The Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) jointly announce the 2nd A*STAR – AMED Joint Call. This Joint Call is operated under the Strategic International Collaborative Research Program between AMED and A*STAR. The goal is to promote research and development bilateral collaboration between Singapore and Japan scientists through joint scientific projects.

For the 2nd A*STAR – AMED Joint Call, A*STAR and AMED would like to invite early-career scientists based in Singapore and Japan to submit their joint proposals in the area of Cell Therapy – A focus on quality, efficacy and safety. Proposal submission requires a set of co-applicants that includes one Singapore-based and one Japan-based applicant. Applicants are required to submit their joint applications to A*STAR and AMED by 2nd July 2019, 17:00hrs SGT.

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(For Singapore-based Public Sector Research Performers)

Call opens: 7 May 2019

Submission deadline: 2 July 2019

Up to three projects can be jointly funded through this grant call. All projects can be up to 36 months in duration. For each project, a funding sum of up to SGD$ 250,000 shall be granted for Singapore-based researchers (across public sector research performers), while AMED shall grant a funding sum of up to 21 million yen for Japan-based researchers. This includes funding for general overheads (20% indirect costs). The funding application will also be subjected to the respective agency’s evaluation criteria. All joint proposals will be assessed and evaluated by a joint scientific panel appointed by the respective implementing agencies from Singapore and Germany.

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1. This Joint Call is a joint submission that must involve a set of co-applicants who will be co-Principal Investigators (PI) based in Singapore and Japan.

2. All applications must be in English.

3. Both Singapore and Japan-based co-applicants shall use the application form issued by A*STAR and AMED. The co-applicants shall work together to write a proposal and apply electronically.

4. For Singapore-based co-applicants, proposals must be electronically submitted to the Biomedical Research Council, A*STAR via the Integrated Grants Management System (iGrants) (https://app.a-star.edu.sg/igrants/), no later than 2nd July 2019, 17:00hrs SGT.

5. Japan-based co-applicant must also concurrently submit the joint proposal to AMED.

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1. The Singapore-based co-applicants must be early-stage investigators* who will be the co-PIs for the project.
* Early-stage investigator (ESI) – scientist who has completed a post-graduate education or end of post-graduate clinical training, whichever date is later, within the past 10 years.

2. The Singapore-based co-applicants must reside in Singapore and be full-time employed researchers at a public sector research organization in Singapore, including hospitals, universities, polytechnics, and A*STAR research institutions, and they will carry out the proposed project at this institution.

3. Researchers who are able to bear overall responsibility for an R&D project throughout the entire project period.

4. For the avoidance of doubt, researchers from industry are not eligible to receive funding from A*STAR, but may participate via a joint collaboration with the successful co-applicants.

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1. This Call for Proposal opens on 7 May 2019.

2. Singapore-based applicants are required to apply electronically via iGrants by 2 July 2019, 17:00hrs (SGT).

3. Japan-based applicants are required to submit their applications to AMED via the e-Rad system by 2 July 2019, 17:00hrs (JST).

4. Grant recipients will be notified in November 2019.

5. Indicative timeline of grant call activities are as follows:

Activity	Timeline (SGT)
Call for Applications	7 May 2019
Deadline for submission	2 July 2019
Review and Evaluation	Aug – Oct 2019
Announcement of Outcomes	Nov 2019
Project Start Date	6 Jan 2020

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Application guideline

Application Template

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For enquiries pertaining to this grant call, the respective contact persons are:
A*STAR (Singapore)
Dr Shalini D/O Suku Maran
Email: shalini_suku_maran@hq.a-star.edu.sg

AMED (Japan)
Dr Naoko Kojima
Email: sicorp@amed.go.jp