FAPESP – UKRI (MRC) AI for Health Funding Opportunity

FAPESP – UKRI (MRC) AI for Health Funding Opportunity is sponsored by Medical Research Council (MRC) / FAPESP. This initiative provides matched funding for UK and São Paulo research teams to collaborate on AI research for health applications relevant to Brazil, aiming to advance research or address barriers to the use of AI in health.

FAPESP and UKRI (MRC) artificial intelligence (AI) for health – UKRI Funding opportunity: FAPESP and UKRI (MRC) artificial intelligence (AI) for health Medical Research Council (MRC) São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) 28 June 2024 9:00am UK time 30 July 2024 4:00pm UK time This funding opportunity allows UK based eligible individuals (who are employed by eligible research organisations) and eligible individuals based in the state of São Paulo, Brazil to jointly apply for funding to support research projects addressing artificial intelligence (AI) for biomedical and health applications that are relevant to Brazil.

You must have submitted to FAPESP by 28 June 2024 and be invited to apply to this funding opportunity. You can only apply for this funding opportunity if you have been invited by Medical Research Council (MRC), following submission of your funding application to FAPESP by the advertised closing date 28 June 2024. Before applying for funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation .

For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual .

To be eligible to apply for this opportunity you must: have received an email invitation from MRC be employed by an eligible research organisation show that you will direct the project and be actively engaged in the work focus your application on addressing AI for biomedical and health If you do not have a contract of employment for the duration of the proposed project, by submitting an application the research organisation is confirming, if it is successful: contracts will be extended beyond the end date of the project all necessary support for you and the project will be provided, including mentorship and career development for early career researchers We recognise the diversity of skills necessary for a successful research team and encourage applications to recognise the contribution of technical professionals.

São Paulo based applicants (including the São Paulo project lead and any co-leads), should be added to your Funding Service application as a member of your ‘Core team’ (salary costs should not be claimed). You should assign the São Paulo lead and any co-leads, the role of ‘Project co-lead (international)’.

You can include other (non- São Paulo), international applicants as project co-leads (international), where they will make a major intellectual contribution to the design or conduct of the project. Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes: support for people with caring responsibilities alternative working patterns Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI . Explore the closed FAPESP funding opportunity information to see the aims, objectives and scope.

You can only apply for this funding opportunity following submission of your funding application to FAPESP , by the advertised closing date 28 June 2024 and once you have received an email invitation to apply from Medical Research Council (MRC). MRC aim to send email invitations week commencing 1 July 2024.

The invitation will include a start application link, allowing invited applicants to apply through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. MRC must receive a copy of your FAPESP application (via the Funding Service), to enable us to assess your application. We are running this funding opportunity on the new Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered.

You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system. The UK project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application. Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

If the lead research organisation is an NHS organisation, check it is available in the Funding Service. You are encouraged to check this early as there may be additional steps for the organisation to be set up before you can apply. Select the ‘Start application’ link provided to you within the invitation email.

Confirm you are the project lead. Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service. We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this funding opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account.

This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you. Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers.

If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.

Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing. Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.

Watch our research office webinars about the new Funding Service . For more guidance on the Funding Service, see: how applicants use the Funding Service how research offices use the Funding Service how reviewers use the Funding Service MRC must receive your application by 30 July 2024 at 4:00pm UK time. You will not be able to apply after this time.

Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines. Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

MRC as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications. We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice .

We will need to share the application and any personal information that it contains with FAPESP to facilitate the assessment process. MRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at board and panel outcomes . If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research .

In plain English, provide a summary of your project. We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information.

Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example: the wider research community Guidance for writing a summary Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of: the challenge the project addresses potential applications and benefits List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following: project co-lead (UK) (PcL) project co-lead (international) (PcL (I)) professional enabling staff research and innovation associate Only list one UK based individual as project lead All applicants (including the São Paulo project lead and any co-leads), should be added to your Funding Service application as a member of your ‘Core team’.

You should assign the São Paulo lead and any co-leads, the role of ‘Project co-lead (international)’. Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications . Upload a single PDF containing a copy of your FAPESP application.

The content of the PDF should be in English. What the assessors are looking for in your response We require you to download a copy of your submitted FAPESP application from the FAPESP website and upload a PDF of your application to this section (ensure the PDF does not exceed the maximum file size of 8MB).

For the file name, use the unique Funding Service number the system gives you when you create an application, followed by the words ‘FAPESP application’. The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply. Add details about any project partners’ contributions.

If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service. A project partner is a collaborating third party organisation who will have an integral role in the proposed research. This may include direct (cash) or indirect (in-kind) contributions such as expertise, staff time or use of facilities.

Important note: If your application includes industry project partners, you will also need to complete the Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF) section. Find out more about ICF . You must ensure that any third party individual or organisation you include within the Funding Service as a project partner, also provides you with a supporting email or letter of support (see next section ‘Project partners: letters or emails of support’).

The individual named as the project partner contact, cannot be included in your application as a member of the core team, in any core team role . The project partner organisation cannot be an applicant organisation, where any member of the core team is based. For example, you cannot include a different department based within the applicant organisation as a project partner.

If an individual or organisation outside the core team is responsible for recruitment of people as research participants or providing human tissue for this project, list them as a project partner.

Add the following project partner details: the organisation name (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable) the project partner contact name and email address the type of contribution (direct or in-direct) and its monetary value If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.

If there are specific circumstances where project partners do require funding for minor costs such as travel and subsistence, these project partner costs should be claimed and justified within the resources and costs section of your application. For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Project partners: letters or emails of support Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partners’ section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only. What the assessors are looking for in your response Enter the words ‘attachment supplied’ in the text box, or if you do not have any project partners enter ‘N/A’.

What supporting statements we are looking for Important note: We are only looking for you to provide project partner letters or emails of support from the following: a third party organisation Third party means the individual and organisation must not be involved in the application core team.

You must ensure that any project partners providing a supporting document, are also added to the ‘project partners’ section within the Funding Service. Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the ‘Project partners’ section. For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

What supporting statements we are not looking for We are not looking for you to provide any letters or emails of support from individuals or organisations included in your application core team (this includes other departments within the same organisation). Any individual or organisation included in your application with a core team role cannot also be a project partner.

Do not include any other statements or any other type of information we have not requested, including letter or emails of support from colleagues simply expressing supportive opinions. We only expect letters or emails of support from your third party project partners uploaded to this section. If you include any information not requested by MRC, your application will be rejected.

Supporting document guidance for third party project partners Each project partner supporting letter or email you provide, should: be no more than two A4 pages confirm the partner’s commitment to the project clearly explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the work to them describe any additional value that they bring to the project include the name of the project partner organisation and contact information (this should match the partner contact and organisation name details you must add to the ‘Project partners’ section) Project partners letters and emails of support are not required to be on headed paper or include handwritten signatures (electronic signatures are acceptable from the nominated partner contact).

Project partner responsibility for the recruitment of people If the project partner is responsible for the recruitment of people as research participants or providing human tissue their letter or email of support should include: agreement that the project partner will recruit the participants or provide tissue confirmation that what is being supplied is suitable for the proposed work confirmation that the quantity of tissue being supplied is suitable, but not excessive for achieving meaningful results (if applicable) Multiple project partners If you have multiple project partners, you should: ensure each separate letter or email of support, does not exceed two pages of A4 consolidate all the supporting documents provided by each project partner into a single PDF file before uploading ensure the PDF does not exceed the maximum file size of 8MB For the file name, use the unique Funding Service number the system gives you when you create an application, followed by the words ‘Project partner’.

Industry collaboration framework (ICF) Does your application include industry project partners? What the assessors are looking for in your response If industry collaboration does not apply to any of your project partners, or you do not have any project partners, simply add ‘N/A’ into the text box.

If your research project involves collaboration between an academic organisation and an industry or company, you are likely to need to follow the industry collaboration framework and answer this question, check using the ICF decision tree .

The assessors are looking for information relating to the nature, goals and conditions of the collaboration and any restrictions or rights to the project results that could be claimed by the project partner. By ‘industry or company’ we mean an enterprise that puts goods or services on a market and whose commercial activities are greater than 20% of their overall annual capacity.

Find out more about ICF , including: definitions of basic or applied research internationally based companies Intellectual property (IP) arrangements fully flexible and gated contributions the ICF assessment criteria In addition to the project partner information completed in the previous section, confirm your answers to the ICF questions in the text box, repeat this process for each ICF project partner: Name the industry or company project partner considered under ICF.

Indicate whether your application is either basic research or applied research. Explain why, in the absence of the requested UKRI funding, the collaboration and the planned research could not be undertaken. State whether your application is under the category of either fully flexible contribution or gated contribution (based on the IP sharing arrangements with the ICF partner).

Outline the pre-existing IP (‘background IP’) that each project partner, including the academic partner, will bring to the collaborative research project and the terms under which project partners may access these assets.

Outline the IP that is expected to be developed during the collaborative research project (‘foreground IP’) and briefly outline how it will be managed, including: which project partners will own this IP what rights project partners will have to use academically-generated foreground IP during and after the research project, for internal research and development or for commercial purposes any rights of the academic partner to commercialise the foreground IP (including foreground IP generated by project partners) Outline any restrictions to dissemination of the project results, including the rights of the project partner to: review, approve or delay publications (including the time period associated with such rights) request or require the removal of any information Declare any conflicts of interest held by the applicants in relation to the project partners and describe how they will be managed.

If applicable, justify collaborating with an overseas industry or company under ICF. Failure to provide the information requested for industry partners under ICF could result in your application being rejected. You are recommended to discuss the goals and conditions of any collaboration with an industry or company project partner with your university technology transfer or contracts office before applying.

Trusted Research and Innovation Does the proposed work involve international collaboration in a sensitive research or technology area?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Demonstrate how your proposed international collaboration relates to TR&I, including: list the countries your international project co-leads, project partners and visiting researchers, or other collaborators are based in if international collaboration is involved, explain whether this project is relevant to one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act if one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act are involved list the areas Enter N/A in the text box if not applicable to your proposed work.

We may ask you to provide additional information about how your proposed project will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help manage these risks What resources will you need to deliver the UK element of your proposed work and how much will it cost? Do not include any costs which will be funded by FAPESP.

What the assessors are looking for in your response Add your UK costs to the Funding Service, Ensure the cost entered reflect the cost indicated in your submission to FAPESP.

This should include: significant travel for field work or collaboration, applicable to UK based staff only (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences) any equipment costs associated with the UK element, that will cost more than £10,000 any UK based costs related to consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities all facilities and infrastructure costs include any International costs as ‘Exceptions’, such as those associated with project co-leads (international) NHS research costs , when they are associated with NHS studies within the UK UK based animal costs, such as numbers that need to be bred or maintained and to maintain high welfare standards any UK work to be outsourced, including the reason for outsourcing, scope, provider and cost Should you require any further guidance adding your costs to the Funding Service, explore the Funding Service: Resources and Costs information for grant applications .

Do not include any costs which will be funded by FAPESP. A justification of your costs is not required, you should therefore enter the words ‘UK costs supplied’ in the text box and complete the section, after adding all of your UK based costs. Clinical research using NHS resources Will your research involve participants from the NHS or health and social care duty of care?

What the assessors are looking for in your response If not, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box Researchers applying for clinical research in the NHS, public health or social care need to complete a Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Tool (SoECAT) to be eligible for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) portfolio.

This is the route through which support and excess treatment costs are provided in England.

You must answer ‘Yes’ and complete and upload a SoECAT if you are applying for clinical research funding, and confirm that: you will carry out your research in the UK it is intended for the NIHR RDN portfolio; this may include studies in a social care or public health setting the research requires approval by Health Research Authority (England) or its equivalents in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales your research will use NHS resources You must complete a SoECAT even if you do not think your clinical research will involve excess treatment costs (ETCs).

See MRC guidance on who needs to complete a SoECAT . If you are applying for clinical research in the NHS, public health or social care and do not think you need to complete a SoECAT, answer ‘Yes’ and explain why a SoECAT is not necessary. We want to know that you have taken the appropriate steps for the full costs of your research to be attributed, calculated and paid.

We want to see the expected total resources required for your project, such as ETCs, to consider if these are appropriate. SoECAT guidance can be found on the NIHR website . These are the steps you need to take: Contact an Attributing the costs of health and social care Research & Development (AcoRD) specialist as early as possible in the application process.

Complete an online SoECAT. Excel versions of the form have been discontinued. If you do not have an account for NIHR’s Central Portfolio Management System (CPMS) you will need create and activate one.

See the user guide for instructions Request authorisation of your SoECAT. Once authorised extract the ‘study information’ and the ‘summary’ page from the ‘Funder Export’, combine them as a single PDF and upload it to your application. Applications that require a SoECAT but have not attached the SoECAT funder export study information and summary may be rejected.

Ensure the AcoRD specialists name and date are include within the uploaded summary page. The SoECAT is invalid without this information. Contact international@mrc.

ukri. org if you have questions about the UKRI aspects of this process or have concerns that your SoECAT may not be authorised in time for the application deadline. How we will assess your application FAPESP will be leading the administration of this funding opportunity, for full details please consult the FAPESP funding opportunity page .

FAPESP will act as lead agency in this funding opportunity and applications will be remote peer-reviewed and the peer review process will include reviewers nominated by FAPESP and MRC. Key assessment criteria of the peer review analysis are described below.

A Joint Evaluation Panel comprising of experts designated by FAPESP and MRC will evaluate all eligible proposals providing FAPESP and MRC with a ranked list of funding recommendations. The boards of FAPESP and MRC will thereafter ratify the results. The Brazilian part will be funded by FAPESP according to its own rules and procedures and the UK part by MRC according to its rules and procedures.

In due time, the researchers will also receive the necessary feedback about the decision taken. To be funded, applications must be internationally competitive and at a standard equivalent to that normally expected to be supported by FAPESP and MRC.

Key assessment criteria for the submissions will be: significance and Impact of the research scientific rationale, including: importance and timeliness of the research design and feasibility of the project plan strength and clarity of collaborations and opportunities provided quality of the project management structure proposed; the added value of the UK-Brazil collaboration quality and suitability of the research environment and of the facilities value for money for Brazilian and UK science ethical considerations and governance arrangements Get help with your application If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page Important note: The Helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible.

In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the Helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue.

Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding Finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility or content/remit of an opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.

For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process. For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact international@mrc. ukri.

org Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk. Email: support@funding-service. ukri.

org Our phone lines are open: Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm To help us process queries quicker, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time. See further information on submitting an application .

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email international@mrc. ukri. org Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].

Typical examples of confidential information include: individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave) additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK.

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