eligibility check (partners, budgets, scope,
  deadline)
• evaluation by panels of independent experts
• 3 Evaluation criteria
• Science Technology excellence
• Implementation Management
• Dissemination Impact
• feedback evaluation summary report (ESR).
• negotiation grant agreement, funding for 2-5 y.

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Funding schemes in the Health theme (3rd call)
Funding schemes lower limits upper limit
min. partners Collaborative Projects
(CP) Large-scale (CP-IP)
6m 12m 3 Medium-scale
3m 6m
3 Small-scale (CP-FP) up to
3m 3 Network of Excellence (NoE) up to
12m 3 Coordination action (CA) up to
1.5m 3 Support action (SA) up to
0.5m 1
NB the limits for minimum and maximum requested
EC grant and for the minimum number of partners
are eligibility criteria !
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the Health themestructure and content
pillar 2 Translating research for human health
pillar 3 Optimising the delivery of health
care
pillar 1 Biotechnology, generic tools
technologies for health
cross-cutting issues child health, the health
of ageing population gender-related health
issues
Activity (pillar) 4 Other actions across the
theme
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3rd call for proposals for the Health theme

• Publication of 3rd call expected 3 September
  2008
• drawing on the budget for 2009 591m
• there will in fact be two calls, published in
  parallel
• FP7-HEALTH-2009-single-stage 476 m for
  most areas of the work programme expected
  deadline 3 Dec. 2008
• FP7-HEALTH-2009-two-stage 115 m only for
  areas 1.1 2.1. expected deadlines for 1st
  stage 3 Dec. 2008
• indicative deadline for 2nd stage 22 April 2009

Based on proposals of European Commission
services, subject to confirmation in call text.
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Introducing two-stage submission/evaluation

• Only for areas 1.1 2.1
• 1.1 High-throughput research
• 2.1 Integrating biological data and processes
  (large-scale data-gathering and systems biology)
• First stage
• proposal size limited to 8 pages
• Evaluation of 2 criteria only (S/T quality and
  Impact)
• Second stage
• only coordinators of proposals passing Stage 1
  will be invited to submit full proposals for
  Stage 2
• evaluation on all 3 criteria, independently from
  Stage 1.

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Two-stage evaluation Topics

• Area 1.1 High-throughput research
• Computational tools for genome annotation and
  genotype/ phenotype data integration.
• High throughput tools and technologies to
  analyse samples in large-scale human biobanks.
• Tools technologies for characterisation of
  protein functions.

• Area 2.1 Large-scale data gathering Systems
  biology
• Large-scale functional genomics effort in
  multi-cellular organisms to elucidate the
  function of human genes products.
• Large-scale functional genomics efforts to
  identify molecular determinants of cancer.
• Characterisation of human genetic variation in
  Europe.
• Systems biology approaches for basic biological
  processes
• relevant to health and disease.

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Collaborative Health ResearchPillar 1

• 1 Biotechnology, generic tools and technologies
• High-throughput research only 2-stage in 3rd
  call
• Detection, diagnosis and monitoring
• Predicting suitability, safety and efficacy of
  therapies mainly implemented through Innovative
  Medicines Initiative (IMI)
• Innovative therapeutic approaches and
  interventions

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1.2 Detection, diagnosis and monitoring (1)

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Development of tools for sensitive and specific
  detection of proteins and their interactions for
  diagnostic purposes. Funding scheme CP-FP, max.
  6m. (1 or more projects)
• Design of methods suited to identify epigenetic
  factors and their use in the genetic diagnosis of
  relevant disorders. Funding scheme CP-FP, max.
  3m (1 or more projects)
• Novel MR-compatible PET detectors for
  simultaneous PET/MRI imaging. Funding scheme
  CP-IP, max. 12m. (max. 1 project)

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1.2 Detection, diagnosis and monitoring (2)

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Novel imaging systems for in vivo monitoring and
  quality control during tumour ion beam therapy.
  Funding scheme CP-FP, max. 6m. (max. 1
  project)
• Activatable or smart in vivo imaging agents
  reporting on physico-chemical or molecular
  changes relevant to the diagnosis and/or
  monitoring of diseases. Funding scheme CP-FP,
  max. 6m. (1 or more projects)
• Evaluation of the potential health impact of
  diagnostic imaging agents doses (with a focus on
  either radioactive or non-radioactive imaging
  agents).Funding scheme Support Action, max.
  0.5m. (max. 1 project for each area)

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1.4 Innovative therapeutic approaches and
interventions

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Regenerative medicine
• Cell therapy for tissue and organs. Funding
  scheme CP-IP, max. 12m.
• Regeneration of tissue using bio-compatible
  materials cells. Funding scheme CP-IP, max.
  12m.
• Activation of endogenous cells as an approach to
  regenerative medicine. Funding scheme CP-IP,
  max. 12m.

For these topics, which are all for large-scale
integrating projects, more than one project may
be funded per topic, provided they are of
sufficient quality and depending on the EC budget
available.
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Collaborative Health ResearchPillar 2

• 2 Translating research for human health
• Integrating biological data and processes only
  2-stage in 3rd call
• Research on the brain and related diseases,
  human development and ageing
• Translational research in major infectious
  diseases
• Translational research in other major diseases

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2.2 Research on Brain diseaseshuman
development and ageing

• Topics in the 3rd call
• Synaptopathies genesis, mechanisms and therapy.
  Funding scheme CP-IP, max. 12m. (max. 1
  project)
• Identifying genetic and environmental
  interactions in schizophrenia. Funding scheme
  CP-IP max. 12m. (max. 1 project)
• Optimising current therapeutic approaches to
  schizophrenia.Funding scheme CP-IP, max. 12m
  (max. 1 project)
• Understanding the blood brain barrier to improve
  drug delivery to the brain. Funding scheme
  CP-FP, max. 3m. (1 or more projects)
• Psycho-social factors of brain disorders.
  Funding scheme Coordination Action, max.
  1.5m. (max. 1 project)
• NO TOPICS on Human Development and Ageing in 3rd
  call

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2.3.1 Infectious DiseasesAnti-microbial drug
resistance

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Global collaborative research on the prevention
  of antibiotic resistance. Funding scheme CP-IP,
  max. 12m. (max. 1 project)
• Impact of specific antibiotic therapies on the
  prevalence of resistant bacteria in the human
  host. Funding scheme CP-FP, max. 6m. (1 or
  more projects)
• Clinical evaluation of point-of-care diagnostic
  tests for microbial detection and identification,
  antibiotic susceptibility determination and
  biomarkers. Funding scheme CP-FP, max. 6m. (1
  or more projects)

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2.3.2 Infectious DiseasesHIV/AIDS, malaria
TB

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Integration of European efforts in research on
  malaria. Funding scheme Network of Excellence,
  max. 12m. (max. 1 project)
• Identification and pre-clinical testing of new
  vaccine candidates for tuberculosis. Funding
  scheme CP-IP, max. 12m. (max. 1 project)
• Discovery and/or development of new and
  promising anti-HIV microbicides. Funding scheme
  CP-IP, max. 12m. (max. 1 project)
• Mucosal and topical vaccines for poverty related
  diseases (HIV/AIDS, malaria and/or TB). Funding
  scheme CP-IP, max. 12m. (max. 1 project)
• Translational vaccine research for
  poverty-related diseases (HIV/AIDS, malaria
  and/or TB). Funding scheme CP-FP, max. 3m.
  (max. 1 project)

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2.3.3 Potentially new and re-merging epidemics

• Topic proposed for 3rd call
• Efficacy and effectiveness of personal
  protection equipment and other measures against
  influenza transmission. Funding scheme CP-FP,
  max. 3m. (max. 1 project)

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2.3.4 Neglected infectious diseases

• Topics proposed for 3rd call published under
  area 4.3.1
• Discovery and development of new vaccines or
  drugs for helminth infections (SICA). Target
  region ICPC. Funding scheme CP-FP max. 6m.
  (1 or more projects)
• Identification and development of vaccine
  candidates for neglected bacterial infections
  (SICA). Target region ICPC. Funding scheme
  CP-FP max. 6m. (1 or more projects)
• Human Immune Responses to co-infections of
  Poverty-Related (HIV, malaria, TB) and Neglected
  Infectious Diseases (SICA). Target region ACP.
  Funding scheme CP-IP, max. 12m. (max 1
  project)

SICA Specific International Cooperation
Action ICPC International Cooperation Partner
Countries ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific
countries
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2.4.1 Cancer
Temporary closure of this area No topics in this
call.
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2.4.2 Cardiovascular disease

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Improved or new therapeutic approaches for the
  treatment of heart failure. Funding scheme
  CP-IP, max. 12m. (max 1 project)
• Cardiac arrhythmias from genes to improved
  management of patients. Funding scheme CP-IP,
  max. 12m. (max 1 project)
• Translation of basic knowledge on inherited
  cardiomyopathies into clinical practice. Funding
  scheme CP-FP, max. 3m. (1 or more projects)

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2.4.3 Diabetes and obesity

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Novel therapeutical approach to
  pregnancy-induced diabetes. Funding scheme
  CP-FP, max. 3m. (max. 1 project)
• Novel immunotherapies for type 1 diabetes.
  Funding scheme CP-IP, max. 12m. (max. 1
  project)
• Molecular pathways in food intake at
  CNS-liver-gut regulation level. Funding scheme
  CP-FP, max. 3m. (max. 1 project)

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Rare Diseases and Other Chronic Diseases

• Topics for 2.4.4 Rare Diseases
• Rare neurological diseases. Funding scheme
  CP-FP, max. 6m. (1 or more projects)
• Preclinical development of substances with a
  clear potential as orphan drugs. Funding scheme
  CP-FP, max. 3m. (1 or more projects)

• Topics for 2.4.5 Other chronic diseases
• Prevention and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty
  liver disease . Funding scheme CP-FP, max. 6m.
  (1 or more projects)
• Cellular and molecular mechanisms of development
  of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Funding scheme
  CP-IP, max. 12m. (max. 1 project)

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Collaborative Health ResearchPillar 3

• 3 Optimising the delivery of healthcare
• Translating clinical research into clinical
  practice
• Quality, efficiency and solidarity of healthcare
  systems
• Enhanced health promotion and disease prevention

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Collaborative researchon the Health theme

• 4. Actions across the Theme
• Coordination Support Actions across the theme
• Responding to EU policy needs
• Specific International Cooperation Actions (SICA)

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4.1 Coordination and support actions across the
theme

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Monitoring tool and technology transfer analysis
  for Health theme grants during FP7. Funding
  scheme Support Action, max. 1m. (max. 1
  project)
• Dissemination of results from research in Life
  Sciences and Biotechnology for Health to the
  general public and/or information multipliers.
  Funding scheme Coordination or Support Action,
  max. 1m (1 or more projects)
• Targeting publication bias. Funding scheme
  Support Action, max. 0.5m. (max. 1 project)

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4.2 Responding to EU policy needs

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Adapting off-patent medicines to the specific
  needs of paediatric populations. Funding scheme
  CP-FP, max. 6m. (1 or more projects)
• Study of the arrhythmogenic potential of
  different classes of medicines. Funding scheme
  CP-FP, max. 3m. (1 or more projects)
• Human papillomavirus vaccination (HPV) and
  cervical cancer screening programmes estimate of
  impact of different policy options by way of
  disease modelling and health economics. Funding
  scheme CP-FP, max. 3m. (max. 1 project)
• Coordinating action on organ procurement
  transplantation with a focus on new EU Member
  States. Funding scheme Coordination Action,
  max. 1.5m. (max. 1 project)

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4.3 SICA Specific International Cooperation
Actions

• Topics proposed for 3rd call
• Strategies for improving reproductive health.
  Target region ICPC. Funding scheme CP-FP, max.
  3m. (1 or more projects)
• Access to medicines. Target region ICPC.
  Funding scheme CP-FP, max. 3m. (1 or more
  projects)
• Integration of disease surveillance and health
  systems response. Target region ACP or Asian
  countries. Funding scheme CP-FP, max. 3m. (1
  or more projects)
• Comparative population genetic studies on
  multifactorial diseases. Target region Russia.
  Funding scheme CP-FP, max. 3m. (1 project)
• Diabetic and weight-related co-morbidity in
  heart failure. Target region Russia. Funding
  scheme CP-FP, max. 3m. (max. 1 project)

ICPC International Cooperation Partner
Countries ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific
countries
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Key figures from last call

• call 2007-B (18 Sept. 2007)
• budget 567 million (2008)
• proposals received 902
• proposals evaluated 865 (ineligible 37)
• proposals to be funded 167 of proposals
  evaluated 19
• av. grant per participant 334,000

• Success rate Sweden- 26 (vs Germany- 22
  Denmark- 28)

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Other opportunities in FP7

• Mainly through Collaborative Research, but also
• Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)
• Joint public-private initiative between EFPIA and
  EC
• European Research Council (ERC)
• Grants to individual research groups
• People Programme (Marie-Curie)
• Individual fellowships

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IMI is a public-private partnership

• Aim To remove major bottlenecks and to provide
  with new toolbox to make the drug development
  process safer and more efficient.
• re-invigorate the European bio-pharmaceutical
  sector
• delivery of new approaches, tools, methods and
  technologies, improve knowledge management of
  research results and data, and support the
  training of professionals

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Ideas Programme (European Research Council)

• Individual teams led by independent Principal
  Investigators are supported
• Frontier Research Project All fields of research
  are eligible
• Peer Review Evaluation Scientific excellence is
  the sole selection criterion (25 panels 9 for
  LifeSciences)
• 2 basic grant forms
• ERC Starting Independent Research Grant (2-9
  years post PhD) up to 2 million for 5 years.
  Deadline Autumn 2008
• ERC Advanced Investigator Grant up to 2.5
  (3.5) million for 5 years. Deadline
  (LifeSciences) 22 April 2008

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People Programme (Marie Curie) (1)

• MC Initial Training Networks
• Participants Network of at least 3
  (universities, research centres, companies,
  SMEs),
• Funding for recruitment of early-stage
  researchers, visiting scholars, networking
• Life-long training and career development
  (individual fellowships for experienced
  researchers/postdocs)
• Intra-European Fellowships for Career development
  (IEF), 12-24 months
• European Reintegration grants (ERG), following a
  MC mobility action
• Co-funding of Regional, National, and
  International Programmes (COFUND)

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People Programme (Marie Curie) (2)

• Industry-academia partnerships and pathways
  (IAPP)
• Participants at least one academic and one
  industry/SME organisation from at least 2
  different MS/AC
• Funding for exchange of know-how experience
  through secondments, visiting scholars/trainers
  from outside partnership, networking (for 3-4
  years)
• Conference in Brussels on 14 Jan 2008
  ftp//ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/people/docs/mar
  ie-curie-iapp-conference-140108_en.doc
• International Dimension (individual fellowships
  for experienced researchers/postdocs)
• International outgoing fellowships for career
  development (IOF)
• International incoming fellowships (IIF)
• MC international reintegration grants (IRG)

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Priority setting how are topics decided?

• Conferences, workshops, reflection papers
• Dedicated expert workshops
• Important stakeholder organisations (WHO, ECDC)
• Advisory Group (experts)
• Commission services (support to EU policies)
• Programme Committee (Member States)

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Dan Andrée Special Advisor Ministry of Education
and Research A rough guide to the FP7 Work
Programmes. Who can be involved in the
preparation? What to do, when and
how? Available at http//www.vinnova.se
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Information

• Partnersökning SMEsGo Health www.smesgohealth.org
  
• Planeringsbidrag och SMINT
• www.vinnova.se
• Utlysningstext, EPSS etc
• www.cordis.lu

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Hälsa

• Resultat

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Första utlysningen

• Ansökningar totalt
  894 with Swedish participation
  231 with Swedish SME
  43Prioriterade
  152 with
  Swedish participation
  56 with Swedish coordinator
  10 with Swedish SME
  11

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Andra utlysningen prel efter start av SME Support
Office

• Ansökningar totalt 897
  with Swedish
  participation nd with Swedish SME
  58Prioriterade
  172
  with Swedish participation
  90 with Swedish coordinator
  11
  with Swedish SME
  15

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Thank you
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Advantages of EC Research Projects

• Networking with others
• Access to large pool of know-how
• within the consortium
• Financial benefit
• Contribution from EC
• Few strings attached
• Quality stamp
• Tough selection procedure
• Leverage for additional funding

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Risks of joining EC Research Projects

• Competition
• Competition is tough the proposal and partners
  must be excellent
• Partnership principle
• Ownership and decision in partnership
• Bureaucracy
• Paper work and guidelines (But maybe not that
  bad)
• Financial risk
• Co-funding required (25-50)
• Cash-flow problems (pre/post-payments and delays)

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The Evaluation process

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Strategic Planning (I)

• Start well in advance
• Be clear of what you want and what is requested
  in the call if the two do not fit, do not
  bother (it shows!)
• Make sure the proposal addresses the call text
  fully (topic and overall objective of the area
  read the workprogramme introduction!)
• Think European (what added value will this
  proposal bring to Europe?)
• Where do I find those SMEs? (SMEsgoHealth)
• Geographical balance (truths and myths)
• Make sure your partners are fully committed to
  the project (and not only to obtaining financial
  support to continue doing what they always did)
• Contact your NCP / University EU Liaison office
  to learn from their experience, get tips and the
  latest news

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Strategic Planning (II)

• Download and READ the relevant documents before
  you start to write
• Workprogramme (including introduction and
  annexes)
• Guide for proposers
• Be aware of eligibility criteria
• Proposal submitted on time (before 1700 the day
  of the dead-line, NOT 1701!!) with margins
  there may be unforeseen technical problems
• Respect the budget brackets for the funding
  scheme (1 outside the range above or below! -
  and the proposal will not even be evaluated!)
• Minimum (number) legal participants
• Dont mix single and 2 stage topics, where
  applicable

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Strategic Planning (III)

• Be clear on the evaluation criteria and
  thresholds
• Section A Formalities (try to be accurate!)
• Section B The actual proposal text (evaluation
  criterion Relevance of FP6 is now incorporated
  into Science)
• B1- Science 3/5 33
• B2 Implementation 3/5 - 33
• B3 Impact 3/5 - 33
• Overall 10/15
• may change from call to call.

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Importance of the IMPACT section as a proposal
differentiator

• A typical proposal from academics will have
• 60 pages of wonderful science
• 12 pages of wonderful colleagues and management
• 2 pages of IMPACT mostly repeating the
  introduction of B1 saying
• X million people suffer from this disease
• We will create a vaccine

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What should the IMPACT section be about?

• What will really happen if the project is
  successful e.g. The new vaccine
• Somebody has to pay for Phase II, II and IV
  clinical trials where will that money come
  from?
• What regulatory hurdles must be overcome who
  will overcome them?
• Will the new vaccine be licensed to a large
  enterprise pharma (preferably one in your
  consortium) that will provide a route to market?
• How will you convince pharma to take your
  vaccine?
• What competition is already out there?
• What differentiates your vaccine from all the
  others?

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How to describe the steps needed to meet the
Expected Targets

• What would you do in the real world to achieve
  those targets? exploitation and dissemination
• Say that you will start ED activities right from
  the Kick-Off Meeting (c.f. the vaccine example
  earlier)
• Dissemination
• to whom?
• at what conferences?
• in what workshops?
• over the internet?
• in a new or extended partnership?

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Handling intellectual property issues in the
proposal and in the post-project world

• Intellectual property (IP) is not just patents
  but what is it?
• Tell the evaluators so that they know you know
• Distinguish background and foreground IP
• Tell the evaluators what foreground IP you think
  will be created in the project
• Tell them how you will protect it
• Tell them how you will use it to get your e.g.
  vaccine, to market