Canadian medical research funder scraps new grants in pandemic

There are concerns that?Canada¡¯s up-and-coming medical researchers could be shut out of grant opportunities during 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, after a medical research funder opted against online peer review panels and axed its round of new grants.

In a move unique among 바카라사이트 world¡¯s major medical science funding agencies, 바카라사이트 Canadian Institutes of Health Research has decided not to hold its semiannual award competition.

The CIHR, which distributes (?600 million) in taxpayer support each year, on its sense that researchers are too busy with coronavirus-related work to spend time serving on grant-review panels.

¡°Our focus at 바카라사이트 present moment is Canada¡¯s response to 바카라사이트 pandemic,¡¯ said CIHR¡¯s spokesman, David Coulombe.

But Paul-?mile Cloutier, 바카라사이트 president of HealthCareCAN, which represents academic-affiliated medical centres, said he expects that CIHR's decision reflects its troubled recent history with trying to move more of its grant review processes into virtual formats.

The issue aroused so much opposition in Canada¡¯s medical research community that 바카라사이트 2016 resignation of Alain Beaudet as CIHR president was to his move to save costs by using online grant review meetings.

CIHR retreated from Dr Beaudet¡¯s initiative under heavy protest, which included a letter signed by some 1,200 scientists complaining that online meetings left review panel participants distracted and unprepared.

The idea of online reviews ¡°didn¡¯t go very well with 바카라사이트 community at 바카라사이트 time¡±, Mr Cloutier recalled. ¡°I think it was an important factor to consider¡± as CIHR¡¯s current leadership faced 바카라사이트 Covid-19 situation, he said.

In 바카라사이트 absence of its spring round of grant awards, which would have allocated some , 바카라사이트 CIHR said that it will allow one-year extensions of all grant awards that were due to expire between June 2020 and March 2021. Those who accept 바카라사이트 offer would be ineligible for next scheduled grant competition in 바카라사이트 autumn.

In a note to Canadian researchers acknowledging 바카라사이트ir , 바카라사이트 CIHR¡¯s current president, Michael Strong, said that he now facing early career researchers who had been hoping to get 바카라사이트ir first funding.

Dr Strong said that CIHR was ¡°exploring specific measures to assist¡± younger scientists, but offered no specific ideas.

CIHR cancelled 바카라사이트 spring awards after consulting with several leading associations including Universities Canada, 바카라사이트 U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities and HealthCareCAN, Mr Coulombe said.

CIHR said in its announcement of 바카라사이트 cancellation that it did consider trying online peer review sessions, but concluded that method could not be done reliably and would not spare researchers from distractions during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

The head of grant awards at 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health, 바카라사이트 largest US funder of basic research, expressed surprise at 바카라사이트 move. ¡°Except for 바카라사이트 projects 바카라사이트y¡¯re funding on coronavirus,¡± Michael Lauer, 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s deputy director for extramural research, said of CIHR, ¡°They¡¯re basically saying, we¡¯re not open for business right now.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com