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FOREUM Foundation for Research in Rheumatology announces a program to support innovativeconcepts to improve the diagnosis and treatment of Rheumatic Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs).

Thisprogram is designed as an open research call seeking for the best and most visionary approaches tobetter understand RMDs and to improve the life of patients with RMDs. As such, the call is not limited toa specific disease within the RMD spectrum but rather intends to target fundamentally new conceptsthat have potential to gain concept-changing insights into RMDs.

Scope

- New approaches such as, but not limited to molecular biotechnology, imaging and computer sciences that improve diagnosis, phenotyping and treatment of RMDs.

- Conceptually innovative but also, with respect to budget and timelines feasible experimental medicine studies that use novel technologies to create new hypothesis with respect to disease stratification, early diagnosis and better treatment.

- Concepts that address new frontiers in RMDs that have so far escaped widespread attention or where there is current high unmet need for improving science and disease management.

Eligibility

FOREUM primarily encourages collaboration across Europe and therefore requires multi-center projectapplications involving partners from at least three different countries. Any given institution shall beallowed to lead on only one application. However, that institution, or its staff may participate in otherprojects as collaborators.

The call shall be open to participants from the global scientific community; however, we stipulate thatthe Principal Investigator should come from a EULAR membership country. Similarly, whereasparticipating centers may be from outside Europe to provide necessary expertise, the majority ofcontribution should be from EULAR member countries. Members of the FOREUM committees andEULAR Executive Committee are not allowed to submit or to participate in applications.

Budget

An individual proposal may be funded with upto a maximal amount of 600.000 Euro for a 3 year funding period, provided the expenditure isappropriately justified.

How to apply

Applications should be made electronically (email to info@foreum.org ). Necessary application forms can be downloaded at www.foreum.org.

Letter of intent

All applicants considering submission of a proposal are invited to send a short ‘scientific letter of intent’by March 5th 2019 to FOREUM (email to info@foreum.org) accompanied by a ‘lay summary letter ofintent’, for review by patients. For applying, please use the templates that are available atwww.foreum.org.

Full project proposal

Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal; they will be sent the Full Project Proformatemplate.

Proposals must be submitted electronically by May 17th 2019 to the FOREUM Secretariat.

In case of interest, please contact with FSJD Research Department.