Healthcare Technologies for Low Resource Settings
Funding Call
eFutures are looking to fund a number of small projects that explore healthcare technologies, with a specific focus on low-resource settings; broadly, that is locations that could be categorised as being in "Low to Middle Income Countries".
Healthcare technologies have a crucial role to play in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness and disease. However, the availability of and access to high-quality, appropriate, and affordable health technologies in low-and middle-income countries is insufficient .
We welcome proposals that imagine how technologies might offer solutions to health problems and improve quality of life.
We want teams from different disciplines to creatively address, identify or adapt the "innovative" technologies that could have a significant impact on public health in low resource settings.
We ask that proposals, where appropriate, consider the end users. Consultation with end users will be viewed favourably.
Examples of such projects could be (but not limited to):
1) "Blue Sky" exploratory research
2) Gathering preliminary data
3) Proof of concept
4) Transfer of concepts from other domains to healthcare
5) Trial of technology in a low-resource setting
Thematic areas could be (but not limited to):
1) 3D printing (e.g) prosthetics; field hospitals; medical devices)
2) AI and healthcare
3) Child and /or infant health
4) Citizen science outbreaks
5) Novels materials
6) Pharmaceutical security
7) Point-of-care solutions
8) Power approaches to healthcare tech (e.g. using solar energy)
9) Rapid, low-cost portable diagnostics devices
10) Remote monitoring
11) Water sanitation
12) Women's health (including reproductive and maternal)
What is the aim of the funding?
The aim of the small grant funding is to enable cross-disciplinary, foresight, speculative and risky early-stage research. The small grant should result in increased confidence which ideally might have the potential to attract further investment.
Applications will be led by Early Career Researchers. We will leave it up to applicants to self-define as to whether they are an "Early Career Researcher" or not.
We are keen to support collaborations that would otherwise not happen, and welcome applications with participation from people drawn from outside of electronics or outside of healthcare.
Budget
We want to fund as many high-quality applications as possible. Between 4 to 6 projects will be funded, at a value approximately between £10,000 and £15,000 at full Economic Cost (fEC). Funding will be awarded at 100% of fEC.
Projects can be between 3 and 6 months in length and must complete before 1 April 2022.
Selection Criteria
The following criteria will be used by the review panel when assessing the proposals:
1) Led by a team of multidisciplinary and/ or cross institutional career researchers
2) Quality of the idea, as it is explained in the proposal
3) Potential for development of future funding applications
Eligibility
Eligible organisations include all UK Higher Education Institutions that received grant funding from one of the UK higher education funding bodies.
Eligible UK researchers can partner with academics, clinicians etc. who are based abroad, and we would welcome such an approach.
What can the funding be used for?
The budget outline for the proposal can include travel and subsistence appropriate to delivery of the project and consumables.
Eligible expenditure could be consumables, equipment, software, travel, event expenses, and staff costs for people working overseas on the project.
We will not fund UK-based researcher time.
As the grant holders, Queen's University Belfast is responsible for allocation funding to successful proposals and will reimburse subcontracting organisations at 100% full economic costing.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
eFutures is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. We particularly welcome applications from teams which are diverse in terms of protected characteristics and disciplinary areas. We know that diverse teams deliver high quality research outcomes.
We want to encourage, support and respect ideas from everyone and ensure our inclusive activities are representative of our network's community.
We encourage applicants to discuss any specific requirements that will support and / or enable their participation.
Ethics
Responsible Innovation is a process that seeks to “promote creativity and opportunities for science and innovation that are socially desirable and undertaken in the public interest”. Please undertake your research with this principle in mind, anticipating, engaging with and reflecting on the wider ethical and societal impacts, implications and value of your work. There is an area on the application form where you can address any ethical challenges and considerations.
Submitting proposals
Applications should be submitted, using the application form linked below, by 8pm on Monday, June 14th 2021. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Tiffany Forde
Healthcare technologies have a crucial role to play in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness and disease. However, the availability of and access to high-quality, appropriate, and affordable health technologies in low-and middle-income countries is insufficient .
We welcome proposals that imagine how technologies might offer solutions to health problems and improve quality of life.
We want teams from different disciplines to creatively address, identify or adapt the "innovative" technologies that could have a significant impact on public health in low resource settings.
We ask that proposals, where appropriate, consider the end users. Consultation with end users will be viewed favourably.
Examples of such projects could be (but not limited to):
1) "Blue Sky" exploratory research
2) Gathering preliminary data
3) Proof of concept
4) Transfer of concepts from other domains to healthcare
5) Trial of technology in a low-resource setting
Thematic areas could be (but not limited to):
1) 3D printing (e.g) prosthetics; field hospitals; medical devices)
2) AI and healthcare
3) Child and /or infant health
4) Citizen science outbreaks
5) Novels materials
6) Pharmaceutical security
7) Point-of-care solutions
8) Power approaches to healthcare tech (e.g. using solar energy)
9) Rapid, low-cost portable diagnostics devices
10) Remote monitoring
11) Water sanitation
12) Women's health (including reproductive and maternal)
What is the aim of the funding?
The aim of the small grant funding is to enable cross-disciplinary, foresight, speculative and risky early-stage research. The small grant should result in increased confidence which ideally might have the potential to attract further investment.
Applications will be led by Early Career Researchers. We will leave it up to applicants to self-define as to whether they are an "Early Career Researcher" or not.
We are keen to support collaborations that would otherwise not happen, and welcome applications with participation from people drawn from outside of electronics or outside of healthcare.
Budget
We want to fund as many high-quality applications as possible. Between 4 to 6 projects will be funded, at a value approximately between £10,000 and £15,000 at full Economic Cost (fEC). Funding will be awarded at 100% of fEC.
Projects can be between 3 and 6 months in length and must complete before 1 April 2022.
Selection Criteria
The following criteria will be used by the review panel when assessing the proposals:
1) Led by a team of multidisciplinary and/ or cross institutional career researchers
2) Quality of the idea, as it is explained in the proposal
3) Potential for development of future funding applications
Eligibility
Eligible organisations include all UK Higher Education Institutions that received grant funding from one of the UK higher education funding bodies.
Eligible UK researchers can partner with academics, clinicians etc. who are based abroad, and we would welcome such an approach.
What can the funding be used for?
The budget outline for the proposal can include travel and subsistence appropriate to delivery of the project and consumables.
Eligible expenditure could be consumables, equipment, software, travel, event expenses, and staff costs for people working overseas on the project.
We will not fund UK-based researcher time.
As the grant holders, Queen's University Belfast is responsible for allocation funding to successful proposals and will reimburse subcontracting organisations at 100% full economic costing.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
eFutures is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. We particularly welcome applications from teams which are diverse in terms of protected characteristics and disciplinary areas. We know that diverse teams deliver high quality research outcomes.
We want to encourage, support and respect ideas from everyone and ensure our inclusive activities are representative of our network's community.
We encourage applicants to discuss any specific requirements that will support and / or enable their participation.
Ethics
Responsible Innovation is a process that seeks to “promote creativity and opportunities for science and innovation that are socially desirable and undertaken in the public interest”. Please undertake your research with this principle in mind, anticipating, engaging with and reflecting on the wider ethical and societal impacts, implications and value of your work. There is an area on the application form where you can address any ethical challenges and considerations.
Submitting proposals
Applications should be submitted, using the application form linked below, by 8pm on Monday, June 14th 2021. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Tiffany Forde