Submission deadline
October 15th, 2017

Focus of the Call

The economic, occupational and social consequences of bone and joint diseases represent an increasing burden for our industrialized societies. These pathologies can cause pain, disability and loss of quality of life. They are also one of the leading causes of restriction to physical activity, necessary for well-being and recommended to prevent many chronic age-related diseases, including cardiovascular events, neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. Thus, maintaining good bone and joint health for as long as possible in the course of life is an important goal in combating these chronic diseases.

The main objective of this call is to develop an innovative research project in the field of rheumatism and musculoskeletal diseases prevention. It may thus address the primary or secondary prevention of diseases such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, common back pain and abarticular pathologies. It could involve clinical, observational, technological and/or therapeutic research projects (proof of concept). Basic research projects are excluded from this call.

Within this framework, the project must be in at least one of the following themes:

• Diagnostic and / or predictive markers
• Large scale clinical prevention programs
• Evaluation of non-pharmacological preventive techniques
• Evaluation of innovative preventive therapeutic strategies
• Implementation and evaluation of devices improving prevention
• Evaluation of bone and joint-related capital mobility

Eligibility criteria

The project, written in English, will involve several research teams:

• With at least one of whom is on the list of « Laboratories Associated with Rheumatology » (LAR) of the French Society of Rheumatology (SFR)
• Belonging to at least 2 different French universities. Foreign teams may participate but cannot be financed under this call.
• The coordinator will be responsible for the project as a whole; He will be the sole contact.
• All partners should be clearly identified.
• The role of each team within the project should be precisely defined.
• The project should describe:
  • scientific and medical objectives,
  • the importance of the collaboration of the teams for the completion of the project,
  • measurable and easy to vulgarize « deliverables », consistent with the project and its timetable.
• An annual interim report will be required, with the impact of the results on the population to be specified as much as possible in each report.
• The project must be designed to achieve the deliverables mentioned above in a maximum of 3 years.

Funding

The selected project will receive a financial support of up to € 1,000,000 for a 3-year project for all project partners. The sum will be paid to the coordinating team, which will have to allocate the sums between the partners according to a financial table provided. The financial support will be renewed annually after the evaluation of a biannual activity report by the Scientific committee, thus twice during the lifetime of the project.

Evaluation of projects

The evaluation will be based on a scientific committee made up of international experts, validated by the Arthritis Foundation’s Research Strategic Direction Committee (COSR) and the SFR Research Permanent Commission (CPR). The chairmen of the scientific councils of the Arthritis Foundation, the SFR, as well as a member of Malakoff-Médéric and a patient will be part of this committee. The analysis of each dossier will be carried out by at least 4 experts of which at least 2 outside the scientific committee. The application considered to be the most innovative and the most credible will be retained.

Forecast timing 2017

• July 21, 2017: Announcement of the call on the Fondation Arthritis and the SFR websites
• August 31, 2017: official opening for the 1^st stage of application (Letter of intent)
• October 15, 2017: closing of the 1^st stage of the call, constitution of the jury
• October 31, 2017: announcement of the selected Letters of Intent
• January 31, 2018: Closing of the 2^nd stage of the call (full project)
• March 31, 2018: announcement of the selected project

Submission Process

Please read the Guidelines for Applicants carefully for detailed information on how to submit a proposal electronically, the application pre-requisites, the evaluation criteria, the selection processes on the website for submission : www.prevention-osteoarticulaire2017.fr

Contacts:

• Francis BERENBAUM : francis.berenbaum@aphp.fr
• Yosra MESSAI: yosra.messai@fondation-arthritis.org