Patient Voices in Research Initiative

Members of the MOHCCN Patient Working Group got together in-person and virtually in May 2024 to finalize the themes for the Patient Voice in Research Initiative.

This funding opportunity from the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN) will provide funding to research teams to address themes identified by the MOHCCN Patient Working Group (PWG) (see Research Themes section). Applicants should consider the tight timeline and present realistic goals for the 1-year project based on the research themes. Projects may be exploratory, focused on identifying barriers and/or challenges, proof-of-concept and feasibility studies, literature reviews, etc. Successful applicants will commit to presenting their findings and recommendations for future research, particularly within the context of the MOHCCN and future growth of the Network, to the MOHCCN PWG following the award period (1 year). We encourage collaboration among research groups and highly encourage a Pan-Canadian approach to research groups. 

This page provides a summary of this RFA. Please download full RFA document here, or in the the Guidance Provided section below.

Scope & Eligibility 

Support under this Request for Applications (RFA) is targeted at high-quality research teams at Canadian institutions working on innovative cancer research, including various aspects of prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, socioeconomic and psychosocial factors surrounding cancer, health technology assessment, and learning healthcare systems. Applicants are not required to be currently affiliated with MOHCCN. Successful applicants will need to work with their institutions to sign the Network Joinder Agreement before funding can be awarded. 

Collaboration across multiple Canadian cancer centres is encouraged, though not required. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to begin work in November 2024 and to complete work within the timeframes (see Support Offered and Conditions of Funding). 

Applications should be presented in plain language as PWG members will be reviewing all applications. Scientific reviews will also be conducted. Applications must clearly respond to at least one of the research themes identified in this RFA. 

UPDATE (13-JUNE-24):

Lead Investigator Eligibility: For the role of lead investigator on applications, MOHCCN will be following CIHR Applicant Eligibility criteria for Principal Applicants.

  • Eligible individuals include researchers, knowledge users, scholars, health professionals, undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
  • Individuals must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution and/or their affiliated institutions.

 

Research Themes 

Equity, access, and disparities related to the continuum of precision medicine care: Research related to better understanding existing intersectional disparities in access to and implementation of precision medicine and approaches to overcome them. Topics may include (but are not limited to) one or more of the following: provincial disparities in drug access and coverage; jurisdictional disparities in screening guidelines and accessibility of familial genetic testing; accessibility of post-treatment screening and testing; implementation of palliative care; psychosocial effects of precision medicine access in underserved populations. Special attention to provincial and urban/rural/remote disparities, patient-centred approaches, and underserved/equity-deserving populations. 

Clinical trials access: Research related to increasing patient accessibility to clinical trials and promoting patient-centred trials. Topics may include (but are not limited to) one or more of the following: decentralized trial design to increase trial accessibility for interested participants; differences in regional and urban/rural/remote access to clinical trials; cross-provincial/international clinical trials; support for clinical trial implementation in smaller or non-research cancer centres; resources to increase direct patient education and facilitate identification of relevant clinical trials.  

Patient involvement and engagement in precision oncology research : Research related to patient involvement and engagement, specifically in the context of precision oncology research. Topics may include (but are not limited to) one or more of the following: methods and approaches for effective and meaningful patient involvement and engagement; initiatives to support patient involvement in research, including clinical trials; patient-centered knowledge translation and educational resources.  

Survivorship care plans and post-treatment resources : Research related to survivorship care plans and identifying, collecting, and creating resources for post-treatment guidance for cancer patients. Topics may include (but are not limited to) one or more of the following: assessment of current guidelines in different contexts and existing disparities; educational resources for clinicians and/or patients; tools to improve guidance and reminders; impact of follow-up guidelines and approaches on rates and/or timing of recurrence detection; psychosocial effects of differing levels of post-treatment guidance; special considerations for survivorship care plans in the context of advanced cancers; multidisciplinary post-treatment care plans and breaking down of silos; management of co-morbidities.  

Lifestyle interventions in precision oncology: Research related to assessing the feasibility and impact of lifestyle interventions in cancer care. Topics may include (but are not limited to) one or more of the following: benefits of exercise during cancer treatment and/or end-of-life care; impact of preparation for and administration of certain therapies (e.g. immunotherapy) on lifestyle factors (and vice-versa); accessibility of interventions for patients with different needs (e.g. reduced mobility).  

Rare cancers across the age spectrum : Research related to individuals with rare cancers, including pediatric, adolescent, and young adult populations. Topics may include (but are not limited to) one or more of the following: increasing inclusion of individuals with rare cancers in research; unique considerations related to genetic testing for patients with rare cancers; psychosocial effects of a rare cancer diagnosis; approaches to standardize diagnosis and care for rare cancers; lifetime effects and follow-up for pediatric/AYA patients; tumour-agnostic biomarkers to improve diagnostic and care for patients with rare cancers. 

Support Offered and Conditions of Funding 

TFRI funding will begin November 2024 and be available for a project term of up to one (1) year. Projects may apply for up to $250,000. The total envelope available for this initiative is $1,000,000 and the number of awards will be dependent on the sizes of the proposed projects (estimated between 4 and 8 awards). 

Through the generous support of TFRI for this funding opportunity, applicants are not required to provide any matching funds for these projects. For details regarding eligible expenses, please see Appendix A in the Full Application Form.  

Successful applications will receive their funds after execution of a standard MOHCCN Research Project Grant Agreement (RPGA), which details the funding, terms and conditions, and reporting schedules.  Agreements and funds for the projects will be provided by TFRI directly to the project host institution.  Only one institution per award will receive funds; as secondary or sub—granting from MOHCCN funds is not allowed, the choice of host institution should be considered carefully and collaborators (if any) who incur expenses should seek reimbursement from the host institution likely through an invoicing process. 

As a pre-condition of receiving funding, each of the project’s applicants must be from institutions who are, or agree to become, members of the MOHCCN Network (see MOHCCN Membership Prerequisite in RFA document).  

UPDATE (13-JUNE-24): While main project activities are expected to take place in the 1-year timeframe (November 2024 to November 2025), some funds may be allotted to activities through March 31st, 2026 to report to the PWG, gather feedback from PWG members, and make further recommendations for next steps in the research and related to Network activities.

Timeline 

  • MOHCCN Patient Voices in Research Initiative Launch: June 6, 2024

  • Deadline for MOHCCN Patient Voices in Research Initiative Applications – Monday August 12th (5:00 p.m. Pacific Time)

    • All application materials must be submitted to MOH@TFRI.ca;

  • Review Period: August – September 2024

  • Award Announcement to Applicants: October 2024

  • Funding Start Date: November 1, 2024

Guidance provided

For inquiries, please contact: 

Jessie Micholuk, MPH 
Network Program Manager
Terry Fox Research Institute
Email: jmicholuk@tfri.ca
675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver BC V5Z 1L3