Clinical Research Units
Clinical Research Units aim to promote research collaborations in disease- or patient-oriented (translational) clinical research and establish long-term scientific working groups within clinical institutions.
Clinical Research Units provide support for researchers with an outstanding track record to collaborate closely on a defined research task over the medium term, where the collaboration is expected to deliver results that could not be achieved through individual grants alone. In addition, measures tailored specifically to the Clinical Research Unit are pursued in order to promote researchers in early career phases and also equity and diversity.
Funding for Clinical Research Units should also contribute to improving clinical research by creating and strengthening research-oriented structures within university hospitals, establishing or enhancing training structures, enhancing the scientific profiles of the departments of medicine, and increasing cooperation between clinicians and scientists in the foundational disciplines of medicine.
Purpose of Funding
Funding of research collaborations in disease- or patient-oriented (translational) clinical research and the establishment of long-term scientific working groups within clinical institutions.
Eligibility
Researchers in all disciplines at German research institutions who have completed their academic training (as a rule, those holding a doctorate).
Not eligible: Members of organisations that serve purely commercial purposes; members of organisations who are not permitted to publish their results in a publicly accessible form.
Requirements of Clinical Research Units
- The scientific quality and originality of the research endeavour must be internationally competitive.
- General requirement(externer Link) of a (Clinical) Research Unit.
- Clinical questions, incorporation of clinical material, if applicable, thematic focus on translational research with patient-oriented approaches and investigation of disease mechanisms.
- The department of medicine clearly endorses the establishment and support of the Clinical Research Unit.
- Strengthening of the university’s/department of medicine’s scientific profile.
- Creation and enhancement of research-oriented structures at hospitals.
- Closer collaboration between scientists in the foundational disciplines of medicine and clinicians.
- Establishment and/or strengthening of training structures within clinical research.
- Suitability of the designated research coordinator to head the Clinical Research Unit.
- Where possible, integration of the clinical-scientific staff of the Clinical Research Unit into a Clinician Scientist Programme on site.
Type and Extent of Funding
Please see the Guidelines of Clinical Research Unit(externer Link).
Proposal Modules
Clinical Research Units can include the following funding modules, some of which are required:
- Basic Modul(interner Link)
- Replacement(interner Link)
- Temporary Substitutes for Clinician(interner Link)
(Fixed-term Clinician Scientist positions which should ideally be integrated in a Clinician Scientist Programme on site) - Professorshi(interner Link)
(Establishment or integration of a research professorship, with the holder assuming scientific and organisational leadership of the Clinical Research Unit) - Mercator Fellow(interner Link)
- Project-Specific Workshop(interner Link)
- Start-Up Fundin(interner Link)
- Coordinatio(interner Link)
- Network Fund(interner Link)
- Public Relation(interner Link)
- Standard Allowance for Equity and Diversit(interner Link)
Emmy Noether Groups and funding recipients under the Heisenberg Programme can be associated with a Clinical Research Unit.
In the coordination project, funding can be requested for targeted measures to promote the academic careers of clinician scientists or natural scientists in medical research.
Funding Duration
Generally up to eight years, divided into two funding periods of four years each.
Forms and Guidelines
Here you can find the Forms and Guideline(interner Link).
- Draft proposal: can be submitted at any time. Revised draft proposals may only be re-submitted once.
- Establishment proposal: no submission deadline.
- Renewal proposal: six months before the end of the current funding period.
To support better planning, applicants are advised to consult the department responsible at the DFG Head Office at an early stage regarding their intended submission date for the draft proposal or for the establishment/renewal proposal.
Draft proposals
A draft proposal submitted by the designated spokesperson is first reviewed by at least two external experts and then assessed by the relevant review board. Depending on the review board in question, draft proposals are considered either on a regular basis or at selected meetings. The Review Board Medicine considers draft proposals for Clinical Research Units twice a year – in spring and autumn. Based on the responsible review board’s recommendation, the DFG Senate then decides whether to recommend the elaboration of an establishment proposal based on the draft proposal.
Establishment/renewal proposal
A proposal that is submitted for the establishment or renewal of a Clinical Research Unit is discussed by a panel that includes external reviewers, members of the review boards responsible and a member of the DFG Senate. Based on their review and a recommendation by the DFG Senate, the DFG Joint Committee decides whether to fund (or continue to fund) the Clinical Research Unit. The DFG Joint Committee makes decisions on the funding of Clinical Research Units four times a year.
Contact
E-mail: | Petra.Hintze@dfg.de |
Telephone: | +49 (228) 885-2552 |