Needed: ME/FM Grant Application Reviewers

[Old Bones]

Below are segments of text from an email received yesterday. Please note -- anyone, regardless of country of residence, is eligible to apply. You do not have to be Canadian.

"Reviewers for ME/FM grant applications at CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research)

A major lesson that we learned from the previous CIHR catalyst grant competition is the importance of having good people on the committee that reviews the applications -- people that are familiar with ME/FM theory, the state of ME/FM research, and the needs of the ME/FM community.

Many people raised concerns with CIHR about the review of the previous catalyst grant application. . . CIHR wrote back . . . : “If you know of anyone who would be interested in reviewing for this particular competition, feel free to send me their names. The competition team will be in touch with the ones they feel have the required matching expertise to review the applications that come in to provide them with more information about the timing of the reviews and when they anticipate the committee meeting to happen etc.”

If you are interested in being a reviewer for this or other ME/FM competitions, please let me know and I will put you in touch with CIHR.

If you can suggest someone whom you think would be a good ME/FM reviewer, encourage them to contact me. Alternatively, you can send me their name and I will contact them.

CIHR did give some indication of the work involved:

Regarding the catalyst funding opportunity which has been posted recently,... a committee will be put together to review applications that will be submitted. Depending on the number of applications received for this specific competition, we would typically assign 4-10 applications per reviewers and provide them with 4-6 weeks to complete their reviews and submit them via our on-line portal. Then we invite the reviewers to discuss their reviews with the rest of the committee either via a teleconference call or in person. We cover the cost of travel when the meeting is face to face but the meetings can go on for a full day (again it depends on the number of applications that we receive).

Reviewers can be from three categories:

1. Research Experience
2. Review Experience
3. Knowledge, Expertise and Lived Experience

Note that the reviewer does not have to be from Canada

Margaret Parlor
President, National ME/FM Action Network"

National ME/FM Action Network [mefminfo@mefmaction.com]

 

[ScottTriGuy]

After the last application rejection because it was a biological approach and not a psychosomatic approach, I'm afraid potential bio applicants have been scared off.

Conversely, psychosomatic 'researchers' will have been encouraged by the previous reviewers' comments.

So we desperately need reviewers from the bio community to apply.

 

[sdmcvicar]

I'll throw my name in the hat. This newly minted PhD ought to be good for something.

 

[ScottTriGuy]

Excellent - what's your PhD in?

 

[ScottTriGuy]

Just a fyi, I believe the deadline for applications for the ME catalyst grant is January 10, so I'd assume they would select the reviewer(s) before that date.

 

[sdmcvicar]

Biochemistry from the graduate school of biomedical sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch. That plus 11 years industry experience as a research biochemist might get me a seat at the table.

 

[ScottTriGuy]

And if you're an ME patient too, that'll be more bonus points.