CDTRP

Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program (CDTRP) Partnerships 

The Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program (CDTRP) was founded in 2013 with the mission of harnessing the power of research and collaboration to fulfill every donation opportunity, turning transplantation into a cure. CDTRP brought together the distinct solid organ, hematopoietic cell, and donation research communities through funded research projects, and transitioned in 2018 to become a national network of infrastructure to support research. 

The CDTRP provides a platform for patient, donor, and Indigenous partners to engage in research with investigators and trainees, aiming to address the health, social, and economic barriers facing donation and transplantation in Canada. As a result, the CDTRP has become the ‘go to’ platform in Canada for donation and transplantation research.  

Through the network, CDTRP investigators bring new ideas, find collaborators and partners, and receive support to strengthen their research, increasing their success. The network has grown to include more than 300 member researchers, trainees, and patient, family and donor partners at 37 sites across Canada, with 70+ partner organizations in Canada and around the world. Indeed, connectivity is the most-valued aspect of the CDTRP: connecting researchers to each other, to the entire network of partner organizations and stakeholders, and with patient, family, and donor partners. 

We continue to partner with the CDTRP to leverage our research investment for new, ambitious, and innovative kidney donation and transplantation research.

Click on the tabs below for more information on the grants provided in partnership with the CDTRP. For more information on the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, visit the CDTRP website.

• Research Innovation Grants

  Research Innovation Grants

  Since 2018, The Kidney Foundation of Canada has collaborated with the CDTRP to fund novel transplant and donation focused research through the yearly Research Innovation Grant competition. This grant competition aligns with both organizations’ commitment to a future where every donor opportunity is realized, and transplantation is a cure.

  Purpose of the Grant

  The Research Innovation Grant aims to support the start-up of new and innovative research projects, that address the barriers in the fields of donation and transplantation. As such, the grant competition funds projects that address an unmet need in one of the CDTRP’s five key research areas:

  1. Theme 1: Create a culture of donation
  2. Theme 2: Inform universal practices for donation
  3. Theme 3: Engineer and allocate better grafts
  4. Theme 4: Tailor an optimal immune system for each patient
  5. Theme 5: Restore long-term health

  Each year, The Kidney Foundation of Canada supports two grants of up to $30,000 CAD each for kidney donation and/or transplantation research.

  Importance to The Kidney Foundation of Canada

  Patients affected by kidney disease make up the majority of patients waiting for a solid organ transplant in Canada. With the need high, The Kidney Foundation of Canada has a vested interest in supporting research that addresses the health, social, and economic barriers facing donation and transplantation in Canada to ensure patient needing a kidney transplant receives one and that it lasts for as long as possible. As such, partnering with the CDTRP to fund innovative projects that aim to overcome or understand these barriers fits well with our core mission.

  To learn more about the projects funded through this collaboration, please visit our funded research page.

• Next Ten Years of Transforming Lives Grant

  Next Ten Years of Transforming Lives Grant Development Program 

  Launched in 2024, The Kidney Foundation of Canada has partnered with the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program (CDTRP) to provide matched funding support to large-scale, ambitious, and high-impact transplant and donation focused research teams grant applications. This partnership aligns with both organizations’ goal to fulfill all organ donation opportunities and improve the quality of life for transplant recipients. 

  Purpose of the Grant 

  The Next Ten Years of Transforming Lives Grant seeks to support research teams in securing large-scale funding for research projects that aim to impact the lives of patients, families, and donors. The main goal of this matched funding program is to provide support for these research teams through both organizations to ensure their success. 

  The Kidney Foundation of Canada will provide a minimum of $50,000 in matching funds for successful research proposals of 2 million dollars or more related to kidney donation and/or transplantation during the pilot phase of this grant competition.  The CDTRP will provide up to $15,000 in staff time to assist with project and grant application development, including strategic planning and administrative coordination and up to $1,000 for compensating Patient, Family, and Donor partners for their contributions to the grant application process. 

  In addition to the resources offered by the CDTRP, our engagement in these projects will provide researchers with access to our research and patient networks to improve their chances of success in major grant initiatives. Given the scale of these projects, once successful, this support will help research teams maintain a patient-focused perspective and achieve their research goals.  

  Importance to The Kidney Foundation of Canada 

  The Kidney Foundation of Canada strives to support research that impacts the lives of patients. To this end, we have a vested interest in both providing funding to Canadian researchers and ensuring that Canadian researchers secure additional sources of funding to help improve the lives of Canadians living with kidney disease. 

  Collaborating with the CDTRP on this program helps us achieve these goals by allowing us to leverage our research investments for larger-scale projects. It also gives Canadian kidney researchers an edge in larger grant competitions by allowing them to showcase the matching network and Foundation support, thereby strengthening their applications. Most importantly, it allows us to participate in high-impact projects, expanding our network and providing opportunities for greater patient engagement. By investing in these projects, we ensure the greatest impact for our patient community.  

  To learn more about this initiative, please visit Next Ten Years of Transforming Lives – Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program