Health Research

Health research facilitation at UBCO is primarily offered for Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) and Michael Smith Health Research BC (MSHR-BC) programs. Support for non-CIHR sponsored programs, other health, or non-profit health funding competitions is available as capacity permits. Please contact us if you would like support for an opportunity not listed below.

RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

CIHR Project Grants

Researchers interested in the Project Grant program are encouraged to connect with the relevant Research Development Officer. A summary of resources available can be found below.

Faciltiation Support

The UBCO Research Development Team is the first point of contact for all CIHR PG support at UBC for the Spring 2026 competition. Each applicant will be limited to one of each of the following services:

• Response to reviews (if applicable)
• Peer Review Committee Selection support
• Criterial/editorial review, and
• Technical review (between Feb 25 and March 2)

A full overview of support is available here.

For more information, including how to register for any of these services, please contact denise.maines@ubc.ca

KEY RESOURCES

• • For detailed sample grants, check out the Sample Grant Library
  • Co-developed SPARC Project Grant Resources
  • For registration instructions, see the Project Grant – Registration Instructions
  • For application instructions, see the Project Grant – Application Instructions

CIHR RESOURCES

• Key messages: Explaining changes to the Notice of Decision (NOD) and Notice of Recommendation (NOR) templates (new as of January 8, 2025)
• Reference & Learning Materials
• Integrating Sex As a Biological Variable in Basic Science Experiments
• Guiding questions for clinical or database researchers in evaluating sex and gender
• Resubmissions and Responding to Previous Reviews
• Acceptable Application Formats and PDF Attachments
• Writing Letters of Support
• Reviewer Pathway: Reviewer in Training (RiT) Program
• CIHR Applicant Profile CV Template
• CIHR Research Security

CIHR Strategic Grant Opportunities

SUPPORT FOR RESEARCHERS

• One-on-one consultations are available for researchers looking to apply for Strategic Grants. Common topics of discussion include aligning the proposal with program objectives, understanding the evaluation criteria, and the relevance of knowledge translation strategies. To set up an appointment in person or on zoom, please email the relevant Research Development Team member.
• ORS provides editorial, criteria and technical feedback on well-developed applications (e.g., Research Proposal). Strategic grant reviews are provided on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the relevant Research Development Team member at least 4 weeks in advance of the competition deadline so we can plan accordingly.

RESOURCES

• Co-developed SPARC Strategic Grant Resources
• Review guidelines – Priority-driven initiatives
• Research Security
• Grant competition categories
• Determining which competition to apply for
• How to find out about new competitions
• ResearchNet screenshots for Task Print Signature Pages – PI submission process
• Acceptable Application Formats and PDF Attachments
• Writing Letters of Support

MSHR-BC Scholar Program

SUPPORT For Researchers

• Criteria & Editorial Review for LOI: Due November 10, 2023.
• Criteria & Editorial Review for Full application: Due January 2, 2024.

Resources

• Sample Grant Library (CWL required)
• Scholar Sample Letter of Intent Form
• MSHRBC Scholar Program
• 2024 MSHRBC-UBCO Information session slides
• Scholar Sample Full Application Form
• Scholar Application Guidelines
• MSHRBC Tips for Application Development

MSHR-BC Professional-Investigator (HP-I) Program

SUPPORT For Researchers

• Criteria & Editorial Review for LOI: Due November 10, 2023.
• Criteria & Editorial Review for Full application: Due January 2, 2024.

Resources

• Sample Grant Library (CWL required)
• HP-I Sample Letter of Intent Form
• MSHRBC Health Professional-Investigator Program
• 2024 MSHRBC-UBCO Information session slides
• HP-I Sample Full Application Form
• HP-I application Guidelines
• MSHRBC Tips for Application Development

Co-developed and additional resources are available via the Support Programs to Advance Research Capacity (SPARC) office at the UBC-Vancouver Campus.

Note: UBC resources are intended for UBC researchers only. Please do not circulate.