ERA4HEALTH ‘CARDINNOV’ – Horizon Europe cofund partnership

Announcement ‘CARDINNOV’ cofund call 2023

“Research targeting the development of innovative therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular diseases.”

On the 8th of December 2022 a first joint transnational cofunded call for research projects has been launched within the framework of the new Horizon Europe ERA4Health partnership. This partnership will constitute a hub for public health research, in a broad sense. Up to date, the following thematic areas will be addressed in this partnership: prevention, social health inequalities and nutrition; nanomedicine and cardiovascular diseases.

ERA4Health has its origin in different ending H2020 ERA-NETs (ERA-CVD, EuroNanoMed, ERA-HDHL, HDHL-INTIMIC), and will initiate a range of activities the coming years, of which calls for research projects form the most important part. The FWO, in its capacity as research funder, will try to engage itself the coming years within the research calls of this partnership, in order to support the research institutes from Flanders.

This first transnational call addresses the cardiovascular diseases thematic, and is more specifically focussed on research targeting the development of innovative therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular diseases. Research proposals should address one or both of these call topics:

1.Repair and/or regeneration of the heart and/or the blood vessels 

The identification of integrative approach, clinically relevant, based on molecular and cellular levels and/or the link between these two levels. Poorly known mechanisms should be the focus of the proposal e.g. (but not limited to) the inflammatory reaction, the amyloid accumulation, endogenous mechanisms of repair, linked to thromboembolism and/or related to macrovascular compartment and autonomous nervous system.

And/or the development of cell and non-cell-based approaches in combination with bioactive biomaterials/ bioengineered patches or grafts. 

2. Chronic heart failure and atrial fibrillation 

The proposals should focus on the development of treatment strategies that can reverse the pathophysiology responsible for chronic heart failure (especially with preserved ejection fraction), atrial fibrillation and/or the both diseases. The therapeutic strategies should take into account patient comorbidities and their potential treatment. 

Exclusion: 

For both topics, research on cell therapy is strictly restricted to novel and innovative approaches.

More detailed information in view of the above-mentioned topics can be consulted within the call text, which can be consulted on the relevant ERA4Health ‘cardinnov’ webpage.

Al relevant call information can be consulted in this call document, also when it comes to the general rules for participation. In addition, the ‘national/regional’ FWO eligibility criteria have to be respected, which are taken up in the call text (from p. 22 onwards) and which are of importance when it comes to the eligibility of the subproject from Flanders (FWO).

Deadline for pre-proposal submission: 7 February 2023, 16:00 CET (Brussels)

FWO modalities

Both the national/regional FWO fundamental (FO) and Strategic Basic Research (SBO) funding channels are integrated within this multilateral call. The type and scope of the proposed research project will determine the choice of funding channel for the research performed within Flanders (more fundamental in nature, or more aimed at economical/societal valorisation). Non-compliance with the specific requirements per funding channel might lead to non-eligibility.

Please note, this is only an FWO requirement: European and/or international partners within the project consortium can choose their type of research freely.

Project proposals have to be submitted by European and international consortia through the ‘Cardinnov’ call secretariat, by making use of the submission platform, respecting the general and the ‘national/regional’ eligibility criteria, as taken up in the call text (from p. 22 onwards). No separate national project submission is required for the FWO, with the exception of an SBO valorisation plan, if this route is preferred.

The FWO is able to support two projects for a 36 months duration, with an available maximum applicable budget of 350.000 EUR (overhead included) per project/consortium. The FWO budgetary rules, which differ per funding channel, are clarified in the call text (from p. 22 onwards).

For the fundamental funding channel the respective regulations apply. For the SBO channel the SBO regulations have to be taken into account: these imply projects with a primarily economic and/or societal finality, of which ‘valorisation’ is a key - and mandatory - aspect.

Some key points and deviations from the ‘regular’ call framework to take into account:

  • Participation within the framework of the European co-funded partnerships does not interfere with the ‘regular’ project submission framework, and is consequently not taken into account for calculating the max. available number of new applications and running projects combined. However, researchers can only participate within 2 different international consortia per call, if it implies different subjects.
  • Diverging overhead calculations apply for the fundamental funding channel at one hand and the SBO channel on the other, what is explained in the call text (from p. 22 onwards).
  • When the subproject from Flanders (FWO) implies an SBO project the researchers are asked to provide proactively, and before the pre-proposal submission deadline (preferably one week), a concise – but to the point – valorisation plan (no fixed format, max. 2 A4-pages), which clarifies the valorisation context within Flanders - and internationally potentially. Additionally, it should become clear which specific stakeholders from Flanders are involved/interested in the project. This document can be sent towards the europe@fwo.be email address.
  • Projects aiming at the development of a spin-off are not eligible in this context.
  • Projects have a max. 36 months runtime and have to be budgeted accordingly. Automatic no-cost prolongations are not accepted in this framework.
  • The PI, for each of the participating institutions from Flanders, must hold an appointment that fully covers the duration of the research project. When it comes to the ‘FO’ projects, and more specifically regarding the ‘emeritus’ regulation (artikel 10, §7): this article is not applicable in this context.
  • The FWO funds preclinical research.

Researchers are strongly encouraged to contact the FWO before submission in view of the eligibility criteria, in order to avoid the ineligibility of a researcher and potentially the project consortium as a whole.

Information about FWO participation can also be obtained by contacting the following FWO colleagues:

Toon Monbaliu (FO)
europe@fwo.be
+32 (0)2 550 15 70

Kristien Peeters (SBO)
europe@fwo.be
+32 (0)2 550 15 95