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US-Ireland R&D Partnership Programme

This is a ROLLING CALL and is currently OPEN for enquires and applications

Background

The US-Ireland Research and Development Partnership, launched in July 2006, is a unique initiative involving funding agencies[1] across three jurisdictions: United States of America (USA), Republic of Ireland (RoI) & Northern Ireland (NI). The overall goal of the Partnership is to increase the level of collaborative R&D amongst researchers and industry professionals across the three jurisdictions[2]

This collaboration aims to generate valuable discoveries and innovations which are transferable to the marketplace, or will lead to enhancements in health, disease prevention or healthcare. The US Ireland Partnership is co-ordinated in Ireland by IntertradeIreland and in the USA by the US State Department.

The Partnership achieves its goals through tri-partite research projects in which the funding agencies fund the elements of research undertaken in their own jurisdiction. Importantly, the Partnership must add significant value to each research programme above that achievable by the PI in each jurisdiction working alone. 

By April 2021, 65 projects had been successful with a combined investment value of over $125m.

The current focus of the US-Ireland R&D Partnership Programme, as agreed by the Partnership Steering Group (IntertradeIreland website), is on the following six thematic areas: Health, Sensors & Sensor Networks, Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Telecommunications, Energy & Sustainability, Agriculture.

In 2022 InterTradeIreland carried out a survey of Principal Investigators (PIs) involved in projects funded under the US-Ireland R&D Partnership. Click here to see the findings>

 

Application Procedure for HEALTH related research projects

Health research is one of the thematic areas prioritised as an important challenge for the health and prosperity of the citizens of the United States, Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The partner agencies involved in the Health topic are: USA: The National Institutes of Health (NIH); NI: The Health & Social Care Research & Development Division (HSC R&D) & the Medical Research Council (MRC)*;  RoI: Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and  The Health Research Board (HRB)

*In Northern Ireland, HSC R&D Division has an agreement in place with the Medical Research Council (MRCto co-fund the NI element of successful US Ireland Awards which meet the MRC remit. Co-funded Awards will be badged as HSC R&D Division and MRC funded and must be acknowledge appropriately.

               

 

To view the portoflio of successful Awards click here>

Applications for funding are made through the grant process operated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A ‘single-proposal, single-review’ mechanism is facilitated by NIH who will accept submissions from tri-jurisdictional (USA, NI and ROI) teams to a number of their existing R01 funding programmes. All proposals submitted under the auspices of the Partnership must have significant research involvement from researchers in all three jurisdictions.

Call Documents

USIreland application form and guidance (.docx)

USIreland application form and guidance (.pdf)   

Frequently Asked Questions (HSCRD) - provide additional guidance on the NIH application process

email HSC R&D Division about US Ireland

Submission Deadlines

Since the review mechanism is facilitated by NIH, the deadline for applications is dependent on the NIH Call.

However it is important that funders in RoI/NI are aware and approve any potential applications. Therefore applicants in NI & RoI must complete an "Intention to Submit"  stage with their respective funding agencies. In NI this approval is provided by HSC R&D Division.

Intension to Submit is required at least 10 weeks in advance of the chosen NIH deadline. Following the intention to submit under the US Ireland Partnership Programme, a copy of the Draft Application (which will be submitted to NIH) must be provided to HSC R&D at least 6 weeks in advance of the NIH deadline. For more information please see the call document.


[1] The partner agencies are: USA: The National Institutes of Health (NIH);  The National Science Foundation (NSF);  United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); NI: The Health & Social Care Research & Development Division (HSC R&D);  Department for the Economy (DfE);  Invest Northern Ireland (InvestNI);  Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA); RoI: Science Foundation Ireland (SFI);  The Health Research Board (HRB);  Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM);  Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI)

[2] http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/perspective/2014/trilateral-partnership-...