HMZ Seed Projects_Guidelines_140626

Hochschulmedizin Zürich
Guidelines for HMZ Seed Project Applications
June 26, 2014
(These Guidelines are based on and adapted from the “Guidelines for ETH Zurich Seed Project Applications“)
HMZ SEED PROJECTS - OVERVIEW
HMZ Seed Projects are intended to foster interdisciplinary, medical research at the interface of basic
sciences and clinical application by offering a pragmatic opportunity to explore and develop visionary
ideas of high medical relevance at an early stage towards a concept for further research to be
eventually funded by regular funding mechanisms and bodies.
This new funding opportunity for projects of up to one year is structured around annual calls issued by
HMZ and spread to the accredited HMZ Networks. HMZ will accept pre-selected project sketches of
high originality. Special attention will be paid to the value of collaboration between institutions as well
as basic and clinical research groups. Preference will be given to projects with the potential for
developing into flagship projects of HMZ.
Kick-start financing with a maximum budget of 100’000 CHF per project will come from HMZ Seed
funds provided by ETH Zurich and University of Zurich. For a pilot phase, up to five projects will be
supported per year.
ELIGIBILITY
A HMZ Seed Project application may be submitted by two Principal Investigators (PI) and optionally
one or more co-applicants. The PIs must be members of an accredited HMZ Network. As a general
rule, one PI must be affiliated to ETH Zurich and one to the University of Zurich. HMZ Seed Projects
must be interdisciplinary and translational. Basic and clinical research groups shall be involved.
External co-applicants are permissible but may not receive any HMZ Seed Project funding.
FUNDING
HMZ Seed Projects should be used primarily to fund new research projects at the ETH Zurich and the
University of Zurich. The scientists funded are typically postdoctoral fellows (standard salaries of the
employing institution are applicable). Funding may be used for one fellow interacting with several
research groups or for several collaborating fellows. Doctoral students shall not be supported with
HMZ Seed Project funds. If explicitly required for the project, costs for materials, consumables, animal
trials or clinical trials may also be included in a HMZ Seed Project application. The maximum funding
level for a HMZ Seed Project is CHF 100’000 with duration of one year.
Funding can only be distributed to professorships at ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, not to
external partners. Financial accounts must be administered at ETH Zurich or University of Zurich.
Intellectual property and full publication rights belong to ETH Zurich and University of Zurich,
respectively.
CALL FOR PROJECTS AND GENERAL PROCEDURE
Calls for HMZ Seed Projects will be issued by HMZ and spread to the chairs/directors of the
accredited HMZ Networks. The respective HMZ Networks will be responsible to inform their members
and to organize an internal quality-based evaluation and ranking of project ideas according to the
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premises of the call and the Guidelines. For this purpose, each HMZ Network will appoint an
Evaluation Committee consisting of three or more persons whereby ETH Zurich and University of
Zurich from both the view of basic and clinical sciences have to be represented. The Committee is
chaired by the chair/director of the accredited HMZ Networks. HMZ Networks will accept a five-page
proposal with the project idea. Project ideas will be subsequently presented by the PIs and discussed
at a meeting of the Evaluation Committee of the respective HMZ Network, upon which the Evaluation
Committee will make a ranking (depending on the number of applications, the Evaluation Committee
may make a preliminary selection).
Through its Evaluation Committee, each HMZ Network may submit up to two top-rated project ideas
to HMZ by the deadline specified in the call. The HMZ Steering Board will make the final decision
regarding which Seed Projects are funded.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
HMZ Seed Project Proposal:
• Applications should be submitted by email in English and in PDF-format to the respective
HMZ Networks according to the details of the issued call for Projects and further detailed
instructions of the Evaluation Committee of the respective HMZ Network (deadlines, special
focus, that however has to be in line with the Guidelines, etc.). The proposals should not
exceed five pages (single-spaced, 10-point Arial or equivalent) using the templates provided
on the HMZ webpage.
• The application must include the following information:
Ø The rationale for the proposed research and state of research, citing no more than
five relevant and recent publications.
Ø A research plan with key details on the objectives of the proposed HMZ Seed Project,
the methods to be employed, and the goals.
Ø Value that is added by virtue of the collaboration of two institutions as well as basic
and clinical research groups.
Ø Significance/impact of the anticipated results and expected output as well as the
translational aspect.
Ø Implementation or follow-up plan.
Ø Financial requirements (personnel costs, material costs etc).
Ø A one-page Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the two PIs and the involved researcher(s)
including a list of not more than five own publications relevant for the project.
Presentation of Project Idea at the Evaluation Committee of the respective HMZ Network:
• Applicants will be invited by the Evaluation Committee of the respective HMZ Network to
present their project ideas. The presentation shall not exceed ten minutes, followed by a 10
minute Q&A session.
• If more than ten project ideas are submitted per call, the Evaluation Committee of the
respective HMZ Network will make a preliminary selection before oral presentation.
Submission to HMZ:
• The chair/director of the HMZ Network will submit up to two top-rated proposals including the
rationale for the selection to the managing office of HMZ by the deadline specified in the call
([email protected]).
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EVALUATION AND SELECTION
Review criteria at every step of the evaluation and selection process are:
• Is the proposed project creative, original and potentially of high impact (e.g. exploring solution
approaches to a specific challenge)?
• Is the project translational with high medical impact?
• How appropriate is the combination of disciplines and what is the scientific added value/
synergy with respect to the combined contributions from the partners?
• How well conceived, organized and state-of-the-art is the proposed activity?
• Does the project have a reasonable chance of success and what difficulties can be expected?
Does it have potential for substantial growth after seed phase?
• What is the relevant experience of the applicants in the research field of the proposed project?
After discussion of the project ideas at the Evaluation Committee of the Network, the Committee will
rank the applications and submit up to two top-rated proposals including the rationale for the selection
to HMZ. The final funding decision will be made and communicated within a month after proposal
submission by the HMZ Steering Board. If needed, additional expertise to evaluate a proposal will be
solicited for quality control. Funding will depend on the quality of the proposed research in line with
the Guidelines and the funds available. Seed Projects can start immediately after formal approval.
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