Appel à projets sur l'utilisation d'approches intégrées multi-omiques fondées sur des hypothèses pour la découverte de causes pathologiques et/ou la validation fonctionnelle dans le contexte des maladies rares - E-RARE - JTC 2018 / 2018-2019

The E-RARE network, in which the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS) is a partner, is launching a multilateral joint transnational call for proposals to support research in the field rare diseases.

The aim of the call is to enable scientists from different countries to build an effective collaboration on a common interdisciplinary research project based on complementarities and sharing of expertise, with a clear translational research approach.

More specifically, the research projects have to focus on hypothesis-driven use of multi-omic integrated approaches for discovery of disease causes and/or functional validation in the context of rare diseases.

Transnational research proposals must cover at least one of the following areas, which are equal in relevance for this call:

• Combined multi-omics approaches (e.g. epigenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, etc.) that complement genomics-based gene discovery strategies and that are driven by a lead hypothesis;
• Functional validation of clinical or biological inferences obtained from “-omics” results;
• Application of “-omics” approaches to rare diseases for which the gene(s) is/are known to enable insight into disease pathophysiology. Emphasis will be given to approaches that transcend a single “-omics” approach to illuminate pathomechanism. Projects that generate “-omics” data with limited integration and interpretation will be considered lower priority;
• Development and application of concepts and methods for pathogenic read-outs of disease groups which can be used as “blue print” to discover new disease genes and inform pathomechanism.

The following approaches and topics are excluded from the scope of the call:

• Approaches concerning rare infectious diseases or rare cancers;
• Approaches concerning rare adverse drug events or medical complications in treatments of common diseases;
• Interventional clinical trials.

For detailed information about this call, please visit the E-RARE website.