SFI Support Initiatives for Infrastructure and Data Analytics – Dr Roisin Cheshire

BBMRI-ERIC/INSIGHT Seminar January 2016

Seminar Topics

1. The importance of the role of data (analytics, ethics,

ownership, management, etc)

2. The importance of the role of data in support of

biobanking, medical research, health data.

3. the strategic importance of this intersection from both

an Irish and European perspective.

SFI Support Mechanisms for Data

Analytics and Medical Research

1. Some background on SFI (www.sfi.ie)

2. National Priority Areas

3. Extensive range of funding programmes

4. Research Centres

5. Spokes Programme

6. Research Infrastructure

7. Support for EU Activities

About SFI

Founded in

2000

Officially established in

2003

€2.3bn

Commitment by SFI since 2001 in

< 4,200 awards

As at 30 June 2015

752 Active Awards

with future commitments totaling

€447m

SFI Legal Remit

Science Foundation Ireland funds oriented basic and

applied research in the areas of science, technology,

engineering and mathematics (STEM), which promotes and

assists the development and competitiveness of industry,

enterprise and employment in Ireland.

SFI position on landscape

Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation

Supporting Research and Innovation for the Future

Supporting Indigenous Irish

Companies

Supporting Multinational

Companies in Ireland

What SFI actually does

Makes grants to Higher Education Institutes (HEIs)

in Ireland

Based on competitive,

international merit review for scientific

excellence and impact

Trains people

Produces scientific

results and technology

Builds infrastructure

Significant industrial linkages

attracting, anchoring and

starting companies

Leverages other research funding

e.g. Industrial / EU / Charitable/

Philanthropic/ International

National Priority Areas A - Future Networks and Communications

B - Data Analytics, Management, Security and Privacy

C - Digital Platforms, Content and Applications

D - Connected Health and Independent Living

E - Medical Devices

F - Diagnostics

G - Therapeutics - Synthesis, Formulation, Processing and Drug Delivery

H - Food for Health

I - Sustainable Food Production and Processing

J - Marine Renewable Energy

K - Smart Grids and Smart Cities

L - Manufacturing Competitiveness

M - Processing Technologies and Novel Materials

N - Innovation in Services and Business Processes

SFI Alignment with NRP

Proportion of SFI expenditure in the areas identified in the

2012 Report of the Research Prioritisation Steering Group,

and/or in areas of demonstrable potential economic

impact for Ireland, and/or in areas of significant partnership

with major research entities and/or to support the

development of young researchers must be 100%

SFI Programme Groups

RECRUITMENT

• SFI President of Ireland

Young Researcher

Award

• SFI Research

Professorship Scheme

/ SFI Targeted

Research

Professorship

• SFI Starting

Investigator Research

Grant

• ERC Development

Programme

• ERC Support Scheme

• SFI Industry Fellowship

EARLY and MID-CAREER

RESEARCHERS

• SFI President of Ireland Young

Researcher Award

• SFI Starting Investigator Research

Grant

• SFI Career Development Award

• SFI-Royal Society University

Research Fellowship Scheme

• ERC Development Programme

• ERC Support Scheme

• Employment Based PhD

Programme (IRC)

• SFI Science Policy PhD Fellowship

Programme

• SFI STEM PhD Programme

• SFI-NSF-Graduate Research

Opportunities Worldwide (GROW)

• Wellcome Trust Schemes

• SFI Fellowship Programme

OUTSTANDING

INDIVIDUALS

• SFI Investigators

Programme

• SFI Research

Professorship Scheme /

SFI Targeted Research

Professorship

• SFI President of Ireland

Young Researcher

Award

• SFI-HRB-Wellcome

Trust Biomedical

Research Partnership

• ERC Development

Programme

• ERC Support Scheme

SFI Programme Groups

LARGE SCALE

CENTRES

• SFI Research Centres

Programme

• SFI Research Centres:

Spokes

• SFI-HRB-Wellcome

Trust Biomedical

Research Partnership

LEVERAGING EXTERNAL

FUNDING

• ERC Development Programme

• ERC Support Scheme

• Support for European Joint

Programming Initiatives

• SFI-HRB-Wellcome Trust

Biomedical Research Partnership

• SFI Partnerships

• SFI Research Centres

• SFI Research Centres – Spokes

ENTERPRISE &

INDUSTRY FACING

• SFI Research Centres

• SFI Research Centres

– Spokes

• SFI Partnership

Scheme

• SFI/EI Technology

Innovation and

Development Award

• SFI Industry

Fellowship

SFI Programme Groups

INFRASTRUCTURE • SFI Research

Infrastructures Call

• SFI-HRB-Wellcome Trust Biomedical Research Partnership

INTERNATIONAL • US-Ireland R&D Partnership

Programme • SFI Conferences and Workshops • SFI Industry Fellowship • SFI-NSF-Graduate Research

Opportunities Worldwide (GROW) • SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT • SFI Discover Programme • SFI Conferences and

Workshops Scheme

SFI Research Centres

ADAPT – Centre for Global Digital Content and Engagement

AMBER – Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research Centre

APC – Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre

CONNECT – Future Networks and Communications,

CÚRAM – Centre for Research in Medical Devices

iCRAG – Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences

INFANT – Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research

INSIGHT – Centre for Data Analytics

IPIC – Irish Photonic Integration Research Centre

LERO – Irish Software Research Centre

MaREI – Marine Renewable Energy Ireland

SSPC – Synthesis & Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre

16

2016 Research Centres Call Now Open

• Open call

• December 2015 launch

• Information Event Jan 15th – Alexander Hotel

(10-30 – 1pm)

• April pre-proposal deadline

• June/July 2016 short-listing

• Q4 2016 full proposal deadline

• Q3 2017 announcements

SFI Research Centres: Structure

• Hub & spoke model

• Hub:

Core operations

Platform research

• Spokes:

Targeted projects, each

with at least one

industry partner

Spokes Programme

• Enables the addition of new industrial and academic partners and

projects

• Facilitates Research Centre Sustainability

• Vehicle to link together different Research Centres

• Call Currently Open - Rolling and Fixed Call basis (March 10th)

• Nine Spokes awards ranging from €300k to over €4M (SFI direct

costs) granted to date

• Represents an additional €17M investment from SFI and €10M

from industry

4 Categories

(A) H2020 Research

Infrastructure Integrating Activities – Advanced

Communities aligned bids

(B) Large Scale Research

Infrastructures for SFI Research

Centres

(C) Large Scale Research

Infrastructure for Research Bodies

(D) Opportunistic

Funding

Two Phases

Phase 2

Research Infrastructure

Phase 1

SFI Support for H2020 / Europe

• Research centres have significant H2020 targets

• EU Grant Managers in each Centre

• ERC Support programmes in place

• Support of Joint Transnational Initiatives and ‘Big Bids’

fund

• Brussels ‘events’ fund (up to €50K), run through

Conferences and Workshops

• Mike Ryan (EU coordination manager)

Aligned with NCP network

Summary

• Majority of SFI funding is aligned with the NRP areas

• Significant percentage associated with ICT and Data Analytics

• Significant percentage associated with Medical Research

• Initiatives in place to support Infrastructure nationally

• Schemes in place to support EU and International partnerships

• Follow up questions, please divert to roisin.cheshire@sfi.ie