How to Apply: Letter of Intent (LOI)
APPLICATION INFORMATION FOR THE 2017-2018 TRANSATLANTIC NETWORKS OF EXCELLENCE PROGAM
Applicants are advised to read the Transatlantic Networks of Excellence Program Description for important information about the application process and Fondation Leducq policies. Detailed instructions about the application submission are available on the proposalCENTRAL website, and should be consulted in preparing the application.
Applicants to the Transatlantic Networks Program must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) through the online application service managed by Altum proposalCENTRAL, which will be accessible beginning in mid-June 2016. A link to the website is provided here. The application should be assembled as outlined below, and uploaded as one single word of pdf file, not to exceed 10Mb. (Disclosure forms and CVs are uploaded separately.) Letters of Intent must be submitted before the end of the day, 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, September 5, 2017.
The Applicant designated to submit the application through proposalCENTRAL should be one of the two coordinators who lead each Leducq network. He or she can grant access to other network members to view or to edit the application. The final submission must come from the coordinator who is registered on the proposalCENTRAL site as the applicant.
Full names, institutional affiliations, postal and email addresses, telephone and fax numbers for the North American and the European Coordinators and proposed members. List the two coordinators at the top. (This information is requested on the proposalCENTRAL website in the “Key Personnel” section, but should also be included in a separate page as a part of the application document.)
The research program title.
A description of the proposed research, not to exceed 1500 words, which should cover:
- The purpose and objectives of the work.
- The background and scientific importance of the research. Cite relevant publications in the text where applicable (see below).
- The proposed research plan and the organization of the network to meet the stated objectives. Be as specific as possible about the research program, and the experiments planned to meet your objectives.
- The added value of the collaborative network for achieving scientific objectives. Discuss the impact of the collaborative program with reference to what together you can achieve that working individually you could not.
- The qualifications of the applicants to carry out the research, including experience in field, and prior collaborative work.
- Word count
Applicants may include a one-page figure (optional) with the application.
A one-page bibliography. Please list here the references cited in the program description outlined above. Include (and highlight in some way, e.g. bold typeface) at least 5 recent publications from among the members of the proposed network.
A 250 word abstract. Include 3 KEYWORDS for the project on the bottom line.
An abbreviated CV of 1-2 pages in biosketch format for the coordinators and all proposed network members. A template of the biosketch is available here (pdf version). Upload all the CVs together as a single pdf file
TO BE UPLOADED SEPARATELY AS ONE PDF FILE: A completed and signed disclosure form for each coordinator and proposed member. Applicants should refer to the Fondation Leducq conflict of interest policy for applicants before completing the disclosure form.
For the text of the submission, please use 12-point type, and either Times New Roman or Arial as the font. One page of supplementary figures may be added (words on this page will not count towards the 1500 limit in the project description). Letters of Intent found not to be in compliance with the format guidelines risk disqualification. The submission of supplementary materials, including introductory letters, is discouraged; they will not be considered, nor will they be returned.
To start the application process, please register to obtain a new account and follow the instructions, or, if you have already applied to any other program through proposalCENTRAL, simply login. Most institutions have been registered, but if yours is not on the list, please create a new institution when prompted. (If you do create a new institution, you need only include the required information indicated by the red asterisk, although you can enter additional information if you choose). Once you have entered the required information, and the system has registered the institution, you can proceed to the “Professional Profile” tab on the upper right menu. For purposes of the Fondation Leducq application, only section 1, “Institution and Contact Information,” is required. If you have applied, or are applying, through proposal CENTRAL for some other program, you may need to complete the other sections of the profile. If not, please do not complete the other sections. The information will not be included in the application for the Fondation Leducq. There is no need to add a biosketch at this point. Rather, the biosketches for all network members will be uploaded in a single application pdf file as described above. Once the institution is registered, and section 1 of the professional profile is complete, go to the “Manage Proposals” tab, and create a new proposal. If you are returning to edit a proposal, you will find it here. At this point you will be able to download the complete instructions for the Fondation Leducq application. Please follow the guidelines in the instructions and on the proposalCENTRAL website to prepare and submit the application.
Full applications
The Fondation Leducq will notify applicants about the status of their applications following the fall meeting of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), which will take place at the end of October. At that meeting, the SAC will select 8-14 network applicants to submit a full application, information about which will be provided at the time of notification. It is the express intention of the members of the SAC to limit requests for full applications to those proposals with a significant chance of success in the final round. Full applications are due in the foundation office in February, 2018 and the final recommendation of the SAC, to select up to five networks for support, will be made at a meeting in early April 2018. The Fondation Leducq’s Conseil d’Administration (Board of Directors) will consider the SAC’s recommendation in early June.
Please note that it is the policy of the Scientific Advisory Committee not to provide comments or feedback about unsuccessful LOI applications.
Questions about the electronic submission process should be directed to the proposalCENTRAL staff, whose contact information can be found on the proposalCENTRAL website. Questions about the application, or about Fondation Leducq policy, should be directed to the Fondation Leducq office at contact@flcq.org.
Eligibility
Participants in a Fondation Leducq Transatlantic Network of Excellence Program must have expertise in cardiovascular, neurovascular disease, or a related field, and must be affiliated with an academic research center. The North American Coordinator must be based geographically in North America, and the European Coordinator in Europe. In the consideration of whether a country is or is not a part of Europe or North America, conventional geographic boundaries will obtain. Accordingly, for example, Israel or Australia are not considered part of Europe. In past years, the Fondation Leducq limited participation in the Transatlantic Networks of Excellence Program to investigators from North America and Europe. The program is now open to investigators worldwide, with the exception of the coordinator role, as described above. Participation in a Leducq Transatlantic Network is contingent upon the commitment of the participant’s affiliated academic institution to abide by the financial and intellectual property provisions, and the reporting requirements, found in the Summary of Material Terms.
Network members may not participate in more than two Leducq Transatlantic Networks concurrently. (This rule applies only to the 5-year term of the grant, and not to the no-cost extension period that networks may wish to pursue.)
Investigators may not submit more applications in an application cycle than the number in which they are allowed to participate if all applications were successful. Practically, this means that in any given year:
- Applicants for the role of coordinator cannot have their name on any other application submitted to the foundation, and cannot be participating in a current network unless participation will end before the proposed network will begin.
- A member of a current Leducq network, which is expected to continue the following year, can be included on only one application (as a member) to the Transatlantic Networks Program.
- An investigator not currently participating in a Leducq network can submit a maximum of either one application where his/her role will be that of coordinator, or two applications for that of member.
- An investigator who is a member of two Leducq networks can participate in a network application only when one of the networks of which he or she is a member comes to the end of its five-year term.
Participation in an extended term, a one year no cost extension granted to Fondation Leducq networks, does not count as participation in a network for purposes of determining eligibility.
Transatlantic Network grants are not renewable. Members of concluding networks who wish to reapply with a team that consists of largely of the same participants, and with a theme similar to that of the existing network, are urged to present a new and original direction for research. All applications are considered on a de novo basis.