1. Health: The Latest Information on the Health Theme in FP7,
Workprogramme Themes & Priorities for the First call
This note is intended to provide advance information on the likely shape and content
of the Work Programmes for FP7. This information is indicative only. As we are still
in the FP7 adoption process with the potential for changes at Commission and
Member State level, researchers are advised to wait until Work Programmes are
published before beginning to prepare concrete project proposals. It is also worth
noting that FP7 is a seven year programme and therefore not all topics will be called
in the first or second year.
The Health Theme will have a single Work Programme to cover 2007 and
2008. This will be implemented through two deadlines for 2007, the first is
expected in late April and the second is expected in the autumn.
Further information is now available regarding the Health Work Programme
for 2007-2008, in particular more information about the topics that will appear
in the first calls. It is understood that potential applicants to the Health Theme
will be required to consider Health specific horizontal issues in all proposals.
However, it is unclear at this early stage just what role these horizontal issues
will play in evaluation criteria. These include; child health, health of the ageing
population, gender aspects in research. In addition it is expected that the
Work Programme will include a number of actions to specifically support the
horizontal issues. An emphasis will be placed on communicating the research
results generated under the Health theme, in particular to the general public.
‘High tech’ SMEs and SMEs who are specialists in service provision including
IP or Management will be invited to participate across the whole theme. In
addition, early indications suggest that there will be specific SME-driven tasks,
where the SMEs will be required to receive at least 40% of the Community
funding. UKRO understands that this follows the positive FP6 experience of
targeted SME actions (see last FP6 call).
It is believed that International Cooperation will be addressed by opening up
the whole Theme to third country participation, in particular, where global
health problems are addressed. It is understood that the EC will specifically
state in the Work Programme where third country participation might
be expected. There will also be specific INCO actions identified in the Work
Programme. In terms of funding, International Cooperation Partner Counties
will be eligible for funding along with those who have S&T agreements. It is
also likely that organisations from other third countries might be considered
for funding, if their participation is considered essential to the project.
The Health Theme will be delivered though three main activity pillars:
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Biotechnology, Generic Tools and Technologies for Human Health
Translational Research for Human Health
Optimising the Delivery of Health Care to European Citizens
These pillars will be further subdivided into topics and specific tasks. Please
be cautious when considering these topics, as these are liable to change
significantly and potential applicants should wait to see the final approved
detailed text, in the published Work Programme and Call Text, before
preparing concrete proposals. These topics are by no means finalised. An
important part of the adoption of any FP Work Programme is adoption by the
relevant Programme Management Committee and in many cases these
Committees are yet to be formed for FP7.
The following topics are likely to be included in the first call for proposals in
early 2007. The Work Programme is likely to provide the funding scheme
applicable for each task with an indicative maximum budget (Collaborative
Projects, Networks of Excellence, Co-ordination and Support Actions and
ERA-NETs). Calls for Tender or for named participants may also be
implemented, but none are planned at this stage. Again at this stage, it is also
unclear what the evaluation criteria will be.
Biotechnology, Generic Tools and Technologies for Human Health
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High-throughput Research (Focus: new technologies)
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Unifying human and model organism genetic variation databases
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Temporal and spatial proteomics to study biological process (human
health)
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Groundbreaking techniques for DNA sequencing and genotyping
Detection Diagnosis and Monitoring
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Standardisation and improvement of pre-analytical procedures for in
vitro diagnostics
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High-throughput Molecular diagnostics in individual patients for
genetic diseases with heterogeneous clinical presentation.
Innovative Therapeutic Approaches and Interventions
Immunotherapy
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Development and production of new generation recombinant
antibiotics
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Innovative approaches – development of neonatal vaccines
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Of human food allergies
Gene Therapy
o Development of emerging gene therapy tools and technologies for
clinical application
o Tools targeting the central nervous system
Predicting Suitability, safety and efficacy of therapies
It is envisaged that this area will be mainly addressed by the Innovative
Medicines (IMI) JTI, further details of the implementation are not available at
this stage. It is likely that the following topics under on the subject of
alternative testing strategies will be included in the first calls.
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Novel alternative testing strategies for use in pharmaceutical discovery
and development
Safety without animal testing
Toxicology -Promotion development, validation, acceptance of
QSARS
Testing strategies for development of nanoparticles- based diagnosis
In-silico modelling for ASMET outcomes
Translational Research for Human Health
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Child Health
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Paediatric Medicinal products – adapting off patent medicines
Large Scale Data Gathering
o Networking bio-bank initiatives across Europe – development of
standards and norms
o Membrane-transporters for identification of potential drug target sites
(analysis)
o Lipids and lipid protein interactions (high-throughput analysis)
o Genome-wide association structures for the identification of genes
relevant to human health and disease
Systems Biology
o Eukaryotic unicellular organism biology
o Modelling of T-Cell activation
o Integrating EU research on mammalian stem cells for future Systems
Biology approaches to stem cell differentiation.
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Integrated and in vitro and in vivo systems biology modelling
(understanding apoptosis – in context of health and disease)
Brain and Brain Related diseases
o Stroke and mechanisms underlying ischemic brain damage
o Neural networks
o Anxiety disorders
o Memory loss
Human Development and Ageing
o Normal Immune function at old age
o Support to workshops and conferences
HIV/AIDS, malaria and Tuberculosis (TB)
o HIV/AIDS drug discovery and preclinical development
o Host pathogen interaction in TB
o Fast test for multi drug resistant strains of HIV, malaria and TB
o Pregnancy malaria
o Paediatric formulations of drugs against HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB
Emerging Epidemics
o Innovative point-of care diagnostic tests for influenza (SME action)
o Development of additional treatment strategies for patients suffering
from highly pathogenic influenza
o Identifying immunological mechanisms of protection for influenza
vaccines
o Standardisation of immunological assays for evaluation of new
influenza vaccines
o Strengthening research on prediction, identification, surveillance of
newly emerging infectious diseases in humans
o Development of broadly protective influenza vaccine
o Supporting highly innovative inter-disciplinary research on influenza
o Development of pandemic influenza containment
Translational Research in other major diseases
o Translating the knowledge on non-coding RNA’s linked to the
aetiology of cancer into novel diagnosis and therapy strategies
o Translating clinical ‘omics’-technology into innovative cancer
biomarkers
o Genomic instability and genetic alternations in cancer
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Novel cancer screening methods
o Optimising research on end of life care of cancer patients
o Understanding and fighting metastasising cancer cells derived from
solid tumours
o Improving targeted drug delivery to cancer cells for cancer
therapeutics
o Developing high-throughput bioassays and models for human cancer in
lower species
Cardiovascular disease
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Molecular basis of vascular remodelling in aneurysmal
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Vascular remodelling in aneuysmal disease
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Combating stroke
Diabetes and obesity
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Use of beta cell imaging in diabetes mellitus
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Early process in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes
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Combined forms of diabetes in children
Insulin resistance as a key factor in the development of diabetes and
metabolic syndrome
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A road map for diabetes research
Rare diseases
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Natural course and pathophysiology of rare diseases
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Research capacity-building in the field of rare diseases
Other chronic diseases
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Osteoarthritis
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In vertebral disc degeneration: prevention and repair
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Innovative concepts in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
pathogenesis
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Hearing impairment and degeneration
Optimising the Delivery of Health Care to European Citizens
I am given to understand topics in this area will appear in the second call for
Health with a deadline in autumn 2007. The main topic areas will include
enhanced health promotion and disease prevention. Translating clinical
research into clinical practice, including better use of medicines and
appropriate use of behavioural and organisational interventions and health
therapies and technologies and quality and sustainability of health systems.
International Cooperation – Specific Actions
Topics in this area will appear in the second call for Health with a deadline in
autumn 2007. Specific INCO actions are likely to include topics such as
neglected infectious diseases, including collaborative projects into influenza
research, HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB. There will be specific tasks under health
care system policy and management, designed to contribute to the millennium
development goals, such as universal and equitable access to health care in
Asia and Latin America and research into improving pre-natal and maternal
care.
The information in this article refers to the first call deadline, which is likely to
be at the start of April 2007 at the very earliest.
Sharone O’Loughlin
UL Research Office
October 2006