CIHR Catalyst Grant: Analysis of CLSA Data

Well-being, Health and Biomedical Discovery

Deadlines

Academic Unit: Inquire with unit

Memorial Deadline: Wednesday 29th, August 2018

External Deadline: Wednesday 5th, September 2018

Description

Registration Deadline: August 14, 2018

Competition Deadline: September 5, 2018

The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is a large, national, long-term study/platform that will follow approximately 50,000 men and women between the ages of 45 and 85 at study inclusion for at least 20 years. The CLSA collects information on the changing biological, medical, psychological, social, lifestyle and economic aspects of people’s lives. These factors can be studied in order to understand how, individually and in combination, they have an impact in both maintaining health and in the development of disease and disability as people age. The ultimate aim of the CLSA is to find ways to improve the health of Canadians by better understanding the aging process and the factors that shape the way we age.

Representing a unique opportunity for Canadian researchers, the CLSA is releasing biomarkers related to clinical chemistry, genome-wide genotyping for up to 30,000+ participants, and images from retinal scans, DEXA and carotid ultrasound, in addition to alphanumeric data. This funding opportunity is focused on the use of available CLSA data, but comparison between CLSA and other data from any other data sets (e.g. environmental data) are accepted to enhance the potential scope of research questions that can be addressed, including population health intervention questions and/or incorporating health equity analyses into research projects.

Note that no identifiable information on CLSA participants can be released to researchers. Applications that require identification of participants to link individual information to other data sets will not be considered eligible for funding.

The integration and consideration of health equity and sex and gender based analysis (SGBA) is encouraged.

Relevant Research Areas

This funding opportunity will support using CLSA data in any health-related area, in addition to applications relevant to the following research areas:

Analysis of CLSA Data – ICRH: Applications relevant to the mandate of the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH) and which makes use of the newly released biomarker and/or image data within the CLSA dataset.
Analysis of CLSA Data – IIPH: Applications relevant to the mandate of the Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH).
Analysis of CLSA Data – IMHA: Applications relevant to the mandate of the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) and its strategic research priorities: chronic pain and fatigue, inflammation and tissue repair, and disability, mobility and health.
Spaceflight Health Risks: Applications that investigate aging-associated risks with parallels to risks to astronauts associated with space flight. The lack of gravity associated with space missions induces health changes similar to those of aging, such as cardiovascular and balance changes, weakening of bones and muscles, disturbed sleep, sensory system changes and depressed immune response. In addition, astronauts must contend with isolation, monotony and separation from family which are challenges confronted by older adults. The list of eligible human space flight risks that can be investigated using the CLSA are listed in section 3.3 of the Investigating Spaceflight Health Risks on the ISS (LSRS AO 2018).
Quebec Network for Research on Aging: Top-up from the Quebec Network for Research on Aging (RQRV) to the highest ranked fundable application from the Province of Quebec in the general area of aging within the themes of cognitive and mental health, mobility, continuum of health care and services that fit within scope of the FO generally or within one of the relevant research areas.

Funds Available

CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $925,000, enough to fund approximately 13 grants. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate. The maximum amount per grant is $70,000 for up to 1 year.
Of this $925,000:
- $70,000 is available to fund an application relevant to the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH).
- $70,000 is available to fund an application relevant to the Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH).
- $140,000 is available to fund applications relevant to the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA).
- $210,000 is available to fund applications relevant to Spaceflight Health Risks
- $15,000 is available as a top-up funding from the Quebec Network for Research on Aging to the highest ranked fundable application from the Province of Quebec relevant to the Network.
- The remainder is available to fund remaining applications in any health-related area in rank order as far as the remaining budget will allow.