CONTEXT:
Diabetes Action Canada has recently launched a National Diabetes Repository. The Repository aims to provide researchers with data to support studies that accelerate the impact of research findings on health outcomes and improve the quality of life for Canadians living with diabetes. The repository contains primary care Electronic Medical Record (EMR) data originating from 4 Canadian provinces. This represents de-identified data for over 100,000 patients living with diabetes.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR DATA DICTIONARY
The Secure Analytic Virtual Environment (SAVE) is a privacy compliant research platform in a high performance computing centre. Approved researchers can access the SAVE remotely to analyze datasets derived from Repository data; we provide statistical software (SPSS, R, PHYTHON) along with a standard suite of Microsoft Office.
OBJECTIVE:
To fund pilot projects that will utilize data in the National Diabetes Repository to advance care and improve health for patients living with diabetes. Projects should demonstrate the value of using our data, as a precursor for future grant competitions.
Deadline for submissions: April 30, 2019 at noon (ET)
Diabetes Action Canada (DAC) will support three grants for this competition. Funding for each grant is up to $15,000.
Grants will be open to Diabetes Action Canada investigators.
The projects must involve remote data analyses at DAC’s Secure Analytic Research Environment (SAVE) at the Centre for Advanced Computing (CAC).
CRITERIA:
- The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a DAC investigator.
- The grant competition is only open to residents of Canada.
- A PI is eligible for only one grant as lead investigator.
- Grant funds must be received and held by the recipient’s institution.
- A proportion of funds must be used to access and analyze data remotely at the SAVE hosted at the CAC. These costs will be outlined in the confirmation of feasibility document once a project has been selected; costs for dataset creation and processes to access SAVE are approximately $4,000. Funds remaining can be used for salary support for statisticians and analysts or KT activities.
- Funds will be available for 12 months from date of assignment. Any unused funds must be returned to Diabetes Action Canada.
REVIEW:
Each grant proposal will be reviewed by the DAC Repository Manager and Data Manager to confirm the feasibility of the proposal, by peers and by the Research Governing Committee, which is composed of 50% patients.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
Proposals must:
- Use data available in the Repository.
- Be relevant to the following research priority areas of Diabetes Action Canada:
Aging community and population research
Diabetic-Retinopathy Screening,
Foot care: Prevention of lower extremity amputation
Neuropathy
Acute and Chronic Complications,
Pharmacologic Treatment
Nephropathy
Health Informatics.
- Demonstrate how this work will enable future projects and subsequently secure external funding
- Engaging Patient Partners as part of the application will strengthen proposals
BREAKDOWN OF SCORING:
Concept – 25% – Significance of the Research
Patient Impact – 35% – Research aligned with the best interest of Patients
Research Design and Method – 25% – Innovative use of data/techniques
Team Expertise, Experience and Resources – 15%
REVIEW PROCESS:
HOW TO APPLY:
Qualifying applicants must submit their proposal electronically by clicking “HERE”
An itemized budget and 1 page CV for each team member must be submitted (uploaded) with the proposal.
RECIPIENTS OF THE GRANT:
- Once awarded, all analytical work must be conducted remotely in the National Diabetes Repository SAVE, adhering to the Repository’s Policies and Procedures.
- Projects must have REB approval before funds are transferred.
- Terms and conditions will be outlined in the Researcher Agreement and Confirmation of Funding.
- As a condition of the award, PIs that are not DAC investigators will become Diabetes Action Canada Associate Members (https://diabetesaction.ca/associate-members/)
- All project team members are required to sign a confidentiality agreement and conflict of interest disclosure statement.
Project Reporting
- Within 60 days of project completion, the PI is required to provide a financial report to Diabetes Action Canada detailing the use of the funds.
- All publications must acknowledge Diabetes Action Canada and the use of the National Diabetes Repository. Specific language will be outlined in the researcher agreement,
- A copy of all manuscripts, reports or papers must be submitted to Diabetes Action Canada
- An outline of each projects will be posted on the Diabetes Action Canada website
Should you have any further questions, please email Senior Project Manager at repository@diabetesaction.ca.