Hepatitis C Research Funding Opportunity: Pre-announcement

The Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Hepatitis C Research Initiative, under the scientific direction of the Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) and in partnership with the Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Branch (IDPCB) of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), is pleased to announce an upcoming funding opportunity to support Hepatitis C Research in Canada.

Aligned with the recently released Accelerating our response: Government of Canada five-year action plan on sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) (2019), and Reducing the health impact of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections in Canada by 2030: A pan-Canadian STBBI framework for action (2018), the Hepatitis C Research funding opportunity will build on existing investments in HIV, STBBI and harm reduction to support an integrated approach to STBBI along the continuum of care, while remaining focused on areas of research that are distinct and impactful for achieving Canada’s goal of reducing the health impacts of hepatitis C in Canada by 2030. This funding opportunity will focus on hepatitis C prevention, testing and improved health outcomes for those living with hepatitis.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Facilitate and support a national collaborative hepatitis C public health research program that aligns with the Government of Canada Five-Year Action Plan on STBBI and links and leverages existing networks and research programs, engages knowledge users, people with living/lived experience and decision makers to:
  • Enable innovative, high quality, collaborative research in the area of prevention of hepatitis C infection and reinfection, linkage to care in priority populations and hepatitis C-related health complications;
  • Accelerate the translation and uptake of knowledge and implementation of evidence to inform practices, policies and programs through models of integrated knowledge translation and innovative strategies that engage knowledge users, people with living/lived experience and decision makers;
  • Develop and/or strengthen innovative multidisciplinary curricula and training opportunities for students and professionals.

Research Areas

This funding opportunity will support a national collaborative research program relevant to the following research areas:

• Research Area 1: Prevention of Hepatitis C and Reaching the Undiagnosed to:
  • Examine the behavioural, social and structural factors and determinants of health that lead to or reinforce conditions of vulnerability to hepatitis C infection and reinfection (e.g., stigma, substance use);
  • Examine methodology to enhance measures and indicators of cascade of care in priority populations;
  • Carry out implementation science to examine effective interventions, tools and models of care that can be scaled-up across multiple community and health contexts to improve the prevention of infection and reinfection of hepatitis C, and linkage to care in priority populations.
• Research Area 2: Long-term Consequences to:
  • Assess the long-term consequences and health implications of hepatitis C infection, reinfection and treatment to improve health outcomes of people living with and/or treated and living with complications of hepatitis C using existing cohorts.

The funded research program is expected to have an impact in each of the two research areas outlined above, and both must be addressed in the application.

Funds Available

The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $4,500,000, enough to fund one grant.

• The maximum amount available for Research Area 1 – Prevention of Hepatitis C and Reaching the Undiagnosed is $700,000 per year for up to 5 years, for a total of $3,500,000.
• The maximum amount available for Research Area 2 – Long-term Consequences and Cascade of Care is $200,000 per year for up to 5 years, for a total of $1,000,000.

CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

Important Dates

*These timelines are estimates and subject to change.

Date modified:

2020-01-28