FHS Internal Review Process for CIHR Project Grants (Fall 2021 Competition):

Improving CIHR success rates is a priority for the FHS, and requires a proactive and iterative approach.  The FHS Internal Review Process is a faculty-wide initiative that leverages the expertise of internal and external reviewers to provide high quality feedback on new applications and resubmissions.

The FHS Internal Review Process is comprised of 2 phases:

Phase 1 - Project Pitch Session:  PI pitches the grant idea and preliminary data in a virtual meeting with reviewers and receives oral & written feedback (May/June)

Phase 2 - Full Application Review:  PI receives written feedback on a full draft of the application, and meets virtually with reviewers to discuss feedback and recommendations (July/early August)

It is recommended that early career researchers and all investigators submitting new applications begin the process at Phase 1, whereas highly ranked resubmissions have the option to start at Phase 2.  Grants will be reviewed by internal reviewers, with every effort made to match research area expertise and CIHR panel experience to applications.  External reviewers can also be suggested by PIs to participate and will be financially compensated.  Please see attached for full Terms of Reference.

PIs planning to submit to the Fall 2021 CIHR Project Grant competition are invited to register for the FHS internal review process by May 21, 2021:  Register

Late registrants may contact Jenny Robinson to explore other internal review options. 

Vice Principal (Research) information & resources: 

Visit the Queen’s University Vice-Principal (Research) website for additional information and resources on the CIHR Project Grant Competitions.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant Program information: 

Visit the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant Program for up-to-date information from CIHR. 

Mihran and Mary Basmajian Award for Excellence in Health Research

*Congratulations to Dr. Amber Simpson, recipient of the 2019/2020 Basmajian Award. The award presentation, lecture and reception will be held at a later date.

Nominations and Applications for the 2020/2021 Basmajian Award are being accepted until May 31, 2021

At the beginning of each calendar year nominations are invited from Department Heads, Schools Directors and Health Sciences faculty members for the Mihran and Mary Basmajian Award for Excellence in Biomedical/Health Research (the “Basmajian Award”).

The Basmajian Award was established by Dr. John Basmajian, former Head of the Department of Anatomy at Queen’s University, over four decades ago in honour and memory of his parents, Mihran and Mary Basmajian. The Award is given to full-time member or members of the Faculty of Health Sciences with a maximum of eight years of independent research experience, and who are judged to have made the most meritorious contributions to health research during the previous year or several years.

The Basmajian Award is the only award given by the Faculty of Health Sciences faculty that recognizes colleagues for their excellence in health research. The award consists of a bronze medal, an inscribed piece of silver plate, and a contribution to the recipient’s research funding in the amount of $5,000.  In addition to the above, an award presentation, public lecture and reception will be organized in the Fall for the recipient(s).

Terms of Reference

The Basmajian Award is made annually according to the following terms of reference:

1. The award shall be made to a full-time faculty member (or two working as a team) of the Faculty of Health Sciences who as of December 31 of the previous year has a maximum of eight years of independent research experience (this could be eight consecutive years from the time of first academic appointment or eight years of total independent research) and who has made the most meritorious contributions to health research during the previous year or several years.
2. The person (or persons) shall be selected by the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences on the recommendation of the Research Advisory Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences.
3. If no suitable candidate should qualify in any year, the income shall be added to the capital.

Evaluation and Adjudication

Basmajian Award nominations are reviewed by the Research Advisory Committee and adjudicated on the following criteria:

1. Novelty and quality of the research program.
2. Research productivity, based on the quality of original research articles published in reputable peer-reviewed journals.
3. National/international recognition of the research program:
   a) peer-reviewed funding by external granting agencies;
   b) invited scientific presentations/review articles;
   c) collaborative research.
4. Quality of the research training program.

Nomination Package

Nominations may be made by any Department Head or any member of the Faculty of Health Sciences. It is recommended that the nomination come with the knowledge and support of the Department Head. The nomination package should include:

1. nomination letter.
2. an up-to-date cv:  Submit either the Common CV, using the CIHR Academic template (preferred), or the attached CVForm (2021).docx
3. no more than three letters of support: at least one external letter from someone knowledgeable in the nominee’s field of work, and no letters from former supervisors.
4. no more than three of the nominee's publications.

Additional Information will be removed from the package.

The nomination packages are to be addressed to:

Faculty of Health Sciences Research Office
Queen’s University
Suite 300-CRI, 10 Stuart Street
Kingston, ON K7L 3N6

Send documents in electronic format (pdf/word) by email to Gladys.Smith@queensu.ca.

Questions or concerns can be addressed to Gladys Smith by email, or by phone 613-533-6627.

The School of Medicine offers eligible new faculty members one-time research start-up funding of $30,000, referred to as a Research Initiation Grant (RIG).  RIGs are available to new faculty who have a minimum 40% protected time for research with the following types of appointments:

• Tenure-track or renewable term appointments,
• Appointments with Tenure,
• Special Geographically Full-time appointments of three (3) years or longer,
• Special Appointments (as defined in the prevailing Collective Agreement; currently Article 25.1.4.3 Collective Agreement 2019-2022) of three (3) years or longer.

The RIG program is not intended to replace applications to internal or external research granting agencies but rather, is intended to provide funding at the start of an appointment when grant monies have typically not begun to flow. 

Clinical Department heads make the request for a RIG on the Hospital Impact Form for new clinical appointees meeting the protected time criteria.  Heads of basic science and health services departments make their request on the QUFA/Adjunct Appointment Routing Sheet.  Individual departments within the School of Medicine may wish to increase the value of the RIG using their own departmental operating funds. 

RIG eligibility and the amount available will be communicated in the offer of appointment from the Provost/Vice-Principal Academic.  New faculty members who are eligible must apply for the funding within the first year of an appointment or the offer of the RIG will be withdrawn.  The new faculty member will be provided with the guidelines and instructions for submitting a RIG proposal shortly after the appointment starts. 

Once a RIG project is approved all expenditures must be in support of the proposed research project, and are subject to all relevant Queen's University policies, regulations and guidelines (Research Administration Policy; Queen’s Travel and Expense Reimbursement Policy; Hospitality Policy; Policy on Approval and Execution of Contracts and Invoices (Signing Authority); Procurement Policy). 

Revenue transfers into the RIG project account will be limited to the funding contributions communicated in the employee’s letter of offer, or as negotiated and approved at the time of the project proposal.

RIG holders will be responsible for regularly monitoring the balance of their RIG project account to prevent any overspending.  If circumstances require, RIG holders may apply in writing for an extension on the project end date to the Vice-Dean of Research in the Faculty of Health Sciences Research office.  Extension requests must be submitted at least two months in advance of the project’s end date, and should include an explanation for why the RIG funds were not used within the specified time, what they have been used for, what the plans are for the use of the remaining funds, and the timelines for use of the remaining funds. 

The RIG project will be closed on the earlier of one of the following three occasions unless an extension has been granted: four years after the date that the RIG project was approved;

change in employment status that would deem the faculty member ineligible according to the eligibility section above; or the faculty member leaves the employ of the University.  Upon closure of the RIG project, any remaining fund balances will be returned to the original source of funding, in proportion to the original financial contributions.

(Policy updated 20 April 2021 by Gladys Smith, FHS Research Office)