SymbNET Research Grants

SymbNET Research Grants: the use of new methods in Metabolomics and Genomics

All calls for this funding are closed!

 

The SymbNET Research Grants aim to promote the use of new technologies and approaches in MetabolomicsGenomics and Proteomics, and the interaction of FCG-IGC and ITQB-NOVA researchers with the SymbNET partner Institutions (CAU, UNIL, EMBL). The purpose is for the researchers to use and identify techniques to be imported to FCG-IGC and ITQB-NOVA facilities or to be used in the long-term as an external service in partner institutions or collaborations.

Grants, up to 4,000 each, will cover 50% of services expenses or consumables in partner research groups. The other 50% of the service costs will be covered from the research funds of the applicant.

 

CALLS:

  1. CLOSED: deadline 20 Nov 2021
  2. CLOSED: deadline 30 Apr 2022
  3. CLOSED: deadline 30 Sep 2022
  4. CLOSED: deadline 27 Feb 2023
  5. CLOSED: deadline 12 Oct 2023

 

ELIGIBILITY RULES AND OTHER PROVISIONS

1. Eligible researchers must be affiliated with FCG-IGC or ITQB-NOVA.

2. The project must include the use of services in research facilities or specialized techniques of research groups of the SymbNET partner institution (CAU, UNIL, EMBL).

3. The project must be on Genomics, Metabolomics or Proteomics in host-microbe symbiosis.

4. The specific technique or service must not be available at the FCG-IGC or ITQB-NOVA.

5. The funds provided must be used on services or research expenses directly related to the specific technique being proposed (e.g. consumables and internal services). Any other costs (i.e.: indirect costs) are not eligible.

6. SymbNET must be acknowledged in publications and communications that may arise from the research funded by this Grant by including the following text: “This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 952537 (SymbNET Genomics and Metabolomics in a Host-Microbe Symbiosis Network)”, together with the EU emblem.

7. Publications and research data that arise from work funded by this grant must follow EU open access policy. Please check the Grant Regulation (Annex 1) at the bottom of the page for detailed information.

8. Projects must comply with the relevant ethical and legal provisions in the laboratories where they are developed. Please check the Grant Regulation (Annex 2) at the bottom of the page for detailed information.

9. The awardee should use all funds and submit an activity report, including a data management plan and expenses description.

10. One applicant may submit more than one proposal.

 

PROCEDURE AND SELECTION

1. Proposals should be submitted here.

2. The applicants must provide the following items:

a) Name and Affiliation;
b) Project title and the state of the art of their field of interest and the question(s) they want to address in their proposal (maximum of 3,000 characters, including spaces);
c) Summary of the experiments they want to perform and how the use of the new technique(s) will promote the development of their research project or lab research plans (maximum of 3,000 characters, including spaces);
d) A quote of the Research Facility or a detailed budget of expenses. This should be the full cost of the proposed experiments, of which SymbNET covers 50%, up to €4,000;
e) A statement (1 paragraph) from the Head of the relevant Facility at FCG-IGC or ITQB-NOVA about the novelty of the technique and local unavailability;
f) A statement from the applicant * confirming compliance with Ethics regulations. This letter should state the following:
“I [applicant’s name] confirm that the research to be developed at [Name of Institute] within the scope of the SymbNET Research Grant complies with all national and European ethical and safety rules. The Laboratory / Facility where the project will be developed follows all national and European ethical and safety rules, and all licenses required for experimentation have been acquired. [date] and [signature]”. * If the applicant is not a Group Leader, the statement has to be filled and signed by the Group Leader.
g) A letter from the collaborative Group Leader / Head of Facility confirming their support, and the following statement:
“I [name of Group Leader / Head of Facility] confirm that the research to be developed at [Name of Institute] within the scope of the SymbNET Research Grant complies with all national and European ethical and safety rules. The Laboratory / Facility where the project will be developed follows all national and European ethical and safety rules, and all licenses required for experimentation have been acquired. [date] and [signature]”.

The Ethics and Safety statements must be filled even if the project does not raise ethical questions or licenses are required.

3. Eligibility requirements will be verified by the task leader (Michael Zimmermann, EMBL) and contributors (Luís Moita and Luís Teixeira, FCG-IGC) with the support from the project manager (Mariana G Simões, FCG-IGC).

4. Proposals will be evaluated by the SymbNET representatives of CAU, UNIL or EMBL.

5. If one of the SymbNET representatives has a conflict of interests in the evaluation of any of the proposals (e.g. is involved in the preparation of the proposal), a replacement will be proposed by the relevant partner institution.

6. Selection will be based on:

a) The innovative nature of the proposal;
b) The novelty of the method used and unavailability of similar methods at FCG-IGC or ITQB-NOVA;
c) The relevance of the question(s) being addressed within the scientific areas represented in SymbNET;
d) The scientific strength of the proposal;
e) The feasibility of the proposal;
f) Added value to the applicant’s host institution in the development of the technique being used or the long-term use of the technique for the applicant.

Throughout the calls, selection will balance institutions, research groups, and topics covered in the awarded applications.

7. The reviewers will meet after performing an individual evaluation and ranking to discuss and select the applications.

9. The selected projects will be announced in December 2021 (1st call)May 2022 (2nd call), October 2022 (3rd call), February 2023 (4th call), November 2023 (5th call)

 

RESULTS

1st Call: Elisa Jentho (FCG-IGC), Qian Wu (FCG-IGC), Maria João Amorim (FCG-IGC). More Info

2nd Call: Ana Gonçalves (ITQB NOVA), Abdul M Shafi (FCG-IGC). More Info

3rd Call: Migla Miskinyte (FCG-IGC), Rui Martins (FCG-IGC). More Info

4th Call: Rodney Eyles (FCG-IGC), Susana Ramos (FCG-IGC), Jamil Kitoko (FCG-IGC), Elisa Jentho (FCG-IGC). More Info

5th Call: Andrea Micóvic (FCG-IGC)

 

Regulation
Updated on 16 january 2024