2003-11-05
Launching of a co-Nordic research programme:
THE NORDIC CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAMME IN MOLECULAR MEDICINE 2004-2009
The launching of the Nordic Centre of Excellence (NCoE) Programme in Molecular Medicine on November 7, 2003, is the start of a joint effort to enhance the scientific quality and international visibility of Nordic research within this field. With co-financing from the Joint Committee of the Nordic Medical Research Councils (NOS-M), the Nordic Council of Ministers (NMR) and the Nordic Academy for Advanced Study (NorFA), the NCoE Programme will run during 2004-2009 with a total annual funding of about 9 million DKK (approximately 1.2 million EURO) available for a five-year support of network-type research centres, NCoEs.
The main objective of the NCoE Programme is to create Nordic added value by promoting scientific excellence and enhancing intra-Nordic research contacts, co-operation and mobility of researchers. Thus,
an NCoE is a compact and well-managed network of existing research teams from at least three different Nordic countries forming a virtual centre with common objectives.
Molecular Medicine is a research field where Nordic countries are strong and distinct added value can be expected from the Programme. With a combined population of 24 million inhabitants, the existence of patient sample collections (biobanks), uniform high-level national health care systems with reliable registries, precise population and epidemiological registries, and a strong tradition in biomedical and genetic research as well as in information technology, the Nordic countries provide a unique possibility for establishing the NCoE Programme. The NCoE Programme will support basic research in Molecular Medicine, including (1) molecular epidemiologic studies, aiming to clarify the genetic background on common diseases, (2) postgenomic research on molecular mechanisms in these diseases; the key to improved therapy, diagnosis and prevention, and (3) translational research, the link to clinical practice.
All research teams or units from universities and other research institutes (performing basic research in Molecular Medicine) can apply to the NCoE programme The individual research teams or units should show very high or excellent scientific quality. The NCoE Programme funding is intended to supplement national research funding and may only be allocated to costs for visiting professors and post docs, for recruiting Nordic PhD students, for researcher training, staff mobility, and to cover extra management and co-ordination costs.
Two or three NCoEs will be selected by June 2004 in a two-step procedure based on open competition. After submitting a “Pre-proposal” giving a brief but structured outline of the applicants’ plans for a NCoE, a number of candidates will be selected to submit a full proposal. All selections will be based on a thorough peer-review process carried out by an international, non-Nordic expert panel. Funding of the final NCoEs is planned to begin by the end of 2004.
Detailed information about the NCoE Programme and all application documents are available at the homepage of the Scientific Council for Medicine at the Swedish Research Council (http://www.vr.se/medicin/), host for the NCoE Programme secretariat.
Any inquiries should be addressed to the Programme secretariat as below or the national contact persons:
Teresa Karlsson
The Swedish Research Council - Medicine
SE-103 78 Stockholm, Sweden
E-mail:
Phone: +46 (0)8546 44286
Fax: +46 (0)8546 44303
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National contact persons:
Teresa Karlsson
Secretariat of the NCoE Programme
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Teresa Karlsson (as above), alternatively:
Bo Öhngren
The Swedish Research Council - Medicine
E-mail:
Phone: +46 8546 44 317
Anna-Liisa Kauppila
Research Council for Health
Academy of Finland
E-mail:
Phone: +358 9774 88291
Knud Gundersen
Danish Medical Research Council
Danish Research Agency
E-mail:
Phone: +45 3544 6374
Kristján Kristjánsson
The Icelandic Centre for Research
E-mail:
Phone: +354 515 5816
Hans M Borchgrevink
Division for Science
Research Council of Norway
E-mail:
Phone: +47 2203 7160
Teresa Karlsson
Secretariat of the NCoE Programme
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Teresa Karlsson
Secretariat of the NCoE Programme