1. EU support for Health Research: from FP6 to FP7
Beatrice Lucaroni
Unit F4
DG Research - European Commission
Ferrara – 25 Ottobre 2006

2. EU Health Research Perspectives for the 7th Framework Programme
The details of the FP7 priorities and modalities are still in negotiation and subject to change. In particular the EC’s proposal for the Joint Technology Initiative for Innovative Medicines will be subjected to the approval of the European Council.

3. Role of EC in research
European Commission programmes bring down barriers
between countries:
multinational consortia in Europe (EU-25 + associated countries)
researchers from almost any country in the world can participate;
and promotes coordination of national funding programmes (ERA)
between different types of organizations: universities, research centres, SMEs, large companies, etc.
between disciplines: focus on translational research
and encourages mobility: Marie Curie fellowships for researchers and for host institutes, including ingoing & outgoing grants.

4. EC Research Framework Programme 6 (2003-2006)
€2.4 billion in research grants for 604 projects in 4 years
Average success rate for projects: 25.4%
Total number of participants: 7,426
Project type
number
av. EU contribution
partners
Integrated Projects
119
€ 10.0m 21
Networks of Excellence 40
€ 9.3m 30
STREPs
322
€ 2.2m 8
Coordination Actions 25
€ 1.1m 19
Specific Support Actions 98
€ 0.4m 6

5. Special call for SME projects in Health research (2006)
355 proposals received: 86 projects funded
€ 200 million granted: 43% going to SMEs
Average budget requested per SME: € 342,000
~270 SMEs involved (41% of participants)
40/86 projects (46%) coordinated by SMEs
Observations:
SMEs taking leading role in projects
projects aligned with SME’s strategy
SME gaining experience in EC funding schemes

6. FP7: main elements
Budget to be increased: €50.5 billion over 7 years %
European Research Council ( Ideas )
Collaborative research ( Cooperation )
continuity in themes & instruments.
funding levels to be raised in some cases, eg SMEs: 50%  75%
Joint Technology Initiatives
Infrastructures, SMEs, regions & potential ( Research Capacities )
Human potential and science careers ( People )
Reminder:
The European Commission currently manages about 5% of total public spending in R&D in the European Union.
The EU currently invests about 1.9% of GDP in research

7. FP7 budget (EUR billion, 2004 constant prices)

8. Cooperation: Collaborative research in FP7
Thematic Priorities
Health
Food, agriculture and biotechnology
Information and communication technologies
Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies
Energy
Environment (including climate change)
Transport (including aeronautics)
Socio-economic sciences and the humanities
Security and space
+ Euratom: fusion energy research, nuclear fission and radiation protection

9. Collaborative research for Health in FP7
Main policy drivers:
Improving health of European citizens
Increasing competitiveness of European health-related industries and businesses
Addressing global health issues, including emerging epidemics

10. Collaborative research for Health in FP7
Budget:
€6 billion over 7 years ( )
Activities in 3 main areas
Biotechnology, generic tools and technologies for human health
Translating research for human health
Optimising the delivery of healthcare

11. Collaborative research for Health in FP7
1: Biotechnology, generic tools and technologies
High-throughput research enhancing data generation, standardisation, acquisition & analysis
Detection, diagnosis and monitoring with emphasis on non-invasive or minimally invasive approaches
Innovative therapeutic approaches and interventions gene and cell therapy, regenerative medicine, transplantation, immunotherapy and vaccines, implants & prosthetics
Predicting suitability, safety and efficacy of therapies develop and validate parameters, tools, methods and standards (mainly through IMI) and alternatives to animal testing

12. Collaborative research for Health in FP7
2: Translating research for human health
Integrating biological data and processes: large-scale data gathering, systems biology
Research on the brain and related diseases, human development and ageing
Translational research in major infectious diseases: to confront major threats to public health antimicrobial drug resistance, HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB, emerging epidemics, neglected infectious diseases
Translational research in other major diseases: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, rare diseases, and other chronic diseases

13. Collaborative research for Health in FP7
3: Optimising the delivery of health care
Enhanced health promotion and disease prevention (providing evidence of best public health measures – life styles, interventions, special focus on mental health, etc.)
Translating clinical research into clinical practice (patient safety, better use of medicines, benchmarking, pharmacovigilance, etc.)
Quality, solidarity and sustainability of health systems (organisational and financial aspects, health systems, etc.)

14. Collaborative research for Health in FP7
Two other issues will be addressed across all activities:
Child health
The health of the ageing population
For more information see Specific programme:

15. Collaborative research for Health in FP7
Special encouragement and measures for:
SMEs
Participation of SMEs and larger companies in all areas
Special topics for SMEs
International Cooperation
Participation possible in all areas
Special International Cooperation Actions (SICA)

16. Translational sciences Dialog among basic and clinical scientists
Clinical research
Forward Translation:
Use bioinformatics, functional genomics into clinical practice
Develop biomarkers & molecular imaging techniques at early stage of target validation
Phase I – II – III
studies
In vitro studies
Animal models
Reverse Translation:
Validating the biochemistry in target & biomarker discovery
Bring measurements from the clinic into earlier stages of basic research
Target validation
Basic research

17. Collaborative research for Health in FP7
SUMMARY
Continuity in collaborative Health research to:
develop new tools and technologies
promote translational research
enhanced efforts to optimise delivery of health care
[ using usual FP funding and coordination mechanisms ]
&
A novel approach to improve drug development:
The Innovative Medicines Initiative
[ using the proposed Joint Technology Initiative in FP7 ]

18. Research funding schemes in FP7
Funding instruments proposed:
Collaborative projects to develop new knowledge, new technology, products, demonstration activities
Small or medium-sized focused research actions
Large-scale integrating projects
Projects targeted at special groups (eg SMEs or International)
Networks of Excellence
Coordination and support actions
Support for investigator driven research by individual teams (ERC)
Support for training and career development of researchers
Research for the benefit of specific groups (in particular SMEs)

19. Basic principles of evaluation and funding
Annual calls for proposals, with topics set by the EC (following consultation and approval by Member States).
Proposals evaluated by panels of independent experts (being an expert for the EC is a valuable experience)
Criteria and thresholds
Proposals short-listed for funding (with recommendations)
Consortia receive EC funding for R&D tasks (shared cost) and for project management
12- of 18-month reports and reviews

20. Collaborative research for Health in FP7
Next steps:
Approval by Council and European Parliament
Preparation of work programmes for years 1 & 2.
Currently consulting Member and Associated States (PC)
First calls for proposals: Dec (tbc)
first deadline end-March ’07 (tbc)
second deadline end-June ’07 (tbc)
[ not all areas will be open at in each call ]

21. Information on FP7 EU research: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research
Seventh Framework Programme:
Information on research programmes and projects:
RTD info magazine:
Innovative Medicines Initiative
Information requests: