CIHR

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Partnerships 

Strategic partnerships are a key element of The Kidney Foundation of Canada’s research program.  Very often, these partnership opportunities are with The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Comprised of 13 targeted research institutes, CIHR is Canada’s federal funding agency for health research.   

Strategic partnership allows the Foundation to contribute to the funding and development of larger, more intricate projects and networks which may fall outside the scope of our standard funding opportunities.  These partnership opportunities help to leverage donor support, often increasing each donated dollar exponentially, to create a possibility of lasting impact. 

Strategic partnership opportunities continue to represent an important priority for Foundational investment.  To learn more about some of our ongoing partnerships, please see below.

• Team Grant: Diabetes Mechanisms

  CIHR Team Grant: Diabetes Mechanisms and Translational solutions

  The Kidney Foundation has partnered with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes to support the Team Grant: Diabetes Mechanisms and Translational solutions.   

  Purpose of the CIHR Team Grant

  These team grants will assist multi-disciplinary teams of researchers to better understand the underlaying causes and pathophysiology of diabetes and develop improved prevention and treatment strategies. Patient engagement is a requirement for this funding opportunity.  

  Importance to The Kidney Foundation of Canada 

  Diabetes is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease in Canadians, and at least half of people with diabetes may show signs of early kidney damage.  Conversely, kidney failure can often lead to the development of diabetes. Targeting conditions which are related to the development of kidney disease can be instrumental in preventative strategies or halting disease progression, leading to increased quality of life. 

  Funding and Partners

  The Kidney Foundation of Canada is committed to partner in the CIHR-KFOC Funding Pool in diabetic kidney disease. This award will provide financial support to projects that include research relevant to interventions, strategies and treatments to prevent the development and slow the progression of kidney disease and improve outcomes. This can include, but is not limited to:

  • individualizing the best diet to slow progression of kidney disease;
  • determining the benefits and risks of specific diets (i.e. phosphate restriction, protein restriction, low salt etc.); and  
  • exploring the impact of lifestyle factors (i.e. exercise, stress) on the risk of developing kidney disease, kidney disease progression and quality of life. 

  This innovative competition is also supported by other organizations including JDRF Canada, Diabetes Canada, Fonds du recherche du Québec-Santé and MITACS. 

  Funded work

  Sodium Glucose Co-Transport-2 Inhibition Diabetes and Kidney Function Loss in Type 1 Diabetes (SUGARNSALT)

  “The Kidney Foundation is proud to be part of this significant investment and support talented researchers and allied health care professionals who will address the complex kidney disease-diabetes relationship. Through improved intervention strategies and treatment options, diabetes does not have to be the leading cause of kidney failure.

  – Elizabeth Myles, National Executive Director, The Kidney Foundation of Canada. 

• Early Career Transition Award

  CIHR Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence (REDI) Early Career Transition Award 

  The Kidney Foundation of Canada has partnered with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Infection and Immunity to support the Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence (REDI) Early Career Transition Award, aimed to help post-doctoral researchers, clinicians, and research associates from underrepresented groups launch their independent research work in Canada.

  Purpose of the CIHR REDI Program 

  The CIHR REDI program aims to maximize Canada's scientific talent and improve our health-related knowledge by bridging training and support gaps and promoting diversity.

  The program constitutes of two phases:

  1. Phase 1: Tailored mentorship focused on career development.  
  2. Phase 2: Support for establishing and sustaining independent research work in academia. 

  Importance to The Kidney Foundation of Canada 

  The Kidney Foundation of Canada recognizes the importance of supporting researchers early in their careers to ensure a strong kidney research landscape in Canada and have a long-standing history of supporting capacity building initiatives through participation in the KRESCENT program. The Foundation also recognizes that although kidney disease may affect certain populations disproportionately, that some of these communities are often underrepresented in research or face additional barriers to success in the research training pathway. We are committed to ensuring that access to treatment and education for kidney disease is available to all and understand that building representative clinicians and researchers is a pertinent step in equity for all.

  Funding and Partners

  The Kidney Foundation is a committed partner in the CIHR REDI program and has jointly funded the Kidney Health Funding Pool with the CIHR institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes. This award will provide financial support to a researcher with a research program that is directly related to kidney function and/or disease and that promises to drive progress in the detection, treatment and/or management of kidney disease or to improve patient care, and kidney health for all Canadians. This can include but is not limited to:

  • Understanding development, risk, prevention, treatment, management, care or cure for all aspects of kidney function and diseases of the kidney and urinary tract; 
  • Improvement of health systems and services with the goal of improving efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system through changes to practice and policy related to kidney disease;
  • Population and public health research with the goal of improving the kidney health of populations living in Canada through increased understanding of ways in which social, cultural, environmental, occupational and economic factors determine health status. 

  Successful applicants from this pool can enrol into the curriculum portion of the KRESCENT program.

  “The first launch of the CIHR REDI award addresses the impact of racism and gender inequality on early career researchers, with the aim to make a meaningful difference in the lives and careers of researchers facing systemic barriers. This aligns with The Kidney Foundation’s strategic focus on capacity building and equity of access in kidney research."

  – Leanne Stalker, National Director of Research

• Team Grant: Precision Medicine

  CIHR Team Grants: Embracing Diversity to Achieve Precision and Increase Health Equity

  The Kidney Foundation of Canada has partnered with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research institution of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes to support the Team Grants: Embracing Diversity to Achieve Precision and Increase Health Equity, which aims to promote integrated health research and improve the health of all people in Canada, particularly populations who have historically experienced inequitable health outcomes in Canada.

  Purpose of the CIHR Team Grant

  This funding opportunity will support new research focused on improving health and achieving equitable health outcomes across the lifespan of people from diverse groups in Canada. The objectives are as follows:

  • The development of precision medicine.
  • The understanding of health determinants in Indigenous communities.
  • The understanding of health determinants in at-risk groups and diverse populations who have historically experienced inequitable health outcomes in Canada.

  Importance to The Kidney Foundation of Canada

  The development of novel precision medicine approaches is key to transformational change in the treatment of many chronic diseases. It has become clear over the last decade, that developed strategies may often not be representative of all populations, and that existing heterogeneity within individuals and populations is often under considered in the development of novel approaches. With chronic kidney disease affecting 1 in 10 Canadians, it is tremendously important to support innovative research approaches to developing transformational, yet equitable strategies to combat disease. Understanding diversity may lead to more precise approaches for prevention and treatment, resulting in quantifiable change and ensuring that all populations are represented during development.

  Funding and Partners

  The Kidney Foundation of Canada will fund research relevant to the objectives of the funding opportunity across the four pillars. This includes but is not limited to applications focusing on:

  • Understanding development, risk, prevention, treatment, management, care or cure for all aspects of kidney function, diseases of the kidney, and kidney transplant;
  • Improvement of health systems and services with the goal of improving efficiency, effectiveness and equity of the health care system through changes to practice and policy related to kidney disease;
  • Population and public health research with the goal of improving the kidney health of populations living in Canada through increased understanding of ways in which social, cultural, environmental, occupational, and economic factors determine health status.