Archive 2018

• The project has to be a part of some COST Action in the day of the call announcement (Thu 01 Nov 2018). The project has to be confirmed by the Action MC or by the Action proposer.
• The project involvement into a COST Action has to be confirmed by MEYS. Electronic applications to COST Actions at the Czech national level have to be sent to cost@msmt.cz before Mon 22 Oct 2018 23:59:59 CET.
• The proposal has to be prepared on official forms of the call.
• The proposal has to be submitted only via data box (datová schránka) vidaawt; Věc: “LTC19 – veřejná soutěž – NEOTVÍRAT!”; K rukám: “Oddělení 33”; Do vlastních rukou.
• All solemn declarations have to be originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representative.
• Costs are proposed in thousands of CZK. Relevance of all individual planned costs is described.
• Max size of the proposal with all annexes is 20MB.
• All documents have to be archived for at least 10 years after the end of the project.

1. Project proposal = Návrh projektu: Proposer, Project description, Objectives, Risk management, Project team, Budget, Additional information (use template, in Czech, uploaded in docx, applicant)
2. Project annotation for evaluators = Anotace projektu pro hodnotitele (use template, in Czech, uploaded in docx, applicant)
3. Project budget = Rozpočet projektu (use template, uploaded in xlsx; applicant & Project Office)
4. CV of the main PI and other key team members = Životopis hlavního řešitele a klíčových osob (uploaded in pdf, signature, applicant)
5. Solemn declaration of the eligibility to solve the project = Čestné prohlášení o způsobilosti k řešení projektu (relevant for PI and all proposers, use template, uploaded in PDF, Project Office)
6. Proposal of the Agreement on participation in the project = Návrh smlouvy o účasti na řešení projektu (use template, uploaded in doc/docx/pdf; applicant & Project Office)
7. Consent to the processing of personal data = Souhlas se zpracováním osobních údajů (relevant for PI and all team members, use template, uploaded in PDF; applicant & Project Office)
8. Confirmation Letter of the Action Management Committee or Action proposer = Doklad o vyjádření řídícího výboru k návrhu projektu/navrhovatele akce (uploaded in PDF; applicant)

1. Inovativnost návrhu projektu (20b)
2. Metoda a strategie řešení (20b)
3. Míra zapojení zahraničního partnera (20b)

4. Vědecké, technické nebo socioekonomické přínosy řešení projektu v dlouhodobém horizontu (20b)
5. Vědecké, technické nebo socioekonomické přínosy řešení projektu v krátkodobém horizontu (20b)
6. Opatření k maximalizaci přínosů (20b)

7. Připravenost, efektivita a proveditelnost harmonogramu řešení (15b)
8. Kompetence a odbornost řešitelského týmu (15b)
9. Finanční zabezpečení z hlediska výše, struktury a časového rozložení a z hlediska efektivního využití poskytnuté podpory (15b)
10. Přiměřenost rizik (15b)

• Proposal of up to 15 pages.
• Be anonymous. Proposals may not contain any direct or indirect reference to people and/or institutions participating in the consortium.
• At least 50 % of the budget has to be spent in widening countries (Inclusiveness Target Countries, ITCs).
• Network of proposers from at least 7 different COST Full or Cooperating Members a minimum number of ITCs (7-8 FM / 3 ITCs; 10-12 FM / 4 ITCs; 13-15 FM / 5 ITCs; 16-17 FM / 6 ITCs; 18-20 FM / 7 ITCs; >21 FM / 8 ITCs).
• There can be more than one proposer per institution, as long as it is clearly beneficial for the proposed Action. All proposers must have a registered and updated e-COST profile: https://e-services.cost.eu and specified expertise.

• 36 COST full members (FM): Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom
• 20 Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs): Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey
• 1 Cooperating Member: Israel
• 17 Near Neighbour Countries (NNC): Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Russia, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine

1. General features (Title, Acronym, Summary, Key expertise, Keywords)
2. Technical Annex (Science & technology excellence, Networking excellence, Impact, Implementation; use template, save final version as a PDF)
3. References (not-mandatory, max 500 words)
4. COST Mission, Policy and rules (mandatory max 1000 words)
5. Network of proposers (mandatory, e-COST profile)

Single-round evaluation (0–50 points, overall threshold 34 points)

Excellence: soundness of the challenge; progress beyond the state-of-the-art (15 points)

• Q1: Does the proposal demonstrate a comprehensive command of the state of the art in the field and present a relevant and timely challenge?
• Q2: Does the proposal describe an innovative approach to the challenge that advances the state of the art in the field?
• Q3: Are the objectives presented relevant to the challenge, clear and ambitious?

Networking excellence: added value of networking (15 points)

• Q4: Does networking bring added value in tackling the challenge in relation to existing efforts at the European and/or international level?
• Q5: Does the proposed network contain, or present a credible plan for securing, the critical mass and expertise for achieving the objectives and thus addressing the challenge?
• Q6: Does the proposal identify the most relevant stakeholders and present a clear plan to involve them as Action’s participants?

Impact: to science, society, competitiveness, potential for innovations (15 points)

• Q7: Does the proposal clearly identify relevant and realistic impacts for science, society and/or competitiveness (including potential innovations and/or breakthroughs)
• Q8: Does the proposed networking clearly contribute to knowledge creation, transfer of knowledge and career development?
• Q9: Is the plan for dissemination and/or exploitation of results clear and attainable and does it contribute to the dialogue between science and the general public or policy?


• Implementation: coherence and effectiveness of the work plan (5 points)
• Q10: Is the work plan (WGs, tasks, activities, timeframe, deliverables and risk analysis) appropriate to ensure the achievement of the objectives?

• Natural Sciences: (1) Mathematics, (2) Computer and Information Sciences, (3) Physical Sciences, (4) Chemical Sciences, (5) Earth & Environmental Sciences, (6) Biological Sciences
• Engineering & Technology: (7) Civil Engineering, (8) Electrical, Electronic, Information Engineering, (9) Mechanical Engineering, (10) Chemical Engineering, (11) Materials Engineering, (12) Medical Engineering, (13) Environmental Engineering, (14) Environmental Biotechnology, (15) Industrial Biotechnology, (16) Nano-technology, (17) Other E&T
• Medical & Health Sciences: (18) Basic Medicine, (19) Clinical Medicine, (20) Health Sciences, (21) Medical Biotechnology, (22) Other Medical Sciences
• Agricultural Sciences: (23) Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, (24) Animal & Dairy Science, (25) Veterinary Science, (26) Agricultural Biotechnology, (27) Other Agricultural Sciences
• Social Sciences: (28) Psychology, (29) Economics & Business, (30) Educational Sciences, (31) Sociology, (32) Law, (33) Political Science, (34) Social & Economic Geography, (35) Media & Communications, (36) Other Social Sciences
• Humanities: (37) History & Archaeology, (38) Languages & Literature, (39) Philosophy, Ethics, Religion, (40) Arts, (41) Other Humanities

• Each Synergy proposal must demonstrate that its objectives can only be achieved through the specific combination of knowledge and skills brought together by the participating PIs.
• There are no predefined panels. Applicants should choose between 4–6 keywords (see chapter 4 Annexes in guidelines).
• One PI per Synergy Grant Group, except the corresponding PI, can be hosted or engaged by an institution outside of the EU or AC.
• PIs should be able to demonstrate a promising ten-year track record of early achievements appropriate to research field:
  1. Up to 10 peer-reviewed publications as main author,
  2. Research monographs,
  3. Granted patents,
  4. Invited presentations to international conferences,
  5. Research expeditions,
  6. Organisation of international conferences,
  7. Prizes, awards, academy memberships,
  8. Major contributions to the early careers of excellent researchers,
  9. Examples of leadership in industrial innovation or design.
• The PI has to spend at least 30% (≥0.3 FTE) of his/her working time on the project.
• The PI has to spend at least 50% (≥36 months) of his/her working time in an EU MS or AC.
• Researchers may participate as PI in only one ERC project at a time. Researchers participating as PI in an ERC project may not submit a proposal for another ERC grant, unless the existing project ends no more than 2 years after the call deadline.
• The host institution of the Corresponding PI support letter needs to be printed on the paper with the official letterhead of the Host Institution, originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representative.
• The PIs are expected to start the project within 6 months of receiving an invitation letter from the ERC.
• Applicants should be aware that it is mandatory to provide Open Access to all peer-reviewed scientific publications relating to the results from ERC projects.
• The ERC recommends that all funded researchers follow best practice by retaining files of research data produced and used, and are prepared to share these data with other researchers when not bound by copyright restrictions, confidentiality requirements, or contractual clauses.

1. Administrative form (Part A, on-line on the Participant Portal): (i) General information: Abstract, Declarations; (ii) Administrative data of participating organisations: Departments, Contact Address; (iii) Budget; (iv) Ethics; (v) Call specific questions (applicant & Project Office)
2. Research proposal (Part B1, use template): Cover Page, (a) Extended Synopsis of the scientific proposal (max 5 pages excluding references); (b) CV (max 2 pages for each PI); (c) Early achievement track-record / Ten-year track-record (max 2 pages for each PI, uploaded in PDF) (applicant & Project Office)
3. Research proposal (Part B2, use template): Scientific proposal: (a) State-of-the-art and objectives; (b) Methodology; (c) Resources including project costs (max 15 pages excluding references, uploaded in PDF) (applicant & Project Office)
4. Commitment of the Corresponding Host Institution (use template) (Project Office & Director)
5. Other documentation needed on eligibility and ethics issues, i.e. ethical self-assessment if relevant (Project Office & applicant)

1. Research Project: Ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility
   1. To what extent does the proposed research address important challenges?
   2. To what extent are the objectives ambitious and beyond the state of the art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches or development between or across disciplines)?
   3. To what extent is the proposed research high risk/high gain (i.e. if successful the payoffs will be very significant, but there is a higher-than-normal risk that the research project does not entirely fulfil its aims)?
   4. To what extent is the outlined scientific approach feasible bearing in mind the extent that the proposed research is high risk/high gain (based on the Extended Synopsis at Step 1)?
   5. To what extent does the proposal go beyond what the individual PI could achieve alone (based on the Extended Synopsis at step 1?
   6. To what extent does the proposal require and demonstrate significant synergies, complementarities and scientific added-value to enable it to achieve its objectives (based on the Extended Synopsis at step 1)?
   7. To what extent are the proposed research methodology and working arrangements appropriate to achieve the goals of the project (to be assessed at Steps 2&3 based on Parts B1&B2)?
   8. To what extent does the proposal involve the development of novel methodology (to be assessed at Steps 2&3 based on Parts B1&B2)?
   9. To what extent are the proposed timescales, resources and PI commitment adequate and properly justified (to be assessed at Steps 2&3 based on Parts B1&B2)?
2. Principal Investigator: Intellectual capacity and creativity
   10. To what extent has the PIs demonstrated the ability to conduct ground-breaking research?
   11. TTo what extent do the PIs have the required scientific expertise and capacity to successfully execute the project?

• Applicants must furnish proof of high-level publications and proof of mobility (postdoctoral research activities lasting at least 12 months at a university other than the university that conferred the doctorate.
• The budget should be as detailed as possible (separate entries are required for equipment, access costs to infrastructure, consumables, travel, personnel, etc.).
• Costs for open access publications are not eligible costs.
• A research stay/s (secondment/s) of no more than 12 months at host institution/s possible.
• Resubmission of revised proposal is possible only once.

• Summary (max. 1 page): background and rationale, overall objectives, specific aims, the methods, expected results and their impact.
• Research plan (max.15 pages, 60 000 characters): current state of research in the field, current state of personal research, career plan, detailed research plan, data management plan, schedules and milestones, relevance and impact
• Bibliography
• CV and major scientific achievements (max. 3 + 1 page)
• Research output list
• Two confirmation letters from receiving institution (a detailed confirmation signed by the contact person - leader of the research group and the head of the institute/department and a general confirmation of the vice rectorate for research.
• If relevant, invitation letter/s from host institution/s

Evaluation criteria:

• the applicant's scientific track record;
• the applicant's aptitude for an academic or academic-clinical career;
• the applicant's career progression and retrospective and prospective mobility; the SNSF may con-sider longer research stays abroad prior to completion of the doctorate from a mobility angle;
• scientific independence of the applicant at the chosen research institution and of the research project;
• scientific relevance, originality and topicality of the research project;
• approach and methodology of the research project as well as its feasibility and chances of success;
• suitability of the research institution as a place to conduct the research project as well as to strengthen and promote the applicant's scientific independence;
• if applicable, value that the requested stays at host institutions would add to the applicant's career and to the research project.

• Návrh se předkládá v českém jazyce.
• Minimálně čtyřčlenný řešitelský tým – 3 studenti / mladí výzkumní pracovníci a 1 mentor (nad 35 let)
• Členové řešitelského týmu jsou zaměstnanci uchazeče nebo se jimi po udělení podpory stanou.
• Vedoucím řešitelského týmu může být pouze student nebo mladý výzkumný pracovník, který k datu ukončení soutěžní lhůty dosáhne věku nejvýše 35 let včetně.
• Povinnost naplnit roli aplikačního garanta (organizace se sídlem v ČR, a která má zájem na uplatnění a využití plánovaných výstupů/výsledků projektu v praxi.
• Uchazeč si musí vybrat jeden hlavní a žádný až dva vedlejší cíle Národních priorit orientovaného výzkumu, experimentálního vývoje a inovací.
• V návrhu projektu musí být povinně zvolen jeden hlavní a dva vedlejší obory CEP a FORD.
• Je kladen důraz na gendrovou vyváženost týmu a zachování přenositelnosti projektu v návaznosti na osobu hlavního řešitele.

• Identifikační údaje projektu – název, akronym, doba trvání
• Informace o uchazečích projektu – identifikační údaje, statutární orgán, vlastnická struktura, dosavadní praxe
• Představení projektu – proč, co, jak, důvěrnost, obory projektu, způsob uplatnění řešení projektu, analýza rizik, motivační účinek, klíčová slova, aplikační garant, personální politika, obdobné a související projekty, výzkumné záměry a výsledky, Národní priority orientovaného výzkumu
• Řešitelský tým – klíčové, ostatní a kontaktní osoby
• Výstupy / výsledky projektu – hlavní výstupy / výsledky, subjekty podílející se na výstupu / výsledku, současný stav poznání a předchozí řešení, další výstupy / výsledky
• Harmonogram projektu
• Finanční plán – finanční plán uchazeče, přehled financí za výstupy / výsledky
• Doplňující údaje – nežádoucí oponenti
• Přílohy
  povinné - k některým typům výsledků, za Aplikačního garanta, bonifikace
  nepovinné – např. nákres, schéma apod.
• Statistické informace

Návrhy projektů hodnotí:

• Oponentky/oponenti – 3; hodnotí věcnou část (novost, originalita výsledků/výstupů, cíle, potřebnost projektu apod.) a splnění binárních kritérií.
• Zpravodajky/ zpravodajové; ve zprávě shrnou hodnocení oponentů, jsou členy Rady programu ZÉTA.
• Odborné/í hodnotitelky/hodnotitelé; hodnotí bonifikační kritérium – personální politika.
• Rada programu; vychází z návrhu projektu, z hodnocení oponentů a odborných hodnotitelů a ze souhrnné hodnotící zprávy zpravodajů. Může např. upravit bodové hodnocení.
• navrhnout snížení nákladů, navrhnout úpravu poměru AV/EV. Výstupem pořadník projektů.
• Předsednictvo TA ČR; Může např. upravit bodové hodnocení, navrhnout snížení nákladů, navrhnout úpravu poměru AV/EV. Výstupem jednání předsednictva TA ČR je pořadník. Předsednictvo TA ČR rozhodne o přidělení podpory.

Hodnotící kritéria:

• Binární kritéria (Pokud je hodnocení kteréhokoliv z pěti binárních kritérií negativní, návrh projektu nemůže být doporučen k podpoře bez ohledu na bodové ohodnocení obsahu projektu).
• Bodovaná kritéria (Jsou rozdělena na další podkritéria, pokud v některém podkritériu získá projekt 0 bodů, nelze doporučit k podpoře) – třeba minimálně 70 bodů.
• Bonifikační kritérium – personální politika.

• Jeden hlavní a žádný až dva vedlejší cíle Národních priorit orientovaného výzkumu, experimentálního vývoje a inovací.
• Jeden hlavní a dva vedlejší obory CEP a FORD.

• Applicant has a Ph.D. awarded between 01 Jan 2012 and 31 Dec 2016 (2–7 years since completion of Ph.D., prior to 01 Jan 2019).
• Competitive PI´s must have already shown the potential for research independence and evidence of maturity by having produced at least one important publication as main author or without the participation of their Ph.D. supervisor.
• PI´s should be able to demonstrate a promising track record of early achievements appropriate to their research field & career stage, e.g. significant publications (as main author) in leading international peer-reviewed journals, invited presentations in well-established conferences, granted patents, awards, prizes etc.
• Applicants do not need to be employed by a host institution at the time when the proposal is submitted.
• Grant proposals are submitted by the PI taking scientific responsibility for the project, on behalf of the host institution.
• The PI has to spend at least 50% (≥0.5 FTE) of his/her working time on the project.
• The PI has to spend at least 50% (≥30 months) of his/her working time in an EU Member State or an Associated Country.
• Applicants must submit scanned copies of documents providing his/her eligibility for the grant, i.e. the PhD certificate.
• Researchers may participate as PI in only one ERC project at a time. Researchers participating as PI in an ERC project may not submit a proposal for another ERC grant, unless the existing project ends no more than 2 years after the call deadline.
• The host institution support letter needs to be printed on the paper with the official letterhead of the Host Institution, originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representative.
• Document(s) in any other language must be provided together with a certified translation into English.
• The PI is expected to start the project within 6 months of receiving an invitation letter from the ERC.
• Applicants should be aware that it is mandatory to provide Open Access to all peer-reviewed scientific publications relating to the results from ERC projects.
• The ERC recommends that all funded researchers follow best practice by retaining files of research data produced and used, and are prepared to share these data with other researchers when not bound by copyright restrictions, confidentiality requirements, or contractual clauses.

1. Administrative form (Part A, on-line on the Participant Portal):
   1. General information: Abstract, Declarations;
   2. Administrative data of participating organisations: Host Institution, Department, Principal Investigator, Contact Address;
   3. Budget;
   4. Ethics;
   5. Call specific questions (applicant & Project Office)
2. Research proposal (Part B1, use template): Cover Page, (a) Extended Synopsis of the scientific proposal (max 5 pages excluding references); (b) CV (max 2 pages); (c) Early achievements track-record (max 2 pages, uploaded in PDF) (applicant & Project Office)
3. Research proposal (Part B2, use template): Scientific proposal: (a) State-of-the-art and objectives; (b) Methodology; (c) Resources including project costs (max 15 pages excluding references, uploaded in PDF) (applicant & Project Office)
4. Letter of Commitment of the Host Institution (use template) (Project Office & Director)
5. Ph.D. certificate (in English) (applicant)
6. Other documentation needed on eligibility and ethics issues, i.e. ethical self-assessment if relevant (Project Office & applicant)

Research Project: Ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility

1. To what extent does the proposed research address important challenges?
2. To what extent are the objectives ambitious and beyond the state of the art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches or development between or across disciplines)?
3. To what extent is the proposed research high risk/high gain (i.e. if successful the payoffs will be very significant, but there is a higher-than-normal risk that the research project does not entirely fulfil its aims)?
4. To what extent is the outlined scientific approach feasible bearing in mind the extent that the proposed research is high risk/high gain (based on the Extended Synopsis Step 1)?
5. To what extent are the proposed research methodology and working arrangements appropriate to achieve the goals of the project (based on the full Scientific Proposal Step 2)?
6. To what extent does the proposal involve the development of novel methodology (based on the full Scientific Proposal Step 2)?
7. To what extent are the proposed timescales, resources and PI commitment adequate and properly justified (based on the full Scientific Proposal Step 2)?

Principal Investigator: Intellectual capacity and creativity

8. To what extent has the PI demonstrated the ability to conduct ground-breaking research?
9. To what extent does the PI provide evidence of creative independent thinking?
10. To what extent does the PI have the required scientific expertise and capacity to successfully execute the project?

• Life Sciences (9 panels): (LS1) Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Structural Biology & Molecular Biophysics; (LS2) Genetics, Omics, Bioinformatics & System Biology; (LS3) Cellular & Developmental Biology; (LS4) Physiology, Pathophysiology & Endocrinology; (LS5) Neuroscience & Neural Disorders; (LS6) Immunity & Infection; (LS7) Applied Medical Technologies, Diagnostics, Therapies & Public Health; (LS8) Ecology, Evolution & Environmental Biology; (LS9) Applied Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Molecular & Biosystems Engineering
• Physical Sciences & Engineering (10 panels): (PE1) Mathematics; (PE2) Fundamental Constituents of Matter; (PE3) Condensed Matter Physics; (PE4) Physical & Analytical Chemical Sciences; (PE5) Synthetic Chemistry & Materials; (PE6) Computer Science & Informatics; (PE7) Systems & Communication Engineering; (PE8) Products & Processes Engineering; (PE9) Universe Sciences; (PE10) Earth System Science
• Social Sciences & Humanities (6 panels): (SH1) Individuals, Markets & Organisations; (SH2) Institutions, Values, Environment & Space; (SH3) The Social World, Diversity, Population; (SH4) The Human Mind & Complexity; (SH5) Cultures & Cultural Production; (SH6) The Study of the Human Past

• Applications must be sent to Masaryk university via e-mail gamu@muni.cz until the deadline.
• The Award holder will be offered Tenure Track Professorship with the budget of 1 000 000 € for the period of 5 years, laboratory and office space, and access to the state-of-the-art research equipment.
• The award holder is supposed to have a full-time job at the Masaryk University.
• Preference will be given to applicants whose research falls within the fields existing at the Masaryk University.

1. ERC holder (Starting Grant, Consolidator Grant) or any other prestigious individual grant:
   1. A record of obtaining the ERC grant or any other prestigious individual grant.
   2. CV including a summary of work experience, publication activity, teaching, involvement in research grants, etc.
   3. Cover Letter including the key technical or staff requirements.
2. ERC applicant (Starting Grant, Consolidator Grant) with mark A from the step 2 of the ERC evaluation process who were not funded because of the limited budget of ERC funds:
   1. Basic information about the ERC proposal, form B of the proposal and its Evaluation Summary Report.
   2. CV including a summary of work experience, publication activity, teaching, involvement in research grants, etc.
   3. The contact information of at least three references.
   4. Cover Letter including the key technical or staff requirements.
3. Other outstanding researchers, holders of a prestigious individual grant comparable to ERC, with a track record of publications in high-impact journals:
   1. A project in the scope of form B1 of an ERC grant.
   2. CV including a summary of work experience, publication activity, teaching, involvement in research grants, etc.
   3. The contact information of at least three references.
   4. Cover Letter explaining the motivation of the candidate to gain the position, his/her future career plans at the Masaryk University and including the key technical or staff requirements.

1. Research excellence, the quality of the research project (40%)
2. Applicant´s track record, the quality of the applicant (50%)
3. The ability of a faculty to fulfil the applicant´s key technical and staff requirements (10%)

• Žádost se podává v anglickém jazyce, elektronicky v PDF na experientia@experientia.cz
• Žadatel absolvoval min 1 roční zahraniční postdoktorskou stáž.
• Žadatel v době podání nemusí být zaměstnancem hostitelské instituce, musí se stát zaměstnancem nejpozději k Út 01. ledna 2019.
• Pracovní úvazek žadatele na Start-up grantu musí být min 0,5 FTE (50%).
• Hostitelská instituce poskytne výzkumné skupině pracoviště a vybavení laboratoří.
• Řešitelský tým se může v průběhu realizace projektu měnit.
• Řešitel je zodpovědný za řádné a hospodárné čerpání prostředků a za dodržení všech podmínek grantu.
• Grant je přenositelný na jinou hostitelskou instituci, s tím že tato instituce přejímá veškeré závazky plynoucí z grantu. Nadace Experientia musí být v předstihu písemně informována o rozsahu a detailech přechodu.
• Nespotřebované finanční prostředky se mohou převádět do následujícího kalendářního roku.
• Všechny finanční prostředky musí být utracené do Pá 31. prosince 2021.
• Řešitel v průběhu řešení projektu podá žádost o ERC Starting Grant.
• Řešitel může žádat i o jiné národní a mezinárodní granty.
• Řešitel se zavazuje přednést přednášku na konferenci “Pokroky v organické, bioorganické a farmaceutické chemii – Liblice” v listopadu 2021.
• Řešitel se zavazuje uvést sponzorství Nadace Experientia a přesnou afiliaci autorů k hostitelské instituci ve všech publikačních a dalších výstupech projektu.

1. Projektová žádost:
   1. název projektu;
   2. stručná anotace projektu (max 1000 znaků);
   3. popis vědeckého projektu (max 4–5 stran včetně citací a obrázků): cíle projektu, stupeň dosaženého poznání, rozbor navrhovaného postupu k dosažení cílů projektu, specifikace, v čem projekt významně posouvá hranice poznání a v čem spočívají rizika, specifikace pracoviště, na němž má být projekt řešen;
   4. údaje o hlavním řešiteli: identifikační údaje (jméno, příjmení, datum narození, adresa pracoviště včetně telefonu a e-mailu), strukturovaný životopis, maximálně pět nejvýznamnějších publikací, celkový soupis publikací, případně jiné výstupy vědecké práce, údaje o zahraniční stáži;
   5. údaje o členech řešitelského týmu, nebo popis hlavních neobsazených pozic v případě, že konkrétní osoby nejsou v době podání žádosti známy;
   6. rámcový přehled o předpokládaných finančních nákladech na celé období řešení projektu. (žadatel)
2. Dva doporučující dopisy dokládající akademický profil hlavního řešitele, nejlépe ze dvou rozdílných institucí, a kde je to možné, z různých zemí; (školitelé & žadatel)
3. Dopis statutárního zástupce hostitelské instituce potvrzující: statut nezávislé skupiny hlavního řešitele (v rámci organizační struktury pracoviště), závazek poskytnout spolufinancování Start-up grantu Nadace Experientia ve výši 0,7 mil. Kč ročně, souhlas s poskytnutím laboratorních prostor adekvátních velikosti týmu včetně nezbytného vybavení a přístupu k přístrojovému vybavení pracoviště a dalších potřebných prostor. (hostitelská instituce & žadatel)

1. Jasně definovaný výzkumný záměr předkládaného projektu;
2. ambicióznost projektu, high-risk-high-gain charakter;
3. originalita, samostatnost a nezávislost žadatele, zvláště pak zda předkládaný projekt je dostatečně odlišný od dřívějších projektů (Ph.D. studium a postdoktorandské stáže);
4. dosavadní vědecká činnost žadatele s důrazem na excelentní výsledky.

• The PI has to be ERC Grant holder of project that is ongoing or has ended less than 12 months before Mon 1 Jan 2018.
• The PI has to demonstrate the relation between the idea to be taken to proof of concept ant the ERC frontier research project (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced or Synergy) in question.
• The PI may submit only one proposal under WP2018.
• More than one Proof of Concept Grant may be awarded per ERC funded frontier research project, but only one Proof of Concept project may be running at any one time for the same ERC frontier research project.
• There is no minimum commitment percentage of the working time required to the PI. The cumulative % commitment that the PI spends on the ERC PoC action and on the main ERC StG/CoG/AdG/SyG Grant does not exceed 100%.
• The host institution support letter needs to be printed on the paper with the official letterhead of the Host Institution, originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representative.
• Document(s) in any other language must be provided together with a certified translation into English.

1. The idea – Excellence in Innovation potential (max 2 pages) describing the idea to be taken to proof of concept.
   1. Succinct description of the idea to be taken to proof of concept; a1) The problem: Description of the problem or the need that the idea is aiming to solve or alleviate; a2) The solution: Explanation of how the idea will solve or alleviate the problem or the need and the meaning that this will make. A clear value proposition should be included.
   2. Demonstration of Innovation Potential: detailed description of how the project outcomes will be innovative or distinctive. This should include a clear explanation of why the solution proposed is new, compared to what already exists.
2. Expected Impact (max 2 pages) describing the expected impact of the PoC project.
3. The idea – Excellence in Innovation potential (max 2 pages) describing the idea to be taken to proof of concept.
   1. Identification and description of any effect or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy/services.
   2. Outline of the value creation process (plans for the knowledge transfer, the commercialisation or any other process foreseen to generate the above listed benefit). This should include proposed plans to: (i) asses and validate the effectiveness of the project’s outcomes (Testing, technical reports or any other form of validation to confirm that the solution is effective, efficient, sustainable, or just); (ii) clarify the IPR position and strategy or knowledge transfer strategy; (iii) set up contacts with industrial partners, societal or cultural organisations, policy makers or any other potential users or sponsors of the projects’ results.
4. The proof of concept plan (max 2 pages) describing the planning of the proposed activities, the project-management plan and the team that will conduct the activities. Demonstrattion of the relevance of the approach chosen for establishing the technical and commercial/societal feasibility of the project:
   1. Plan of the activities;
   2. Project-management plan, including risk and contingency measures;
   3. Description of the team.
5. The budget (max 1 page + costing table) describing the resources needed for the project. Demonstration that the requested budget is necessary for the implementation of the proposed activities and properly justified.
6. Host Institution Binding Statement of Support.
7. Ethics Review table.

1. Excellence in innovation potential
   Does the proposed proof of concept activity greatly help move the output of research towards the initial steps of a process leading to a commercial or social innovation?
   The proposal should include plans for an analysis of whether the project’s expected outcomes are innovative or distinctive compared to existing solutions.
2. Impact
   Is the project to be taken to proof of concept expected to generate any effect or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services and are these appropriately identified in the proposal?
   Does the proposal provide a suitable outline of how the commercialisation or the generation of the above listed benefits will be achieved?
   The proposal should include:
   • plans to asses and validate the effectiveness of the project’s outcomes;
   • plans to clarify the IPR position and strategy41 or knowledge transfer strategy;
   • plans for setting up contacts with industry partners, societal or cultural organisations, policymakers or any other potential ‘end users’ of the projects’ results.
3. Quality and efficiency of the implementation (Quality of the proof of concept plan)
   Does the proposal provide a reasonable and acceptable plan of activities against clearly identified objectives and towards establishing the feasibility of the project?
   This should include:
   • a sound project-management plan, including appropriate risk and contingency planning;
   • demonstration that the activities will be conducted by persons well qualified for the purpose;
   • demonstration that the budget requested is necessary for the implementation of the project and properly justified.

Life Sciences (9 panels): (LS1) molecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms & interactions, biochemistry, structural biology, molecular biophysics, metabolism, signalling pathways; (LS2) molecular genetics, quantitative genetics, genetic epidemiology, epigenetics, genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, glycomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, biostatistics, systems biology; (LS3) cell biology, cell physiology, signal transduction, organogenesis, developmental genetics, pattern formation, stem cell biology, in plants, animals, microorganisms; (LS4) organ physiology, pathophysiology, endocrinology, metabolism, ageing, tumorigenesis, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes; (LS5) neural cell function & signalling, systems neuroscience, neural bases of cognitive & behavioural processes, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders; (LS6) the immune system and related disorders, biology of infectious agents & infection, biological basis of prevention, treatment of infectious diseases; (LS7) development of tools for diagnosis, monitoring & treatment of diseases, pharmacology, clinical medicine, clinical medicine, regenerative medicine, epidemiology, public health; (LS8) population, community & ecosystem ecology, evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology; (LS9) applied plant sciences, applied animal sciences, forestry, food sciences, applied biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, marine biotechnology, applied bioengineering, biomass, biofuels, biohazards

Physical Sciences & Engineering (10 panels): (PE1) pure & applied mathematics, computer science, mathematical physics, statistics; (PE2) fundamental constituents of matter: particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic, molecular, gas, optical physics; (PE3) condensed matter physics: structure, electronic properties, fluids, nanosciences, biological physics; (PE4) analytical chemistry, chemical theory, physical chemistry/chemical physics; (PE5) materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional & advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry; (PE6) informatics, information systems, computer science, scientific computing, intelligent systems; (PE7) electrical, electronic, communication, optical, systems engineering; (PE8) product design, process design & control, construction methods, civil engineering, energy processes, material engineering; (PE9) astro-physics/chemistry/biology, solar system, stellar, galactic & extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation; (PE10) physical geography, geology, geophysics, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, climatology, cryology, ecology, global environmental change, biogeochemical cycles, natural resources management

Social Sciences & Humanities (6 panels): (SH1) economics, finance, management; (SH2) political science, law, sustainability science, geography, regional studies, planning; (SH3) sociology, social psychology, social anthropology, demography, education, communication; (SH4) cognitive science, psychology, linguistics, philosophy of mind; (SH5) literature, philology, cultural studies, study of the arts, philosophy; (SH6) archaeology, history

• The PI is expected to be an active researcher with a track record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years which identifies him/her as an exceptional leader in terms of originality and significance of his/her research contributions.
• The PI´s record has to match one or more of the following benchmarks:
  1. 10 publications as main author in major international peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journals;
  2. 3 major research monographs, of which at least one is translated into another language;
  3. 5 granted patents;
  4. 10 invited presentations in well-established international conferences;
  5. 3 research expeditions;
  6. organisation of 3 well-established international conferences;
  7. international recognition through scientific awards;
  8. major contributions to launching the careers of outstanding researchers;
  9. recognised leadership in industrial innovation.
• The PI has to spend at least 30% (≥0.3 FTE) of his/her working time on the project.
• The PI has to spend at least 50% (≥30 months) of his/her working time in an EU Member State or Associated Country.
• The host institution support letter needs to be printed on the paper with the official letterhead of the Host Institution, originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representative.
• The PI is expected to start the project within 6 months of receiving an invitation letter from the ERC.

1. Administrative form Part A (online): General information, Administrative data, Budget, Ethics, Call specific questions (applicant)
2. Research proposal Part B1 (page limit, offline docx/pdf): Cover page; Extended synopsis (max 5 pages); CV (max 2 pages); Funding ID; Ten years track-record (max 2 pages) (applicant)
3. Research proposal Part B2 (max 15 pages, offline docx/pdf): State-of-the-art and objectives, Methodology, Resources & budget (applicant & Project Office)
4. Commitment letter of the host institution (Project Office)
5. If applicable, the ethics self-assessment explaining how the ethics issues will be treated (see Annex 3 of the ERC Work Programme 2018) (applicant & Project Office)

Two-step peer review evaluation of scientific excellence: ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of the research project; intellectual capacity, creativity and commitment of the PI.
step 1: CV & research proposal => A (sufficient quality pass to step 2), B (high quality), C (not sufficient quality)
step 2: 30 min interview – presentation, questions, answers => A (fully meets ERC´s criterion), B (not be funded)

1. Research Project: Ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility
   • To what extent does the proposed research address important challenges?
   • To what extent are the objectives ambitious and beyond the state of the art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches or development between or across disciplines)?
   • To what extent is the proposed research high risk/high gain?
   • To what extent is the outlined scientific approach feasible bearing in mind the extent that the proposed research is high risk/high gain (based on the Extended Synopsis)?
   • To what extent are the proposed research methodology and working arrangements appropriate to achieve the goals of the project (based on the full Scientific Proposal)?
   • To what extent does the proposal involve the development of novel methodology (based on the full Scientific Proposal)?
   • To what extent are the proposed timescales and resources necessary and properly justified (based on the full Scientific Proposal)?
2. Principal Investigator: Intellectual capacity, creativity and commitment
   • To what extent has the PI demonstrated the ability to propose and conduct ground-breaking research?
   • To what extent does the PI provide evidence of creative independent thinking?
   • To what extent have the achievements of the PI typically gone beyond the state of the art?
   • To what extent has the PI demonstrated sound leadership in the training and advancement of young scientists?
   • To what extent does the PI demonstrate the level of commitment to the project necessary for its execution and the willingness to devote a significant amount of time to the project (minimum 30% for Advanced of the total working time) (based on the full Scientific Proposal)?

Life Sciences (9 panels): (LS1) molecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms & interactions, biochemistry, structural biology, molecular biophysics, metabolism, signalling pathways; (LS2) molecular genetics, quantitative genetics, genetic epidemiology, epigenetics, genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, glycomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, biostatistics, systems biology; (LS3) cell biology, cell physiology, signal transduction, organogenesis, developmental genetics, pattern formation, stem cell biology, in plants, animals, microorganisms; (LS4) organ physiology, pathophysiology, endocrinology, metabolism, ageing, tumorigenesis, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes; (LS5) neural cell function & signalling, systems neuroscience, neural bases of cognitive & behavioural processes, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders; (LS6) the immune system and related disorders, biology of infectious agents & infection, biological basis of prevention, treatment of infectious diseases; (LS7) development of tools for diagnosis, monitoring & treatment of diseases, pharmacology, clinical medicine, clinical medicine, regenerative medicine, epidemiology, public health; (LS8) population, community & ecosystem ecology, evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology; (LS9) applied plant sciences, applied animal sciences, forestry, food sciences, applied biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, marine biotechnology, applied bioengineering, biomass, biofuels, biohazards

Physical Sciences & Engineering (10 panels): (PE1) pure & applied mathematics, computer science, mathematical physics, statistics; (PE2) fundamental constituents of matter: particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic, molecular, gas, optical physics; (PE3) condensed matter physics: structure, electronic properties, fluids, nanosciences, biological physics; (PE4) analytical chemistry, chemical theory, physical chemistry/chemical physics; (PE5) materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional & advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry; (PE6) informatics, information systems, computer science, scientific computing, intelligent systems; (PE7) electrical, electronic, communication, optical, systems engineering; (PE8) product design, process design & control, construction methods, civil engineering, energy processes, material engineering; (PE9) astro-physics/chemistry/biology, solar system, stellar, galactic & extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation; (PE10) physical geography, geology, geophysics, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, climatology, cryology, ecology, global environmental change, biogeochemical cycles, natural resources management

Social Sciences & Humanities (6 panels): (SH1) economics, finance, management; (SH2) political science, law, sustainability science, geography, regional studies, planning; (SH3) sociology, social psychology, social anthropology, demography, education, communication; (SH4) cognitive science, psychology, linguistics, philosophy of mind; (SH5) literature, philology, cultural studies, study of the arts, philosophy; (SH6) archaeology, history

• CCR Grants will be awarded to a single Principal Investigator (PI)..
• Applicants must have a doctoral degree, including M.D., Ph.D., Dr.P.H., D.O., or equivalent..
• Applicant must currently hold a full-time faculty appointment or have a formal offer letter from the Institution that confirms position and start date by the Application due date (October 17, 2018)..
• Applicants must not have held any faculty appointment, including non-tenure and tenure track appointments combined, for more than a total of 5 years by the Application due date..
• Applicants may only submit ONE LOI per funding cycle..
• Applicants must not simultaneously hold any other Grant awarded by Susan G. Komen. Such Grants must end within 3 months of receiving a Notification of Intent to Fund or the funding will be withdrawn..
• Applicants must not currently be or have been a PI on an existing NIH R01 grant or their equivalent as of the date of Award Notification (April 15, 2019)..
• Applicants must conduct the proposed research and training at the Lead Mentor’s institution, which may be located anywhere in the world..
• Applicants must have adequate space and facilities to conduct the proposed research and protected time for research, as verified by the Letter of Institutional Support..
• Applicants must ensure that all past and current Komen-funded Grants are up to date and in compliance with all Komen requirements; e.g., progress report submissions, IRB approvals, etc. by the Application due date (October 17, 2018)..
• Applicants are not required to be a U.S. citizens or residents. Applicants located outside of the U.S. or proposing research to be conducted outside of the U.S. will also be considered eligible if they clearly state in the Letter of Intent how the proposed research will lead to a reduction in breast cancer deaths..
• Applicants must propose a Mentor Committee, typically consisting of 3-5 mentors, including the Lead Mentor and a Patient Advocate Mentor. The primary purpose is to provide the research, scientific, clinical, management, and leadership guidance necessary to foster the Applicant’s career advancement and assist in the successful development of the proposed Research Project. All members of the Mentor Committee are not required to currently conduct breast cancer research but should provide expertise, leadership or support to the Applicant & Project..
• Lead mentor of any nationality must hold a full-time faculty appointment at the same institution as the applicant and is considered to be an expert in breast cancer research, but in the absence of this expertise at least one member of the Mentor Committee must fulfill this requirement..
• Patient Advocate Mentor provides the patient perspective in the design and implementation of both Research Projects and Career Development Plans. If an Applicant is invited to submit an Application, a Patient Advocate Mentor must be named as Key Personnel and a member of the Mentor Committee for submission of the Application (October 17, 2018). While Applicants are strongly encouraged to name a Patient Advocate Mentor in the Letter of Intent (August 1, 2018)..
• Patient Advocate Mentors can (i) be involved early in the development of the Research Project to provide input about its relevance and impact to patients; (ii) review the Letter of Intent to help articulate the importance of the Research Project to breast cancer patients; (iii) be invited to attend lab meetings or give presentations to provide the patient point of view and a different perspective to the Research Project; (iv) be included in clinical trial development, provide input on potential barriers to accrual, and help develop patient education materials; (v) assist in disseminating the importance of the results of the Research Project using lay language that will be better understood by the general public..
• As a Patient Advocate Mentor can serve those who (i) have been diagnosed with breast cancer; have a known genetic mutation; or have a strong personal connection or experience with breast cancer (i.e., family, friend, caregiver); (ii) can represent a collective breast cancer patient/survivor perspective (i.e., insights and experiences of other breast cancer survivors); (iii) have a basic understanding of the science of breast cancer and are involved in the broader breast cancer research advocacy community; (iv) do not have a conflict of interest (i.e. a financial or personal relationship) that may bias their patient perspective. See the webinar.
• Host institutions must agree to adhere to Komen’s Policies and Procedures for Research and Training Grants, which may be downloaded along with the Letter of Intent Templates in proposalCENTRAL.
• Budget is not required to be submitted with the Letter of Intent.

1. Online submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI) proposalCENTRAL system (Wed 01 Aug 2018 13:00 EST).
   1. Online basic information: (i) title page (max 81 characters); (ii) download templates & instructions; (iii) enable other to access the proposal; (iv) applicant/PI information pre-populate from the Professional Profile Page; (v) institutions & contacts; (vi) key personnel include Lead Mentor, Patient Advocate Mentor(s), Committee Members, and major collaborators who are integral to the execution of the research plan (applicant)
   2. Letter of Intent: (i) Title (max 81 characters); (ii) Research Plan describes the research question and how the project will lead to a reduction in breast cancer deaths by 2026. A clear and concise statement of the research question, hypothesis(es), and specific aims of the project must be included; (iii) Impact Statement describes how the proposal and specific aims will directly address the goals of the CCR research focus, Conquering Metastatic Breast Cancer, and how the project will lead to a reduction in breast cancer deaths by 2026; (iv) name a Mentor Committee consisting of 3–5 mentors, including a Lead Mentor and a Patient Advocate Mentor (use template, max 1 page, upload in PDF, "Surname_LOI") (applicant & Lead Mentor)
   3. Applicant´s Biosketch: (i) Personal Statement; (ii) Positions & Honors; (iii) Contributions to Science; (iv) Additional Information: Research Support, Scholastic Performance (use template, max 5 pages, upload in PDF, "Surname_Biosketch") (applicant)
   4. Letter of Institutional Support submitted and signed by the department chair, on Institution Letterhead: (i) confirmation of the date and specific title of Applicant’s current faculty appointment, or confirmation of a pending faculty appointment; (ii) the total number of years the Applicant has held a non-tenure or tenure track faculty appointment at the current institution and all previous institutions, if applicable (upload in PDF, "Surname_Letter of Institutional Support") (Lead Mentor & host institution)
2. Online submission of an application via proposalCENTRAL system (Wed 17 Oct 2018 13:00 EST).

• Development of novel treatment strategies for existing metastatic disease. This could include applications that address drug resistance, research that investigates approaches to improve delivery of existing therapies to metastatic disease, as well as studies focused on the immune system and potential vaccine strategies.
• New approaches to detect recurrence and strategies to prevent or arrest metastasis. This could include studies that focus on the mechanisms of metastatic growth.
• Correlative studies of existing clinical trials for metastatic breast cancer, including analysis of biopsies and other patient samples.
• Such studies should leverage existing clinical trials to advance the understanding and treatment of metastatic breast cancer, including early recurrence.
• Investigating disparities leading to a higher burden of metastatic disease in certain populations, including biological or social causes, and/or interventions that eliminate disparities in metastatic breast cancer patients.

• Metastatic breast cancer disparities research is defined as research investigating the biologic, behavioral, social and systems contributors to late-stage (metastatic) breast cancer in population groups affected by breast cancer disparities. This may include (i) identification, validation and testing of biological and/or socioeconomic factors that contribute to breast cancer disparities in metastatic breast cancer; (ii) identification of health services and public health interventions that address the causes of disparities in care and outcomes across population groups in metastatic breast cancer.
• Data science to better understand & treat metastatic breast cancer includes artificial intelligence & other analytical methods applied to data aggregatedfrom multiple sources (Electronic Health Records, other clinical data, administrative databases, large data repositories, genomics and other -omics data, etc.).
• Basic science studies focused on the mechanisms of breast cancer cell motility and broad exploratory (i.e. “hypothesis generating”) studies are NOT appropriate for this program.

• The tender documentation is only available in Czech. The proposal for a joint research project has to be prepared simultaneously by the Czech research team (based on MEYS call conditions and the foreign investigators (based on Programme Barrande 2018 conditions.
• The Czech and French parts of the project must be identical in terms of content and themes.
• Several Czech research institutions can participate, however only one main proposer has to be designated on the Czech side of joint research project.
• The proposal has to be submitted only via data box (datová schránka) vidaawt.
• The proposal has to be originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representatives of all participating Czech institutions.

1. Project proposal “Návrh projektu” (project overview, expected outputs, objectives, French proposer - team, Czech proposer - team, budget, annexes).
2. CV‘s of the Czech and French PI and all Czech teams members “Profesní životopis”.
3. Solemn declaration of the eligibility to solve the project “Čestné prohlášení o způsobilosti k řešení projektu” (relevant for all Czech proposers).
4. Guideline of good practices.

• Scientific and practical value of the project
• Competence of the research team
• Mobility requirements

• The tender documentation is only available in Czech.
• The proposal for a joint research project has to be prepared simultaneously by the Czech research team (based on MEYS call conditions and the foreign investigators (based on MOST conditions).
• The Czech and Chinese parts of the project must be identical in terms of content and themes.
• The Chinese version of proposal has to be attached to Czech proposal.
• The proposal has to be submitted only via data box (datová schránka) vidaawt.
• The proposal has to be originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representatives of all participating Czech institutions.

All forms are available in Czech version only.

1. Project proposal “Návrh projektu” (project overview, expected outputs, objectives, Chinese proposer - team, Czech proposer - team, budget, annexes).
2. CV‘s of the Czech and Chinese PIs and all Czech team members “Profesní životopis”.
3. Solemn declaration of the eligibility to solve the project “Čestné prohlášení o způsobilosti k řešení projektu” (relevant for all Czech proposers).
4. Project proposal of Chines partner.

Two-step evaluation: national level & international level

1. Scientific and practical quality of the project: the objectives of the project, realisation perspectives, scientific relevance, originality, importance, methodology, work plan of activities, concept, outputs, impact of project results, potential of the project to be applicable in European programs.
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity.
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students.
4. Mobility – number of participants, number a length of visits.

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organizations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to pazourkova@kav.cas.cz and (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Dana Pazourková.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• Living expenses of Czech team in Latvia will be covered by the LZA (daily allowance 20 €/person/day plus accommodation up to 50 €/person/night, inter-city and local transport)..
• International transportation and travel insurance will not be covered by the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realized by the same research teams can be funded.
• The JSPS postponed the Call announcement to early June 2018 and Deadline to 5 Sep 2018.

• Mobility Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant)
• Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), exchanges description (number of visits and days), CV of Czech PI (max 1 page), CV of Latvian PI (max 1 page)

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation

• The tender documentation is only available in Czech.
• The proposal for a joint research project has to be prepared simultaneously by the Czech research team (based on MEYS call conditions and the foreign investigators (based on NAWA 2018 conditions).
• The Czech and Polish parts of the project must be identical in terms of content and themes.
• The proposal has to be submitted only via data box (datová schránka) vidaawt.
• The proposal has to be originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representatives of all participating Czech institutions.

All forms are available in Czech version only.

1. Project proposal “Návrh projektu” (project overview, expected outputs, objectives, French proposer - team, Czech proposer - team, budget, annexes)
2. CV‘s of the Czech and Polish PI and all Czech teams members “Profesní životopis”
3. Solemn declaration of the eligibility to solve the project “Čestné prohlášení o způsobilosti k řešení projektu” (relevant for all Czech proposers).

Two-step evaluation: national level & international level

The priority criterion for the evaluation is the potential of the project to be applicable in European programs.

1. Scientific and practical quality of the project: the objectives of the project, realisation perspectives, scientific relevance, originality, importance, methodology, work plan of activities, concept, outputs, impact of project results.
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity.
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D.
4. Diversity of supported scientific disciplines.

• Minimální výši úvazku na jednom projektu u jednoho zaměstnavatele pro řešitele/spoluřešitele ve výši 0,2 a pro odborného spolupracovníka ve výši 0,1,
• Cestovné (první rok max. 80 tis. Kč / celý projekt, další roky max 150 tis. Kč / celý projekt),
• minimálně 80 % činností návrhu projektu a zároveň minimálně 80 % způsobilých nákladů návrhu projektu musí tvořit aplikovaný výzkum,
• Podmínkou úspěšného hodnocení projektu je minimálně jeden impaktovaný článek dle SCI/WOS dedikován jako výsledek dosažený výhradně v rámci projektu,
• přesuny mezi položkami základní skladby (ostatních provozních nákladů a osobních nákladů) do výše 10 tis. Kč/projekt, jsou možné bez žádosti o změnu.

Formuláře návrhu projektu jsou dostupné výhradně v aplikaci ISVP, přílohy viz Příloha 13 zadávací dokumentace

Grantová kancelář zajistí povinné přílohy za ÚOCHB a dále odeslání finálních návrhů projektů prostřednictvím datové schránky (po finalizaci v aplikaci).

• hodnocení pravdivosti, úplnosti a správnosti údajů
• hodnocení odborné úrovně návrhů projektu
• hodnocení navržených způsobilých a uznaných nákladů

1. Vznik a rozvoj chorob
2. Nové diagnostické a terapeutické metody
3. Epidemiologie a prevence nejzávažnějších chorob

• Workload 0.5 for each person (drafter, co-drafter, every professional collaborator and other professional collaborator);
• Transfer between items of the basic structure up to 50 000 CZK;
• The maximum possible amount of subsidy for other personnel costs is 7% of total subsidy for the personnel costs (agreements).

Projects proposal forms are available exclusively in the GRIS (Grant Information System) on-line application (annexes: CV, part C1, special approval have to uploaded).

Grant Office will ensure mandatory annexes for IOCB as a whole and submission of final proposals via data mailbox after finalisation in the application.

• Evaluation of truthfulness and accuracy of information in project proposal
• Evaluation of professional quality of project proposal
• Evaluation of proposed costs

1. Mathematics and physics
2. Physics
3. Chemistry
4. Medical sciences
5. Biological and agricultural sciences
6. Social sciences
7. Humanities
8. Technical sciences, computer science

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organisations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to pazourkova@kav.cas.cz and (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Dana Pazourková.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realised by the same research teams can be funded.
• PI declares that he/she will follow (i) The Code of Ethics of Researchers at the Czech Academy of Sciences, (ii) The European Charter and Code for researchers, (iii) Recommendations of the International Commission on Professional Self-Regulation in Science.

1. Mobility Plus Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant).
   Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), budget description, CV of Czech PI (max 5 publications, max 1 page), CV of Italian PI (max 5 publications, max 1 page).
2. Mobility Plus Project Proposal form IT for CNR (Italian partner).

Two-step evaluation: national level & international level

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination.
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs.
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students.
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation.

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organizations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to pazourkova@kav.cas.cz and (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Dana Pazourková.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• Living expenses of Czech team in Egypt will be covered by the ASRT (daily allowance 120 EGP/person/day plus accommodation cost and inter-city and local transport).
• International transportation and travel insurance will not be covered by the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realized by the same research teams can be funded.

• Mobility Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant)
• Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), exchanges description (number of visits and days), CV of Czech PI (max 1 page), CV of Egyptian PI (max 1 page)

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organizations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to smilnicka@kav.cas.cz and (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Julie Smilnická.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• Living expenses of Czech team in Slovenia will be arranged and covered by the SAZU (meal allowances, accommodation and domestic travel expenses).
• International transportation and travel insurance will not be covered by the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realized by the same research teams can be funded.

• Mobility Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant)
• Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), exchanges description (number of visits and days), CV of Czech PI (max 1 page), CV of Slovenian PI (max 1 page)

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organizations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to lokajickova@kav.cas.cz and (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Jana Lokajíčková.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• Living expenses of Czech team in Poland will be covered by the PAAS (65 PLN/person/day and accommodation expenses up to 240 PLN, inter-city and local transport).
• International transportation and travel insurance will not be covered by the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realized by the same research teams can be funded.
• The PAAS postponed the Call announcement and Deadline submission.

• Mobility Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant)
• Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), exchanges description (number of visits and days), CV of Czech PI (max 1 page), CV of Polish PI (max 1 page)

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organizations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to lokajickova@kav.cas.cz and (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Jana Lokajíčková.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• Living expenses of Czech team in Hungary will be covered by the HAS (6 000 HUF/person/day and accommodation cost).
• International transportation and travel insurance will not be covered by the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realized by the same research teams can be funded.
• The HAS postponed the Call announcement to mid May 2018 and Deadline to September 2018.

• Mobility Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant)
• Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), exchanges description (number of visits and days), CV of Czech PI (max 1 page), CV of Hungarian PI (max 1 page)

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organizations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to revicka@kav.cas.cz and (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Petra Revická.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• International transportation and travel insurance will not be covered by the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realized by the same research teams can be funded.

• Mobility Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant)
• Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), budget description, CV of Czech PI (max 5 publications, max 1 page), CV of Chinese PI (max 5 publications, max 1 page)

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organizations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to revicka@kav.cas.cz and (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Petra Revická.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• International transportation and travel insurance will not be covered by the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realized by the same research teams can be funded.
• The JSPS postponed the Call announcement to early June 2018 and Deadline to 5 Sep 2018.

• Mobility Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant)
• Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), budget description, CV of Czech PI (max 5 publications, max 1 page), CV of Japanese PI (max 5 publications, max 1 page)

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organizations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to smilnicka@kav.cas.cz (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Julie Smilnická.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• The research team members are divided into two categories: Category 1(researchers, university teachers, postdocs) and category (2: Ph.D. students, graduates - BA/MA).
• Maximum exchange quota per research team and calendar year is not assigned.
• Maximum length of one visit is up to 30 days for category 1 and up to 50 days for category 2.
• Living expenses of Czech team in Germany will be covered by the DAAD:
  1. for category 1: € 89 per person per day (1st – 22nd day); or € 2,000 per person per month (23rd – 30th day);
  2. for category 2: € 54/40 per person per day (1st – 20th day, 31st – 50th day); or € 1,200 per person per month (21st -30th day).
• International transportation and travel insurance will not be covered by the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realized by the same research teams can be funded.
• The DAAD postponed the Deadline for submission to 29 June 2018.

• Mobility Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant)
• Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), exchanges description (number of visits and days), CV of Czech PI (max 1 page), CV of German PI (max 1 page)

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation

• Project proposals must be submitted in parallel to both partner organizations.
• CZ project proposal must be submitted (i) electronically to lokajickova@kav.cas.cz and (ii) in one printed hard copy signed by PI and IOCB director and addressed to Jana Lokajíčková.
• All Czech team members must be employees of the CAS.
• Living expenses of Czech team in Belgium will be covered by the FWO (66 €/person/day to cover meals, accommodation and domestic travel).
• International transportation and travel insurance will not be covered by the CAS.
• At least 1/3 of all team members must be junior researchers or Ph.D. students.
• PI can submit more than 1 project proposal, but only 1 project can be funded.
• Only 2 subsequent projects realized by the same research teams can be funded.

• Mobility Project Proposal form CZ for CAS (CZ applicant)
• Abstract (en/cz max 1100 characters each), project description (max 3 pages), research teams description (max 1.5 pages), exchanges description (number of visits and days), CV of Czech PI (max 1 page), CV of Belgian PI (max 1 page)

1. Quality of the project: scientific relevance, concept, innovative character, methodology, work plan of activities and outputs, impact of project results and their dissemination
2. Quality of research teams: composition and expertise of research teams, complementarity, methodology, equipment, previous cooperation and outputs, justification of collaboration needs
3. Active involvement of junior researchers and Ph.D. students
4. Added value and broader impact of bilateral cooperation

This call supports the following topics:
Topic 1: Multiscale modelling for materials engineering and processing (M3EP)
Topic 2: Innovative surfaces, coatings and interfaces
Topic 3: High performance composites
Topic 4: Functional materials
Topic 5: New strategies for advanced material-based technologies in health applications
Topic 6: Materials for additive manufacturing

Overview of the national/regional provider for individual topics more info

The expenses are eligible from Wed 01 May 2019.

1. Joint pre-proposal application form:
   • Summary, Relevance to programme
   • Project description (Excellence, Impact, Implementation)
   • Cost calculation
   • Ethical issue
   Pre-proposal (max. 20 pages, incl. tables); Full proposal (max. 40 pages, incl. tables)
2. Czech applicant - national proposal for the TA CR:
   • Structured CV (Czech PI and team members)
   • Budget table (in EUR)
   • A Sworn statement of the applicant
   • Financial statements 2014–2017
   • Confirmation of the Certification authority for results NmetS
   • HR Excellence Award (if applicable)

1. Excellence;
2. Impact;
3. Quality and efficiency of the implementation

Maximum score 15 points; threshold for individual criteria 3 points; overall threshold 10 points

Research areas include not only conventional porous materials such as nanoporous materials, mesoporous materials, materials with layered or cage structures, nanotubes, macromolecules, supramolecules, biomolecules, and structural materials, but materials capable of embedding specific functionality into the pore-structure design. Innovative material designs envisioned include metal-organic frameworks, covalent-organic frameworks, porous organic polymers, porous molecular solids, porous liquids and other material structures, advanced functions and properties applicable to the storage, transportation, conversion and separation of energy and chemical resources, mitigation and removal of environmental contaminants and materials for medical care are envisioned. Opportunities for functionality include photonic sensors, smart thermal materials, unconventional light sources, novel acoustic and phononic structures and devices, templating routes, chemical nano- and micro-reactors, solar cells and secondary battery cells.

Project teams will be expected to attend and reserve budget for two joint workshops to be held within Europe (one mid-term and one final).

Joint project proposal: abstract, project description, objectives, coordination and management, scientific excellence, work plan, methodology, envisaged types of activities, involvement of each partner, financial plan, expected impact, added values of multilateral cooperation, CVs of main researchers with the 5 most relevant publications of the last ten years. Proposal in total 11 pages plus max. 1 page per researcher.

CAS: additional application: abstract, summary of the Czech team research plans, description of the Czech team, CV of the Czech Principal investigator (in total 3 pages)
or MEYS: no additional proposal, just copy of the joint proposal.

International, independent evaluation by at least two scientific peers.

Criteria:

1. Scientific excellence;
2. Impact of project results;
3. Implementation Maximum score 15 points; each criterion max. 5 points; no threshold.

• The tender documentation is only available in Czech.
• The proposal for a joint research project has to be prepared simultaneously by the Czech research team (based on MEYS call conditions) and the Austrian investigators (based on WTZ Programm conditions).
• The Czech and Austrian parts of the project must be identical in terms of content and themes.
• Several Czech research institutions can participate, however only one main proposer has to be designated on the Czech side of joint research project.
• The proposal has to be submitted only via data box (datová schránka) vidaawt.
• The proposal has to be originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representatives of all participating Czech institutions.

1. Project proposal “Návrh projektu” (project overview, expected outputs, objectives, Austrian proposer - team, Czech proposer - team, budget, annexes)
2. Consent to the processing of personal data “Souhlas se zpracováním osobních údajů” (relevant for PI and all Czech teams members)
3. CV‘s of the Czech and Austrian PI and all Czech teams members “Profesní životopis”
4. Solemn declaration of the eligibility to solve the project “Čestné prohlášení o způsobilosti k řešení projektu” (relevant for all Czech proposers)

• Scientific and practical value of the project
• Competence of the research team
• Mobility requirements

• Guidelines in Czech only.
• The proposal has to be prepared on official forms of the call.
• American partners need to secure own source of funding.
• The proposal has to be submitted only via data box (datová schránka) vidaawt.
• All solemn declarations have to be originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representative.
• Costs have to be proposed in thousands of CZK.
• Relevance of all individual planned costs is described.

All forms are available only in Czech version.

1. Project proposal “Návrh projektu” (Czech proposer, American proposer, project description, objectives, project team, budget, additional information).
2. Solemn declaration of the eligibility to solve the project “Čestné prohlášení o způsobilosti k řešení projektu” (relevant for PI and all proposers).
3. Proposal of the Agreement on participation in the project “Návrh smlouvy o účasti na řešení projektu” (agreement between Czech partners about intellectual property).
4. Consent to the processing of personal data “Souhlas se zpracováním osobních údajů” (relevant for PI and all team members).
5. Letter of Intent “Doklad prokazující spolupráci se zahraničním partnerem” (copy of English original)
6. Annotation for evaluators “Anotace pro oponenta/hodnotitele”(1/2-1 page).
7. CV of the main PI and other key team members “Životopis hlavního řešitele a klíčových osob”.
8. Project budget “Finanční tabulky návrhu projektu” (Excel tables).

• Proposal of up to 15 pages.
• Identify your research challenge and explain how tackling it could lead to breakthroughs. Demonstrate how networking helps tackle the challenge.
• Present a detailed plan to reach your objectives in 4 years. Show you are able to engage the right stakeholders, having a balanced European participation, gender representation and various career stages. Explain how you will maximise the impact of your idea.
• At least 50% of the budget has to be spent in widening countries (Inclusiveness Target Countries, ITCs).
• Network of proposers from at least 7 different COST Full or Cooperating Members a minimum number of ITCs.
• (7-8 FM / 3 ITCs; 10-12 FM / 4 ITCs; 13-15 FM / 5 ITCs; 16-17 FM / 6 ITCs; 18-20 FM / 7 ITCs; >21 FM / 8 ITCs).
• Proposal has to be anonymous (in order to comply with the double-blind principle of the evaluation).
• There can be more than one proposer per institution, as long as it is clearly beneficial for the proposed Action.
• All proposers must have a registered and updated e-COST profile: e-services.cost.eu and specified expertise.

• 36 COST full members (FM): Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom.
• 20 Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs): Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey.
• 1 Cooperating Member: Israel.
• 17 Near Neighbour Countries (NNC): Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Russia, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine.

COST Action structure:

• Action MC members (MCM) = up to 2 persons for each FM nominated by the CNC, have voting rights within the AMC.
• Action MC substitutes (MCS) = up to 3 persons for each FM nominated by the CNC, replace MCM when necessary.
• MC observers (MCO) = Action participants affiliated to partner members, accepted MoU, based in NNCs, IPCs, EC, EU bodies, offices or agencies, International Organisations, European RTD Organisations (Eiroforum).
• WG members = Action participants appointed by the AMC, contribute to the achievement of the Action objectives
• Ad hoc participants = individuals selected by the AMC to contribute to the Action activities: STSM grantees, trainees & trainers in Training Schools, invited speakers.
• Action Management Committee (AMC) = decision-making body, responsible for the coordination, implementation & management; composed of up to 2 representatives of FM that have accepted Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• Working Groups (WGs) = are in charge of developing activities needed to achieve the Action objectives.
• Chair = elected by the AMC, responsible for the coordination and implementation of the Action.
• Vice-chair = elected by the AMC, assists when requested to do so by Chair, can substitute Chair when required or mandated to do so.
• Grant Holder = the legal entity responsible for the scientific, administrative and financial implementation of the Action.
• Group Leaders = appointed by the AMC.
• COST National Coordinators (CNCs) = individuals appointed by COST Members in charge of confirming participation of their COST Member to a COST Action by means of the acceptance of the MoU and nominating AMC members.
• Action Grant Agreement (AGA) & annual Work and Budget Plans (W&BPs) = detailing the activities designed to achieve the objectives defined in the MoU.

1. General features (mandatory, e-COST profile)
2. Technical Annex (Science & technology excellence, Impact, Implementation)
3. References (not-mandatory, max 500 words)
4. COST Mission, Policy and rules (mandatory max 1000 words)
5. Network of proposers (mandatory, e-COST profile)

Excellence: soundness of the challenge; progress beyond the state-of-the-art and innovation potential; added value of networking (25 points)

• Q1 Is the challenge relevant and timely?
• Q2 Are the objectives presented clear and pertinent to tackle the challenge?
• Q3 Does the proposal advance the state-of-the-art and introduce an innovative approach to the challenge?
• Q4 Is networking the best approach to tackle the challenge?
• Q5 What is the added value of the proposed Network in relation to former and existing efforts at EU/international level?

Impact: scientific, technological and/or socio-economic impact; measures to maximise impact; level of potential innovation/breakthroughs (20 points)

• Q6 Does the proposal clearly identify relevant and realistic short-term/long-term impacts?
• Q7 Does the proposal identify the most relevant stakeholders and present a clear plan to involve them as participants?
• Q8 Is there a clear and attainable plan for dissemination and/or exploitation of results?
• Q9 How does the proposal succeed in putting forward potential innovation/breakthroughs with a convincing risk/return trade-off?

Implementation: coherence and effectiveness of the work plan; appropriateness of management structures and procedures; network as a whole (20 points)

• Q10 Is the work plan (WGs, tasks, activities, timeframe, deliverables) coherent, realistic and appropriate to ensure the achievement of the objectives?
• Q11 Does the proposal identify the main risks related to the work plan, has a plan for contingencies?
• Q12 Are the management structure and procedures appropriate?
• Q13 Does the proposed Network envisage the critical mass, expertise and geographical distribution for addressing the challenge and the objectives? If not, does the proposal identify the gaps in the Network and present a clear plan for overcoming the gaps? Are mutual benefits clearly ascertained in case of involvement of NNC and IPC institutions?

Step 2: Revision and quality check by ad hoc review panel
Step 3: Proposal selection by COST Scientific Committee (high-level experts one from each FM/CM)
Step 4: Final decision on approval and funding by the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO)

All scientific and technological fields

• Natural Sciences: (1) Mathematics, (2) Computer and Information Sciences, (3) Physical Sciences, (4) Chemical Sciences, (5) Earth & Environmental Sciences, (6) Biological Sciences
• Engineering & Technology: (7) Civil Engineering, (8) Electrical, Electronic, Information Engineering, (9) Mechanical Engineering, (10) Chemical Engineering, (11) Materials Engineering, (12) Medical Engineering, (13) Environmental Engineering, (14) Environmental Biotechnology, (15) Industrial Biotechnology, (16) Nano-technology, (17) Other E&T
• Medical & Health Sciences: (18) Basic Medicine, (19) Clinical Medicine, (20) Health Sciences, (21) Medical Biotechnology, (22) Other Medical Sciences
• Agricultural Sciences: (23) Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, (24) Animal & Dairy Science, (25) Veterinary Science, (26) Agricultural Biotechnology, (27) Other Agricultural Sciences
• Social Sciences: (28) Psychology, (29) Economics & Business, (30) Educational Sciences, (31) Sociology, (32) Law, (33) Political Science, (34) Social & Economic Geography, (35) Media & Communications, (36) Other Social Sciences
• Humanities: (37) History & Archaeology, (38) Languages & Literature, (39) Philosophy, Ethics, Religion, (40) Arts, (41) Other Humanities

• The PI has to be ERC Grant holder of project that is ongoing or has ended less than 12 months before Mon 1 Jan 2018.
• The PI has to demonstrate the relation between the idea to be taken to proof of concept ant the ERC frontier research project (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced or Synergy) in question.
• The PI may submit only one proposal under WP2018.
• More than one Proof of Concept Grant may be awarded per ERC funded frontier research project, but only one Proof of Concept project may be running at any one time for the same ERC frontier research project.
• There is no minimum commitment percentage of the working time required to the PI. The cumulative % commitment that the PI spends on the ERC PoC action and on the main ERC StG/CoG/AdG/SyG Grant does not exceed 100%.
• The host institution support letter needs to be printed on the paper with the official letterhead of the Host Institution, originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representative.
• Document(s) in any other language must be provided together with a certified translation into English.

1. The idea – Excellence in Innovation potential (max 2 pages) describing the idea to be taken to proof of concept.
   1. Succinct description of the idea to be taken to proof of concept; a1) The problem: Description of the problem or the need that the idea is aiming to solve or alleviate; a2) The solution: Explanation of how the idea will solve or alleviate the problem or the need and the meaning that this will make. A clear value proposition should be included.
   2. Demonstration of Innovation Potential: detailed description of how the project outcomes will be innovative or distinctive. This should include a clear explanation of why the solution proposed is new, compared to what already exists.
2. Expected Impact (max 2 pages) describing the expected impact of the PoC project.
3. The idea – Excellence in Innovation potential (max 2 pages) describing the idea to be taken to proof of concept.
   1. Identification and description of any effect or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy/services.
   2. Outline of the value creation process (plans for the knowledge transfer, the commercialisation or any other process foreseen to generate the above listed benefit). This should include proposed plans to: (i) asses and validate the effectiveness of the project’s outcomes (Testing, technical reports or any other form of validation to confirm that the solution is effective, efficient, sustainable, or just); (ii) clarify the IPR position and strategy or knowledge transfer strategy; (iii) set up contacts with industrial partners, societal or cultural organisations, policy makers or any other potential users or sponsors of the projects’ results.
4. The proof of concept plan (max 2 pages) describing the planning of the proposed activities, the project-management plan and the team that will conduct the activities. Demonstrattion of the relevance of the approach chosen for establishing the technical and commercial/societal feasibility of the project:
   1. Plan of the activities;
   2. Project-management plan, including risk and contingency measures;
   3. Description of the team.
5. The budget (max 1 page + costing table) describing the resources needed for the project. Demonstration that the requested budget is necessary for the implementation of the proposed activities and properly justified.
6. Host Institution Binding Statement of Support.
7. Ethics Review table.

1. Excellence in innovation potential
   Does the proposed proof of concept activity greatly help move the output of research towards the initial steps of a process leading to a commercial or social innovation?
   The proposal should include plans for an analysis of whether the project’s expected outcomes are innovative or distinctive compared to existing solutions.
2. Impact
   Is the project to be taken to proof of concept expected to generate any effect or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services and are these appropriately identified in the proposal?
   Does the proposal provide a suitable outline of how the commercialisation or the generation of the above listed benefits will be achieved?
   The proposal should include:
   • plans to asses and validate the effectiveness of the project’s outcomes;
   • plans to clarify the IPR position and strategy41 or knowledge transfer strategy;
   • plans for setting up contacts with industry partners, societal or cultural organisations, policymakers or any other potential ‘end users’ of the projects’ results.
3. Quality and efficiency of the implementation (Quality of the proof of concept plan)
   Does the proposal provide a reasonable and acceptable plan of activities against clearly identified objectives and towards establishing the feasibility of the project?
   This should include:
   • a sound project-management plan, including appropriate risk and contingency planning;
   • demonstration that the activities will be conducted by persons well qualified for the purpose;
   • demonstration that the budget requested is necessary for the implementation of the project and properly justified.

Life Sciences (9 panels): (LS1) molecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms & interactions, biochemistry, structural biology, molecular biophysics, metabolism, signalling pathways; (LS2) molecular genetics, quantitative genetics, genetic epidemiology, epigenetics, genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, glycomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, biostatistics, systems biology; (LS3) cell biology, cell physiology, signal transduction, organogenesis, developmental genetics, pattern formation, stem cell biology, in plants, animals, microorganisms; (LS4) organ physiology, pathophysiology, endocrinology, metabolism, ageing, tumorigenesis, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes; (LS5) neural cell function & signalling, systems neuroscience, neural bases of cognitive & behavioural processes, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders; (LS6) the immune system and related disorders, biology of infectious agents & infection, biological basis of prevention, treatment of infectious diseases; (LS7) development of tools for diagnosis, monitoring & treatment of diseases, pharmacology, clinical medicine, clinical medicine, regenerative medicine, epidemiology, public health; (LS8) population, community & ecosystem ecology, evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology; (LS9) applied plant sciences, applied animal sciences, forestry, food sciences, applied biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, marine biotechnology, applied bioengineering, biomass, biofuels, biohazards

Physical Sciences & Engineering (10 panels): (PE1) pure & applied mathematics, computer science, mathematical physics, statistics; (PE2) fundamental constituents of matter: particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic, molecular, gas, optical physics; (PE3) condensed matter physics: structure, electronic properties, fluids, nanosciences, biological physics; (PE4) analytical chemistry, chemical theory, physical chemistry/chemical physics; (PE5) materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional & advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry; (PE6) informatics, information systems, computer science, scientific computing, intelligent systems; (PE7) electrical, electronic, communication, optical, systems engineering; (PE8) product design, process design & control, construction methods, civil engineering, energy processes, material engineering; (PE9) astro-physics/chemistry/biology, solar system, stellar, galactic & extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation; (PE10) physical geography, geology, geophysics, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, climatology, cryology, ecology, global environmental change, biogeochemical cycles, natural resources management

Social Sciences & Humanities (6 panels): (SH1) economics, finance, management; (SH2) political science, law, sustainability science, geography, regional studies, planning; (SH3) sociology, social psychology, social anthropology, demography, education, communication; (SH4) cognitive science, psychology, linguistics, philosophy of mind; (SH5) literature, philology, cultural studies, study of the arts, philosophy; (SH6) archaeology, history

• PI must be negotiating a full-time position at an institute or university in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal or Turkey by the date of application, or has established a laboratory in one of these countries in the last two years (counted from Mon 01 Jan 2018: 01 Jan 2016 – 31 Dec 2017). In the four years prior to the application (16 Apr 2014 – 15 Apr 2018), PI should have spent at least two consecutive years outside the country in which he/she is planning to establish his/her laboratory. PI who has not yet started his/her new position, must take up the position and start the grant by 31 December in the year following application (Tue 31 Dec 2019). For successful PI who has already established his/her laboratory, the grant start date is 1 January in the year following application (Tue 01 Dec 2019).
• PI should have received his/her Ph.D. less than 9 years prior to application (16 Apr 2009 – 15 Apr 2018).
• PI should list and activate the referees as soon as possible, preferably 4 weeks prior to the deadline. It is responsibility of PI to check that the referees have received the request and complete the form.
• PI should list and activate the receiving institute contact person (ideally the person with whom the position was/is being negotiated) as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the receiving institute to complete the form.

1. Online Application Form via the EMBO online system: (1) basic CV data; (2) ORCID ID ; (3) a summary of current research activities; (4) a description of the institute; (5) details of other funding applied for or already available to the lab; (6) contact details for three referees; (7) contact details for the person who will complete the receiving institute application on behalf of the receiving institute.
2. Three Letters of Reference from three scientists (preferably former supervisors).
3. PDF of the completed 2018 EMBO Installation Grants Application Form: (1) CV; (2) publication list; (3) two best publications; (4) synopsis of recent work (max 1 page); (5) research (max 3 pages + bibliography); (6) budget outline.
4. Online Receiving Institute Form: (1) description of the offer to the applicant: e.g. the start-up package offered to the applicant, including lab space, equipment, staff, access to central facilities, teaching or other duties, support of scientists career and future possibilities. Candidates are expected to have limited teaching and administrative duties; (2) the duration of the appointment and the career prospects for the applicant at the institute; (3) the institute infrastructure: including a listing of the equipment and colleagues relevant to the applicant’s area of research; (4) the selection process: details of the selection procedure, and the reasons for choosing the applicant.
5. Receiving Institute Confirmation Form: must be signed by the head of the institute.

Track record, research, group & research environment, offer by the host institute, independence

1. Track record, research, group & research environment, offer by the host institute, independence
2. Are the publications to date an indication that the applicant is an outstanding scientist? (Please note that EMBO is a signatory of DORA and does not use journal-based metrics such as impact factor for evaluation.)
3. Has the applicant shown a willingness to change research area/direction of research, which is an indication of an ability to tackle new and important problems?
4. Is the proposed research interesting and realistic?
5. Is the research environment conducive to competitive research?
6. Are the number of laboratory members and the available funds sufficient to undertake the described research?
7. What are the teaching requirements and other responsibilities of the applicant? Is the time that can be dedicated to research sufficient?
8. Does the host institute provide a good environment for the applicant, i.e. sufficient lab space, basic lab equipment, access to central facilities, availability of funding for students/technicians/postdoctoral researchers, colleagues relevant to the applicant's area of research etc. (An offer that is not considered adequate for the project presented by the applicant will receive low scores and as a result, may not be funded.)
9. Is the candidate intellectually and financially independent?

• PI should have been an independent group leader for at least one year at the pre-application deadline and less than four years on 1 January in the year of application (01 Jan 2014 – 03 Apr 2017). Independence is defined by: (i) being able to apply for grants in one's own name and reporting directly to funding agencies; (ii) being able to submit manuscripts as last author ('corresponding author' is not considered equivalent to 'last author'); (iii) being responsible for supervising graduate students and/or post docs in one's own lab. PI must be 40 years old or younger on Mon 01 Jan 2018, unless exceptional circumstances have significantly delayed career progression. For female candidates with children, both the limit of four-years since independence and the age limit of 40 years are automatically extended by one year per child. For male applicants with children, the limits can be extended by the actual time taken off as paternity leave or – if their partner is working at least 80% FTE (full-time equivalent) – 1.5 months per child, whichever is longer.
• PI is expected to have obtained sufficient funding to run his/her laboratory.
• PI must be able to attend an interview in Heidelberg, Germany, on Tue–Wed 30–31 Oct 2018.
• PI should list and activate the referees as soon as possible, preferably 4 weeks prior to the deadline. It is responsibility of PI to check that the referees have received the request and complete the form.

Stage 1, pre-application (Tue 03 Apr 2018)

1. Online Application Form via the EMBO online system: (1) basic CV data; (2) ORCID ID; (3) a short summary of ongoing research (max 2000 characters including spaces); (4) contact details for three referees.
2. Three Letters of Reference from three scientists (preferably former supervisors)
3. PDF of the completed 2018 EMBO Young Investigator Programme Pre-application Form: (1) CV; (2) publications

Stage 2, full application (Thu 21 Jun 2018)

1. Online Application Form via the EMBO online system: (5) a list of grants; (6) a list of lab members; (7) a short description of the institute
2. PDF of the completed 2018 EMBO Young Investigator Programme Application Form: (1) CV; (2) complete publication list; (3) three best publications (summary each max 1000 characters including spaces); (4) research vision & future directions (max 2 pages + bibliography)

Two-stage application process:
Scientific excellence, track record, research, group & research environment, independence

1. Are the publications to date an indication that this is an outstanding scientist? (Please note that EMBO is a signatory of DORA and does not use journal-based metrics such as impact factor for evaluation.)
2. Has the applicant shown a willingness to change research area, which is an indication of an ability to tackle new and important problems?
3. Is the proposed research ambitious and likely to lead to novel contributions in the field?
4. Does the applicant have the potential to become a future leader in their field?
5. Is the research environment conducive to competitive research?
6. Is the number of laboratory members and the available funds sufficient to undertake the described research?
7. Is the candidate intellectually and financially independent? What is the influence of former supervisors and institute heads on the candidate's current research?

Only legal entities that are established in EU Member States (MS) or Horizon 2020 Associated Countries (AC) can be beneficiaries; only legal entities that are established in third countries (TC) can be partner organisations. Members of consortium are required to conclude a consortium agreement, in principle prior to the signature of the grant agreement. Proposals can focus either on one dimension of mobility (cross-sector/international), or include a combination of both. At least 2 beneficiaries are established in MS/AC. If all participating organisations are from the same sector (i.e. either only academic or only non-academic), there must be at least 1 partner organisation from a TC. RISE actions must include the secondment of staff members. Secondments are not subject to a mobility rule.

Secondments: sending institution => hosting institution:

1. academic in MS/AC => non-academic in MS/AC or organisation in TC
2. non-academic in MS/AC => academic in MS/AC or organisation in TC
3. organisation in TC => academic in MS/AC or non-academic in MS/AC

The exchanged staff members

1. shall have employment contract, fellowship or other with the sending organisation;
2. must be under the direction and instructions of the sending organisation for the duration of the secondment;
3. shall be devoted full-time (1 FTE) to the action during the secondment period (participation in other projects is not allowed);
4. secondments may be split into several stays not exceeding 12 months in total and not going beyond the project duration;
5. can have "multiple" split stays to different hosting organisations;
6. shall stay at least 1 full month at one hosting institution (one person can have max 12 secondments);
7. must be guaranteed reintegration into the sending institution (in-built return mechanism), thus maximising the impact of the action for knowledge sharing and long-term collaboration.

1. Proposal part A: (1) general information & abstract, (2) data on participating organisations, (3) budget and List of secondments, (4) ethics table, (5) call specific questions
2. Proposal part B1: project description (1) table of content, (2) excellence, (3) impact, (4) quality and efficiency of the implementation (max 32 pages)
3. Proposal part B2: (5) references, (6) capacities of the participating organisations, (7) ethics aspects, (8) Letter of Commitment of each TC Partner organisation
4. signed by legal representative
5. Consortium Agreement

Single-stage evaluation process.
Proposal should be based on a set of clear R&I objectives and robust project management plan to achieve the goals and maximal impact of the action. The R&I tasks/deliverables must be implemented through secondments of staff members with an in-built return mechanism to foster knowledge sharing and long-term collaboration.

• Excellence (50%): (1) Quality and credibility of the research/innovation project; level of novelty and appropriate consideration of inter/multidisciplinary, cross-sector and gender aspects; (2) Quality and appropriateness of knowledge sharing among the participating organisations in light of the research and innovation objectives; (3) Quality of the proposed interaction between the participating organisations.
• Impact (30%): (4) Enhancing the potential and future career prospects of the staff members; (5) Developing new and lasting research collaborations, achieving transfer of knowledge between participating organisations and contribution to improving research and innovation potential at the European and global levels; (6) Quality of the proposed measures to exploit and disseminate the project results; (7) Quality of the proposed measures to communicate the project activities to different target audiences.
• Quality and efficiency of the implementation (20%): (8) Coherence and effectiveness of the work plan, including appropriateness of the allocation of tasks and resources; (9) Appropriateness of the management structures and procedures, including quality management and risk management; (10) Appropriateness of the institutional environment (hosting arrangements, infrastructure); (11) Competences, experience and complementarity of the participating organisations and their commitment to the project.

• Chemistry (CHE): (C1) Inorganic Chemistry, (C2) Organic, Polymer and Macromolecular Chemistry, (C3) Physical and Analytical Chemistry, (C4) Applied and Industrial Chemistry
• Economic Sciences (ECO): (E1) Economics, (E2) Economic Development, (E3) Management, (E4) Finance
• Information Science and Engineering (ENG): (G1) Computer Science and Informatics, (G2) Systems and Communication Engineering: Electrical, electronic, communication, optical and systems engineering, (G3) Products and Processes Enginering: Product design, process design and control, construction methods, civil engineering, enegy processes, material engineering
• Environmental and Geosciences (ENV): (V1) Environment and Society, (V2) Earth System Science, (V3) Evolutionary, Population and Environmental Biology, V4 Applied Life Sciences and Non-Medical Biotechnology
• Life Sciences (LIF): (L1) Molecular and Structural Biology, (L2) Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, (L3) Cellular and Developmental Biology, (L4) Physiology, Pathophysiology and Endocrinology, (L5) Neurosciences and Neural Disorders, (L6) Immunity and Infection, (L7) Diagnostic Tools, Therapies and Public Health
• Mathematics (MAT): (M1) Mathematics, (M2) Applied Mathematics
• Physics (PHY): (P1) Particle and Nuclear Physics, (P2) Atomic and Molecular Physics, Optics, (P3) Condensed Matter Physics, (P4) Astrophysics, Cosmology, Space Science, (P5) Applied Physics
• Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC): (S1) Sociology, Social Anthropology, (S2) Political Science, (S3) Law, (S4) Communication, (S5) Cognition, Psychology, Linguistics, (S6) Philosophy, (S7) Education, (S8) Literature, Arts, Music, Cultural and Comparative Studies, (S9) Archaeology, History and Memory

The proposal should address at least one of the following topics:

• New targets: Studies of new bacterial targets or mechanisms of resistance (examples include studies on novel enzyme or efflux pump inhibitors or others), including studies aimed at understanding and overcoming the mechanisms controlling the generation of resistance.
• New therapies: Discovery of new compounds (including new antibiotics and alternatives); Strategies to inhibit or reduce the acquisition of resistance, such as single molecular agents effective against multiple targets as well as therapeutics that enhance immune-mediated pathogen elimination, disrupt colonisation or biofilm development, and reduce virulence; Discovery of novel therapies to overcome known antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and/or to restore susceptibility to conventional antibiotics.
• New tools/assays: Strategies and/or innovative tools or assays that improve, enhance, and/or facilitate the identification or validation of new effective compounds or therapies; Strategies and/or innovative tools for optimization of drug use, dosage and delivery of new drugs; Exploration of bacterial genes e.g. expression of latent gene clusters
• The following sub-topics are not within the scope of the call: Investigations addressing cross-talk between the host and pathogen, as well as the relationship between microbes, environment and infection; Studies on bacteria not in the WHO Global priority list above; Investigations on the initial steps of the infection process; Investigations based on, or involving, clinical trials; Re-evaluation of existing anti-microbial compounds in the context of their combination with new, innovative targets, compounds; or tools.

Support only for studies on bacteria in the WHO Global priority list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria:

• Mycobacterium tuberculosis; multi-and extensively drug resistant
• Acinetobacter baumannii; carbapenem-resistant
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa; carbapenem-resistant
• Enterobacteriaceae (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp., Serratia spp., Proteus spp., Providencia spp. and Morganella spp.); carbapenem-resistant, 3rd generation cephalosporin-resistant
• Enterococcus faecium; vancomycin-resistant
• Staphylococcus aureus; methicillin-resistant, vancomycin intermediate and resistant
• Helicobacter pylori; clarithromycin-resistant
• Campylobacter; fluoroquinolone-resistant
• Salmonella spp.; fluoroquinolone-resistant
• Neisseria gonorrhoeae; 3rd generation cephalosporin-resistant, fluoroquinolone-resistant
• Streptococcus pneumoniae; penicillin-non-susceptible
• Haemophilus influenzae; ampicillin-resistant
• Shigella spp.; fluoroquinolone-resistant

• The PI must have already shown research independence and evidence of maturity by having produced several important publications as main author or without the participation of his/her Ph.D. supervisor.
• The PI should be able to demonstrate a promising track record of early achievements appropriate to research field, e.g. peer-reviewed publications, invited presentations in well-established conferences, granted patents, awards, prizes etc.
• The PI has to spend at least 40% (?0.4 FTE) of his/her working time on the project.
• The PI has to spend at least 50% (?30 months) of his/her working time in an EU Member State or Associated Country.
• The host institution support letter needs to be printed on the paper with the official letterhead of the Host Institution, originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representative.
• The PI must submit scanned copies of documents providing his/her eligibility for the grant, i.e. the Ph.D. certificate.
• Document(s) in any other language must be provided together with a certified translation into English.
• The PI is expected to start the project within 6 months of receiving an invitation letter from the ERC.

1. Extended Synopsis: 5 pages
2. Curriculum Vitae: 2 pages
3. Track Record: 2 pages
4. Scientific Proposal: 15 pages
5. Host Institution Binding Statement of Support
6. Ethics Review Table
7. Ph.D. record and supporting documentation for eligibility checking

Two-step peer review evaluation of scientific excellence:
Step 1: CV & scientific proposal => A (sufficient quality pass to step 2), B (high quality), C (not sufficient quality)
Step 2: 30 min interview – presentation, questions, answers => A (fully meets ERC´s criterion), B (not be funded)
> cross the boundaries between different fields of research; multi and interdisciplinary research proposals
> addressing new and emerging fields of research
> introducing unconventional, innovative approaches and scientific inventions

1. Research Project: Ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility
   • To what extent does the proposed research address important challenges?
   • To what extent are the objectives ambitious and beyond the state of the art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches or development between or across disciplines)?
   • To what extent is the proposed research high risk/high gain?
   • To what extent is the outlined scientific approach feasible bearing in mind the extent that the proposed research is high risk/high gain (based on the Extended Synopsis)?
   • To what extent are the proposed research methodology and working arrangements appropriate to achieve the goals of the project (based on the full Scientific Proposal)?
   • To what extent does the proposal involve the development of novel methodology (based on the full Scientific Proposal)?
   • To what extent are the proposed timescales and resources necessary and properly justified (based on the full Scientific Proposal)?
2. Principal Investigator: Intellectual capacity, creativity and commitment
   • To what extent has the PI demonstrated the ability to propose and conduct ground-breaking research?
   • To what extent does the PI provide evidence of creative independent thinking?
   • To what extent have the achievements of the PI typically gone beyond the state of the art?
   • To what extent does the PI demonstrate the level of commitment to the project necessary for its execution and the willingness to devote a significant amount of time to the project (minimum 40% for Consolidator of the total working time) (based on the full Scientific Proposal)?

Life Sciences (9 panels): (LS1) molecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms & interactions, biochemistry, structural biology, molecular biophysics, metabolism, signalling pathways; (LS2) molecular genetics, quantitative genetics, genetic epidemiology, epigenetics, genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, glycomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, biostatistics, systems biology; (LS3) cell biology, cell physiology, signal transduction, organogenesis, developmental genetics, pattern formation, stem cell biology, in plants, animals, microorganisms; (LS4) organ physiology, pathophysiology, endocrinology, metabolism, ageing, tumorigenesis, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes; (LS5) neural cell function & signalling, systems neuroscience, neural bases of cognitive & behavioural processes, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders; (LS6) the immune system and related disorders, biology of infectious agents & infection, biological basis of prevention, treatment of infectious diseases; (LS7) development of tools for diagnosis, monitoring & treatment of diseases, pharmacology, clinical medicine, clinical medicine, regenerative medicine, epidemiology, public health; (LS8) population, community & ecosystem ecology, evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology; (LS9) applied plant sciences, applied animal sciences, forestry, food sciences, applied biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, marine biotechnology, applied bioengineering, biomass, biofuels, biohazards

Physical Sciences & Engineering (10 panels): (PE1) pure & applied mathematics, computer science, mathematical physics, statistics; (PE2) fundamental constituents of matter: particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic, molecular, gas, optical physics; (PE3) condensed matter physics: structure, electronic properties, fluids, nanosciences, biological physics; (PE4) analytical chemistry, chemical theory, physical chemistry/chemical physics; (PE5) materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional & advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry; (PE6) informatics, information systems, computer science, scientific computing, intelligent systems; (PE7) electrical, electronic, communication, optical, systems engineering; (PE8) product design, process design & control, construction methods, civil engineering, energy processes, material engineering; (PE9) astro-physics/chemistry/biology, solar system, stellar, galactic & extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation; (PE10) physical geography, geology, geophysics, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, climatology, cryology, ecology, global environmental change, biogeochemical cycles, natural resources management

Social Sciences & Humanities (6 panels): (SH1) economics, finance, management; (SH2) political science, law, sustainability science, geography, regional studies, planning; (SH3) sociology, social psychology, social anthropology, demography, education, communication; (SH4) cognitive science, psychology, linguistics, philosophy of mind; (SH5) literature, philology, cultural studies, study of the arts, philosophy; (SH6) archaeology, history

Only transnational projects will be funded. The European definition of rare disease: a disease affecting not more than five in 10000 persons in the European Community, EC associated states and Canada.

Proposals must cover at least one of the following areas:

• 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.
• 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 use of existing European health research infrastructures and/or IRDiRC recognized resources is strongly encouraged. EURORDIS (patient organisations) may co-fund selected projects.

1. Excellence
2. Impact
3. Quality and efficiency of the implementation

Maximum score 15 points; overall threshold 12 points and individual criteria threshold 3 points;

• The PI has to be ERC Grant holder of project that is ongoing or has ended less than 12 months before Mon 1 Jan 2018.
• The PI has to demonstrate the relation between the idea to be taken to proof of concept ant the ERC frontier research project (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced or Synergy) in question.
• The PI may submit only one proposal under WP2018.
• More than one Proof of Concept Grant may be awarded per ERC funded frontier research project, but only one Proof of Concept project may be running at any one time for the same ERC frontier research project.
• There is no minimum commitment percentage of the working time required to the PI. The cumulative % commitment that the PI spends on the ERC PoC action and on the main ERC StG/CoG/AdG/SyG Grant does not exceed 100%.
• The host institution support letter needs to be printed on the paper with the official letterhead of the Host Institution, originally signed, stamped and dated by the institution´s legal representative.
• Document(s) in any other language must be provided together with a certified translation into English.

1. The idea – Excellence in Innovation potential (max 2 pages) describing the idea to be taken to proof of concept.
   1. Succinct description of the idea to be taken to proof of concept; a1) The problem: Description of the problem or the need that the idea is aiming to solve or alleviate; a2) The solution: Explanation of how the idea will solve or alleviate the problem or the need and the meaning that this will make. A clear value proposition should be included.
   2. Demonstration of Innovation Potential: detailed description of how the project outcomes will be innovative or distinctive. This should include a clear explanation of why the solution proposed is new, compared to what already exists.
2. Expected Impact (max 2 pages) describing the expected impact of the PoC project.
3. The idea – Excellence in Innovation potential (max 2 pages) describing the idea to be taken to proof of concept.
   1. Identification and description of any effect or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy/services.
   2. Outline of the value creation process (plans for the knowledge transfer, the commercialisation or any other process foreseen to generate the above listed benefit). This should include proposed plans to: (i) asses and validate the effectiveness of the project’s outcomes (Testing, technical reports or any other form of validation to confirm that the solution is effective, efficient, sustainable, or just); (ii) clarify the IPR position and strategy or knowledge transfer strategy; (iii) set up contacts with industrial partners, societal or cultural organisations, policy makers or any other potential users or sponsors of the projects’ results.
4. The proof of concept plan (max 2 pages) describing the planning of the proposed activities, the project-management plan and the team that will conduct the activities. Demonstration of the relevance of the approach chosen for establishing the technical and commercial/societal feasibility of the project:
   1. Plan of the activities;
   2. Project-management plan, including risk and contingency measures;
   3. Description of the team.
5. The budget (max 1 page + costing table) describing the resources needed for the project. Demonstration that the requested budget is necessary for the implementation of the proposed activities and properly justified.
6. Host Institution Binding Statement of Support.
7. Ethics Review table.

1. Excellence in innovation potential
   Does the proposed proof of concept activity greatly help move the output of research towards the initial steps of a process leading to a commercial or social innovation?
   The proposal should include plans for an analysis of whether the project’s expected outcomes are innovative or distinctive compared to existing solutions.
2. Impact
   Is the project to be taken to proof of concept expected to generate any effect or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services and are these appropriately identified in the proposal?
   Does the proposal provide a suitable outline of how the commercialisation or the generation of the above listed benefits will be achieved?
   The proposal should include:
   • plans to asses and validate the effectiveness of the project’s outcomes;
   • plans to clarify the IPR position and strategy41 or knowledge transfer strategy;
   • plans for setting up contacts with industry partners, societal or cultural organisations, policymakers or any other potential ‘end users’ of the projects’ results.
3. Quality and efficiency of the implementation (Quality of the proof of concept plan)
   Does the proposal provide a reasonable and acceptable plan of activities against clearly identified objectives and towards establishing the feasibility of the project?
   This should include:
   • a sound project-management plan, including appropriate risk and contingency planning;
   • demonstration that the activities will be conducted by persons well qualified for the purpose;
   • demonstration that the budget requested is necessary for the implementation of the project and properly justified.

Life Sciences (9 panels): (LS1) molecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms & interactions, biochemistry, structural biology, molecular biophysics, metabolism, signalling pathways; (LS2) molecular genetics, quantitative genetics, genetic epidemiology, epigenetics, genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, glycomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, biostatistics, systems biology; (LS3) cell biology, cell physiology, signal transduction, organogenesis, developmental genetics, pattern formation, stem cell biology, in plants, animals, microorganisms; (LS4) organ physiology, pathophysiology, endocrinology, metabolism, ageing, tumorigenesis, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes; (LS5) neural cell function & signalling, systems neuroscience, neural bases of cognitive & behavioural processes, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders; (LS6) the immune system and related disorders, biology of infectious agents & infection, biological basis of prevention, treatment of infectious diseases; (LS7) development of tools for diagnosis, monitoring & treatment of diseases, pharmacology, clinical medicine, clinical medicine, regenerative medicine, epidemiology, public health; (LS8) population, community & ecosystem ecology, evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology; (LS9) applied plant sciences, applied animal sciences, forestry, food sciences, applied biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, marine biotechnology, applied bioengineering, biomass, biofuels, biohazards

Physical Sciences & Engineering (10 panels): (PE1) pure & applied mathematics, computer science, mathematical physics, statistics; (PE2) fundamental constituents of matter: particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic, molecular, gas, optical physics; (PE3) condensed matter physics: structure, electronic properties, fluids, nanosciences, biological physics; (PE4) analytical chemistry, chemical theory, physical chemistry/chemical physics; (PE5) materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional & advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry; (PE6) informatics, information systems, computer science, scientific computing, intelligent systems; (PE7) electrical, electronic, communication, optical, systems engineering; (PE8) product design, process design & control, construction methods, civil engineering, energy processes, material engineering; (PE9) astro-physics/chemistry/biology, solar system, stellar, galactic & extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation; (PE10) physical geography, geology, geophysics, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, climatology, cryology, ecology, global environmental change, biogeochemical cycles, natural resources management

Social Sciences & Humanities (6 panels): (SH1) economics, finance, management; (SH2) political science, law, sustainability science, geography, regional studies, planning; (SH3) sociology, social psychology, social anthropology, demography, education, communication; (SH4) cognitive science, psychology, linguistics, philosophy of mind; (SH5) literature, philology, cultural studies, study of the arts, philosophy; (SH6) archaeology, history