Call for Proposals
Bangkok, Thailand: 01 March 2002
1. Background
T-2 is a tri-partite collaboration between the two Royal Thai Government agencies and a World Health Organization's Special Programme. The Thai agencies include the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) and the National Science and Technology Development Agency/National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology of Thailand (NSTDA/BIOTEC) collaborating with the World Health Organization Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO/TDR). The Programme is interested in research from various disciplines to develop new pharmaceutical products including diagnostic kits for many tropical diseases. It aims to strengthen collaboration between international and Thai scientists working in tropical disease research. The Programme is governed by a Steering Board and an International Advisory Board.
The Programme is now in its sixth year of operation and is calling for applications for the fiscal year of 2002.
2. Who can apply and what the requirements are
1. Funding priority is given to research projects to be carried out in Thailand by a Thai Principal Investigator (PI), research projects to be carried out abroad by the Thai PI, and research projects to be carried out in Thailand by an international scientist as the PI. A team with multi-disciplinary approach is much preferable.
2. The current call for application focuses on the following areas.
- Basic Science
- Clinical Science
- Epidemiology
- Social Science
3. The main emphasis will be placed on four tropical diseases that are of public health importance to Thailand, i.e., malaria, tuberculosis, HIV opportunistic infections (HIV/OI), and dengue haemorrhagic fever. Investigations into other tropical diseases, however, as initiated by researchers are also welcome.
4. Priority will be given to projects with greatest potential impact on control of the above diseases in 2.3. Multi-disciplinary approach in the four areas in 2.2 (not necessarily all components) between the national control programme and the researchers will be another advantage to the applicants if such collaboration could be established.
3. Submission of the proposal
1. The proposals for this round must be submitted to the Programme by 30 April 2002 by mail ONLY to the following address.
T-2 Secretariat
73/1 NSTDA Building, Room 509
Rama VI Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
We regret that an electronic version is not acceptable for this first call.
2. Applications must be submitted using the Application Form obtainable from http://t2.biotec.or.th/application_form.doc The only official language is English.
3. Studies involving human and/or animal subjects should have documents indicating institutional ethical approval annexed to the submission. The Programme will not serve as an ethics committee but the merit of the proposals will be judged based upon its scientific and ethical grounds along with other aspects.
4. Review of the Proposal
1. Once the proposal is received by the Programme, it will be screened with a preliminary review by members of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and applicants may be contacted if necessary. This process will be in May 2002.
2. A full Scientific and Ethical Review Committee (SERC) will convene and review all proposals in June 2002.
3. If the proposal is recommended for approval by the SERC and the budget line does not require the Programme's Steering Board's (SB) decision, then the outcome of the review should be known no later than mid July 2002. If some amendments or clarifications are needed, then applicants will be contacted by one of the TAG members for further processing. If the budget line requires the SB's decision, the proposal recommended by the SERC will be considered at the SB meeting in July 2002 and thus the review outcomes should be known by the end of July 2002.
For further information, please contact
T-2 Secretariat
73/1 NSTDA Building, Room 509
Rama VI Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Telephone +66 (0) 2644 8083 (Direct line)
Or +66 (0) 2644 8150 to 8154 ext. 501, 504
Facsimile +66 (0) 2644 8100
E-mail: t2secretariat@biotec.or.th
5. Recommended Research as interested by the Programme
Applications regarding the following issues are highly interested in this Call for Proposals. Research areas that fit in with the objectives of our sub-Programme TARUN (http://t2.biotec.or.th/tarun) are also welcome to be submitted in this Call for Proposals.
1. Malaria
- Anti-malarial drugs policy and chemotherapy-development of strategies for rapid mapping of drug resistance; innovative approaches for preventing, retarding or reversing anti-malarial drug resistance; development of novel strategies for deploying new first line drugs; pathogenesis of drug resistance malaria.
- Epidemiology-development of simple and rapid epidemiological methods for mapping malaria morbidity and mortality; development of methods to measure the impact of interventions; development of strategies to prevent malaria among migrant population and malaria transmission in Thailand and its neighbouring countries' border areas; mathematical modelling to predict malaria transmission in tree crop plantations or other ecosystem.
- Entomology and vector studies-application of molecular tools for studies in vector biology, feeding behaviour, insecticide resistance and population genetics with the aim to develop effective strategies for vector control in setting of low and high transmission; screening and/or identification of local natural products for mosquito insecticide and repellent properties.
- Natural products and anti-malarial drug development-promotion of systematic identification and chemical and biological screening of anti-malarial compounds from natural products used by the indigenous populations for treatment of fevers.
- Vaccine trial site-identification of appropriate cohorts and sites for baseline epidemiological studies in preparation for possible future malaria vaccine efficacy trials.
2. Tuberculosis (TB)
- Detection of latent TB infections in children, or HIV-infected persons
- Identification of rapid methods to detect drug-resistant tuberculosis
- Research and development for the methods to detect resistance to the second-line drugs
- Research and development leading to better preventive TB vaccine and new anti-tuberculosis drugs.
- Research leading to early detection of TB and to minimise delayed case-detection and treatment
- Research to apply DOTS strategy effectively in urban areas and/or reaching the marginalised populations, its coaching techniques and social support to complement DOTS programme for increasing treatment adherence
3. Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever
- Research leading to better understanding of the predictor(s) of dengue shock syndrome (DSS) or dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) among patients with dengue fever (DF) infections.
- Research leading to the development of dengue vaccine
- Identification of appropriate cohorts and sites for baseline epidemiological studies in preparation for possible future dengue vaccine efficacy trials.
4. HIV/OI
- HIV/OI management-determination of adherence (both providers' and clients' perspectives) on the use of the National Guidelines for the clinical management of HIV infection in children/adults; research leading to affordable and sustainable management that demonstrates efficacy or effectiveness or efficiency of HIV/OI commonly found in Thailand.
- Pathogenesis-pathogenesis of common HIV/OI in Thailand.
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