FP7 Funding Opportunities for Human Nutrition Research

1. Human Nutrition Research CentreFunding opportunities within the EU’s 7th Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7)16th November 2009 Deirdre Dodd, EU Funding Manager EU Office, URO, BDD Deirdre.Dodd@ncl.ac.uk Ext. 8629

2. Purpose of this session • To provide an overview of the main structure of FP7 • To suggest ways in which the different schemes could work for you and your group

3. EU’s 7th Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7): 2007-2013 FP7 is Europe’s main instrument for funding research 3

4. Cooperation – Ten themes Top-down Calls opened in July 2009 Annual “Workprogramme” (2010) specifies exact topics you may apply for

5. Health WP 2010 • Other chronic diseases (WP 2010) • Investigation of the mechanisms of initiation of allergic response, genetic predisposition, biomarkers and identification of targets for therapy ….characterisation of potential food allergens… • Diabetes and obesity – not open until WP 2011 (i.e. call July 2010)

6. Food, agriculture and biotechnology (KBBE) 2010: Sustainable agriculture • Improving European berries production, quality, nutraceutical and nutritional value

7. Food, agriculture and biotechnology (KBBE) 2010 - Fork to farm: Food, health and well being (i) Consumers • Determinants of food choice and eating habits • Media training for food and nutrition scientists Nutrition • Neurological pathways regulating hunger/satiety and gut behaviour • Diet and prevention of functional decline of the elderly • Identifying research needs on malnutrition in Africa Food processing • Development of biodegradable food packaging • Strategies for personalised nutrition • Health-value-added food products for population groups at risk of poverty

8. Food, agriculture and biotechnology (KBBE) 2010- Fork to farm: Food, health and well being (ii) Food quality and safety • Improving integration in food safety research • Identification of the effect of processing on food contaminants • Quality and safety aspects of feed Environmental impacts and total food chain • Transparency of food pricing • Eco-challenges in the food chain of the Latin American region European Research Area • Strengthening cooperation in food safety research in the enlarged European Union

9. Looking ahead - Work Programmes 2011: Call opens July 2010 • WPs 2011 currently being developed by the European Commission and Programme Management Committees • Unofficial drafts will start circulating soon • In-house FP7 mailing list for notification of early drafts • Too late to influence main coverage but might be possible to get wording “tweaked” (contact national and/or Commission officials)

10. How to influence future WPs Technology Platforms • Food for Life • http://etp.ciaa.be/asp/home/welcome.asp • Plants for the Future • http://www.epsoweb.org/Catalog/TP/index.htm • Farm Animal breeding & reproduction • http://www.fabretp.org/ Other fora • EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health • http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/nutrition/platform/platform_en.htm

11. Cooperation – Partnerships Mainstream topics: Normally, at least 3 different partners in 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries (“European countries”) Then possible to add international partners where it adds scientific value Partners from International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPCs), the developing & emerging countries, are fully funded on same basis as European partners. Industrialised economies can also participate but generally pay for selves SICA (Specific International Cooperation Actions) topics: Focus on challenges in the ICPCs/areas of mutual benefit Partnership varies but often 2 EU + 2 ICPC

12. EU Member States (MS) and Associated Countries (AC) EU-27 Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria , Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK Associated Countries (FP7) Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,  Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Montenegro Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, (Faroe Islands) 12

13. ICPC countries

14. Cooperation – funding schemes Collaborative Project (CP) Generating new knowledge Restructuring research Coordination & Support Action (CSA) Normally at least 3 different partners in 3 different European countries Network of Excellence (NOE) Networking, studies etc. Don’t usually get free choice. Topics identify which funding scheme/s may be used

15. EU’s 7th Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7): 2007-2013 FP7 is Europe’s main instrument for funding research 15

16. IDEAS: European Research Council (ERC) ERC is first pan-European funding agency for “frontier research” • Fund the most excellent “Frontier” Research” - basic science or at intersections of disciplines (groundbreaking) • Will fund a Principal Investigator (PI), with team members if necessary, usually based in single institution • The PI may be any age, any nationality and may reside anywhere in the world at the time of application • The host institution must be located in a Member State or Associated State. • Investigator driven - all research fields covered Bottom up

17. ERC – two schemes Starter Grants PI must be 2-10 years from award of PhD at date of publication of the call Advanced Grants Established PIs with track record of significant achievement in last 10 years • Projects may be up to 5 years in duration • Funding 100% direct costs + 20% flat rate for overheads • Extremely competitive – success rate around 10% • Starter Grants – call partially open with remaining deadline in November and December • Advanced Grants – call currently open with staggered deadlines in early 2010

18. EU’s 7th Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7): 2007-2013 FP7 is Europe’s main instrument for funding research 18

19. Marie Curie: The actions Bottom up

20. Initial Training Networks (ITNs) Typically, transnational partnerships of at least 3 different organisations in 3 different EU MS or AC (normally 6-10 partners) Direct or indirect involvement of private enterprises essential Formed around a coherent research training programme in a well defined S&T area (can be used to fund a doctoral programme) Improve career prospects of researchers (the “fellows”) within first 5 years’ of research experience, with emphasis on first 4 years Each fellow must have a well defined research project ITN must also provide generic skills training Once ITN is selected for funding, the partners can begin to recruit fellows ITN duration normally 4 years: individual fellows 3-36 months (<4 years’ experience) or 2-24 months (4-5 years’ experience) Call open, Deadline: 22 Dec ‘09 20

21. Marie Curie: The actions

22. Marie Curie – Individual Fellowships Intra-European Fellowships for Career Development (IEF) Outgoing International Fellowships for Career Development (OIF) Incoming International Fellowships (IIF) Next deadlines: Aug 2010

23. Individual Fellowships: Common features ‘Experienced Researcher’ – must have more than 4 year’s research experience and/or a PhD at the time of the deadline ‘Research project’ - a named individual researcher and a supervisor in a named host institution (academic or industrial) jointly submit an application for a defined research project ‘Mobility’ - The researcher is always expected to move country.

24. Individual fellowships ICPC = International Cooperation Partner Countries (developing & emerging economies)

25. Marie Curie: The actions

26. Marie Curie International Research Staff Exchange Scheme (IRSES) • Objective is for European institutions to form enduring international relationships with institutions in countries with which Europe has a strategic partnership • Minimum partnership: at least 2 institutions in different European countries and at least one institution in a country covered by European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) or S&T Agreement • Project formed around an identified research theme • Partnership can then exchange staff (PhD students, experienced researchers, managerial, technical staff).

27. IRSES: Eligible third countries Countries with EU S&T agreements • Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Egypt, India, Japan, (Rep. of) Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Tunisia, Ukraine, USA European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) countries • Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine) • Mediterranean Partner Countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian-administered areas, Syrian Arab Rep., Tunisia) • Countries in red are International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPC) and entitled to request EU funding

28. International Research Staff Exchange Scheme (IRSES): Example UK CHINA SPAIN 28

29. Marie Curie International Research Staff Exchange Scheme (IRSES) • Project can be 2-4 years in duration • Individual exchanges normally 1-12 months • Exchanges in and out of Europe must be “balanced” but the quality of exchanges will be taken into account • Funding €1900/2100 per exchange month for European partners and ICPCs but industrialised third countries must fund their own participation • Staff continue to be employed at their home institution • Projects funded: between 3-28 partners • Success rate in 2009: 65% Newcastle has 100% success rate!

30. EU’s 7th Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7): 2007-2013 FP7 is Europe’s main instrument for funding research 30

31. CAPACITIES

32. Research Infrastructures (RIs) • To enable RIs to provide a better service to the research community • Main call for “Integrating Activities” i.e. linking all infrastructures within a certain class to: engage in networking activities; do joint research; provide transnational access • Selected targeted research areas only • Expect topic on “Human nutrition resources and food research facilities” in call to be launched Jan. 2011

33. Research for Benefit of SMEs • SMEs with little or no research capacity engage “RTD Performers”, such as a university, to conduct research for them (customer-seller relationship) • Minimum partnership = 3 different SMEs in 3 different EU MS or AC + 2 different RTD Performers • Completely “bottom up” – all research areas covered • The RTD Performer receives an agreed price for its work. The SMEs owns the IPR (some negotiation possible) • Can be problematic for universities. Contact G&C for advice!!

34. Research Potential (REGPROT) • Covers any research topic covered by FP7 • Applicant (single proposer) = any public or private research organisation of a significant size, located in one of the EU’s less favoured regions or any part of Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, FYROM, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey • Link with at least 3 knowledgeable and experienced “Partnering Organisations” elsewhere in Europe for two-way secondments of research staff • Applicant only may recruit experienced researchers; upgrade/acquire equipment; organise workshops/conferences • Remember it’s a capacity building programme!

35. Starting Independent Researcher Grants Advanced Investigator Grants FP7 Cooperation Capacities Top-down Top-down & Bottom-up People (Marie Curie) Bottom-up Bottom-up Ideas (European Research Council) 35

36. FP7 Deadlines

37. What we can do to help In-house FP7 mailing list In-house FP7 website: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/business-directorate/application2award/funding/european/index.php EU Office Newsletter FP7 Support Fund (50% up to £1000) Sight of early draft workprogrammes Reading proposals Sight of model proposals Individual or group “surgeries” Find national and Commission contacts

38. What you can do Register as an expert evaluator https://cordis.europa.eu/emmfp7 Register for tailored alerts from UK Research Office http://ims.ukro.ac.uk Attend networking events in Brussels Finding partners http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/projects_en.html

39. Further information Thank you and any questions!