The infrastructure programme (RI programme) in H2020 currently has a call for cooperation for development and better exploitation of national infrastructures:
«INTEGRATING AND OPENING RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF EUROPEAN INTEREST» (INFRAIA-2016-2017) (so-called Integrating Actitvities)
Those of you who have participated before, know that chosen projects get funds for three different activities:
(i) Networking activities, to foster a culture of co-operation between research infrastructures, scientific communities, industries and other stakeholders as appropriate, and to help develop a more efficient and attractive European Research Area;
(ii) Trans-national access or virtual access activities, to support scientific communities in their access to the identified key research infrastructures;
(iii) Joint research activities, to improve, in quality and/or quantity, the integrated services provided at European level by the infrastructures.
The second activity (ii), Trans-national access, means that the consortium will be allocated funds that they must announce for external users from other countries, so that they can come and use the infrastructure facilities that is a part of the project. This means that you by participating in a project like this can get new users from other countries to your infrastructure.
Application deadline for the call that is open now is 30 March, 2016.
This call is for Advanced Communities; established networks who have already been supported through this programme. Because of this, the calls are targeted towards specified topics.
Topics in the call that might be of interest to you:
1. Vaccine infrastructures.
This activity aims at bridging the ‘translational gap’ in biomedical research by providing academia- and SME- driven vaccine R&D with high quality services to support vaccine formulation, access to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), preclinical studies including relevant animal models, vaccine trials, compilation of regulatory dossiers and advice on production issues like upscale and quality control. Both human and veterinary vaccines, for prophylactic and therapeutic applications, should be addressed. Furthermore, work shall be carried out towards integration with the ESFRI Infrastructures EATRIS and INSTRUCT to ensure sustainability of the trans-national access services. Synergies with other relevant ESFRI Infrastructures, such as ECRIN, should be duly exploited.
2. Experimental facilities for animal disease and infectiology (including zoonoses).
A project under this topic must provide and facilitate access to the key experimental facilities under BSL3 conditions in Europe for animal and zoonotic infectious diseases. It will also include key collections of samples necessary for research on animal and zoonotic infectious diseases. The project should aim to integrate these facilities and resources with a long term perspective. It should also develop the necessary collaborations outside Europe, towards a global sharing of available resources.
3. Centres for replacement, reduction and refinement (3 Rs) of non-human primate testing.
This activity aims at integrating the key non-human primate centres in Europe promoting 3 Rs, i.e. replacement, reduction, and refinement. The proposal will contribute to the objective of 3Rs, reinforcing the implementation of ethical and good practices at European level, and the protection of animals used in scientific experiments, as framed by the directive 86/609/EEC, and by the Commission proposal for its revision, COM(2008)543. The proposal should also develop the necessary collaborations outside Europe.
4. Research Infrastructures for the control of vector-borne diseases.
This activity aims at integrating specialised facilities in Europe for the study of insect-transmitted disease with the objective to validate and roll out new control measures targeting insect vectors that pose the greatest threats to human health and animal industries. These facilities, supporting research and product development, include P3 secure insectaries for research on vectors and pathogens, large scale production of mosquitoes, facilities for the testing and evaluation of insecticides, and facilities for high-throughput genetic analysis of insect vectors and pathogens. The facilities of this activity and associated networking and research activities will play a critical role in consolidating European leadership in the field of insect vector biology and disease control. Synergies with relevant ESFRI Infrastructures such as ELIXIR should be duly exploited.
NOTE! Although the call is about the continuation of projects that have already been supported, new communitues can be let into the consortia who are applying, if they have relevant infrastructure facilities to offer. It will be a good idea to contact the coordinator for the infrastructure projects that have already been supported. A list of these projects is attatched.
USEFUL LINKS:
About the programme: European Research Infrastructures, including e-Infrastructures – European Comission
More about the call: INFRAIA-01-2016-2017
NRC’s site about the infrastructure programme in H2020: Infrastruktur – HORISONT2020
Information about infrastructure projects financed through FP7: Networks of National Research Infrastructures – Research Infrastructures – Research – European Commission
Work programme for the European Research Infrastructures 2016/2017 : A description of all the parts of the infrastructure programme.
Please contact the RI-NCPs if you have any questions:
Solveig Flock, e-mail: sfl@forskningsradet.no
Odd Ivar Eriksen, e-mail: oie@forskningsradet.no
Per Magnus Kommandantvold, e-mail: pmk@forskningsradet.no