ESCRS - Pioneer Research Award ;

Pioneer Research Award

True innovation comes from good research

Pioneer Research Award applications now open - Deadline 31 October

The European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) announced today the opening of the 2024 call for applications for the Pioneer Research Awards (PRA). This initiative, sponsored by the society, aims to support and encourage independent clinical research in the field of cataract and refractive surgery.

The competition is open to ophthalmologists up to the age of 45. Eligible participants must hold a full-time clinical or research position at a clinical or academic centre within the European region. 

The purpose of the Pioneer Award is to:

  • Support, encourage, and fund individuals interested in starting clinical research activities in the field of cataract and refractive surgery.
  • Introduce and develop a body of clinical research work, addressing a challenging problem to devise a practical solution.
  • Facilitate and support an independent culture of study for the ultimate benefit of patients.

The Pioneer Award aims to fund various new initiatives, which may include:

  • A novel research idea for the development of clinical trial studies.
  • A non-interventional or observational study.
  • A natural history/epidemiological study.
  • A comprehensive series of retrospective case-control studies.
  • A patient or disease registry.

Successful applicants may receive up to €50,000 for a project with a duration of no longer than two years.

 

Conditions to Apply

The competition is open to young ophthalmologists up to the age of 45 who have been ESCRS members for at least one year and hold a full-time clinical or research position at a clinical or academic centre within the European region. An applicant to a PRA application requires clear reference to a current systematic review and meta-analysis, if available, published on the topic of which the applicant wishes to apply. The supervision of an established researcher is requested by ESCRS.

The call for applications is now open (from 30 August 2024) and any interested ophthalmologist has until 13:00 (CET) on 31 October 2024 to submit an application for the ESCRS Pioneer Research Awards. 

For further information, please contact: clinical.research@research.escrs.org

 

Application Form

Applications are now Open. Please complete the below application form and click "submit". You will be directed to a page that confirms your application - you will not receive an email confirmation of the application.

ESCRS RESEARCH AWARDS APPLICATION FORM

in months
(please indicate duration in months)
(please detail in €)
Chief Investigator
(please include your country area code)
Project Partner 1
(if applicable)
(if applicable)
(if applicable)
(please include your country area code, if applicable)
Project Partner 2
(if applicable)
(if applicable)
(if applicable)
(please include your country area code, if applicable)
Project Partner 3
(if applicable)
(if applicable)
(if applicable)
(please include your country area code, if applicable)
Public summary
Please present your project here, using accessible language and without including any confidential information. This summary may be used by ESCRS for its communication activities, including publication on ESCRS website. Max 300 words
Background/Context
Please describe what problem your project will be addressing, what is already known and what will your project add. max 300 words
Objectives
Project Plan
(if applicable)
Existing infrastructure
(a list of relevant literature can be added as an annex to the application)
Resources required
Impact
Describe at least one important clinical research question that appropriate analysis of the data collected will ultimately help to address. (or for CRA awards - what is already known? what will your project add?)
Additional Supporting Documentation
(if applicable)
Consent
Declaration

You agree that by submitting this application to ESCRS, you declare and acknowledge the following:



  • I am authorised to submit the application on behalf of the applicant

  • The applicant is a legal entity capable of entering into a contract with ESCRS

  • The information in the application is true and correct

  • I hold a full-time or affiliated post with an established clinical or research institute named above, who have agreed to act as Sponsors for the research proposed and have the expertise required to support the administrative, insurance and regulatory requirements necessary for the conduct of this study

  • I can confirm that the work packages in this project are not already supported by existing funding

  • I understand that any ownership of any intellectual property arising from the project will be subject to agreement between the sponsoring institution and ESCRS prior to the commencement of funding, in accordance with the ESCRS Intellectual Property policy