Fellowship in Healthcare Research

Guidelines

The signing deadline for applicants of the special initiative for Fellowship in Healthcare Research in Fenix is Thursday 6th October 2022 at 3pm.

The Swedish Cancer Society, organization number 802005-3370, 101 55 Stockholm, is the body responsible for the collection and processing of personal data in connection with grant applications. 

The Fenix grant application system

The Swedish Cancer Society has a digitized grant application system called Fenix. Fenix uses BankID and Swedish social security numbers for both identification and signing. The application is signed digitally by both the Head of Department and the applicant directly in Fenix. Applicants sign the application last, i.e. after the Head of Institution has signed.

Note that if you make changes to the application after sending it to the Head of Department for signing, you must send a new request for signing by your Head of Department, as the application has changed. This applies regardless of what changes have been made.

Background

The number of projects and research posts applied for and awarded within the healthcare research field has historically been significantly less than those within preclinical, translational and clinical studies.

The Swedish Cancer Society recognizes that the healthcare research area is particularly underrepresented with regards to research positions that have been applied for and granted.

In recent years, however, there are signs that new strong research environments are being created and developed in healthcare research.

With this call for grant applications, the Swedish Cancer Society wishes to encourage researchers in the field of healthcare research in order to boost this area of Swedish cancer research.

Objectives

To promote cancer research in the field of healthcare research by giving researchers at Swedish institutions the opportunity to engage in research in this field for a period of three years.

The grant can also be used to conduct research studies at an institution abroad during either the entire funding period or part of it.

The applicant's research project must be in the field of healthcare research, i.e. patient-related research and interventions that aim to provide cancer patients and their families with a good quality of life and health during and after diagnosis and treatment.

This includes projects in areas such as nursing, behavioral therapy interventions, physical activity, projects in diet and nutrition, aid and assistance, rehabilitation, palliation and support for relatives.

The call for applications also includes research concerning experiences, attitudes and insights in conjunction to cancer.

The Research Board will give particular consideration to applicants whose projects have the potential to strengthen research environments and collaboration in the field of healthcare research, either locally or nationally.

The Swedish Cancer Society encourages the applicant to take the patient perspective into account in research projects where this can be considered applicable.

From 2022, applicants will therefore need to state in the application whether, and if so in what way, the patient perspective has been taken into account. A description of this is made in a specially designated box in the application under the heading "patient perspective".

An example could be, for example, that patients have been involved in the planning of a clinical study, or that the project has otherwise taken the patient perspective into account when designing it.

If the research project is of such a nature that the patient perspective cannot be considered relevant, this is stated under this heading with "not applicable". 

Fellowships can be applied for to cover the applicant's own salary corresponding to full-time research, or part-time corresponding to 50–70% of full-time where the remaining time is devoted to, for example, clinical work, teaching, etc.

The application can be made by researchers already active in the field, but also by those who, with special methodology or knowledge in another area, have the ability to conduct projects that are important for healthcare research within the field of cancer.

The Swedish Cancer Society pays research grants only to Swedish universities and higher educational institutions.

Formal eligibility requirements

Applicants for Fellowship in Healthcare Research must have a doctoral degree. Researchers that hold a position as a senior lecturer or professor are not eligible to apply for the Fellowship in Healthcare Research in the field of cancer research.  

Exceptions can be made for applicants that hold a position as associate senior lecturer, research associate, as well as adjunct professors. 

Grant period

Fellowships are awarded for a maximum of three years. The grant period can begin between 1st July of the same year in which the decision is made and up to and including 1st January of the year following the decision.

Regardless of the choice of start date, the contract starts from July 1st .

Payments are made quarterly, and the first payment is made in September and is retroactive from 1st July the same year as the decision is made.

Current fixed amounts in salary standards

The size of the grant

The size of the grant is calculated in accordance with the current salary standard from the Swedish Cancer Society's research committee. The salary standard is adjusted annually.

The grant is based on the current salary standard, holiday pay (1.3%) and salary fees (51.7%) plus the managing institution's deductions for indirect costs (15.25%).

Grants for Fellowships for clinically active people are calculated on the basis of the specified research time (50–70%).

Grants for Fellowships for full-time healthcare researchers can be combined with a maximum of 20% secondary employment, for example clinical work.

The Swedish Cancer Society reimburses travel expenses for the grant holder and any accompanying family members for one return trip per grant period in the event that part of the Fellowship is spent at an institution abroad. The Swedish Cancer Society's rules for travel must be adhered to.

The grant holder's actual salary is determined by the employer.

It is a requirement of The Swedish Cancer Society that the entire grant be used to finance the position. Any unspent funds must be repaid to the Swedish Cancer Society. The grant from the Swedish Cancer Society may not be used as project funds or for another person's salary.

Current fixed amounts in salary standards

Basis for assessment

The application is assessed in accordance with the following assessment criteria:

• Scientific quality
• Applicant's qualifications
• Relevance for the current award in healthcare research
• The Research Board will also give special consideration to applications where the applicant intends to spend part of the Fellowship at an institution abroad. 

The Swedish institution

In addition to the usual assessment of the institution, the institution's focus with regard to healthcare research is also taken into account.

Where relevant:

The Foreign Institution

The assessment will take into account the foreign institution's current and potential significance for healthcare research. The application must be accompanied by a certificate or invitation from the foreign institution, which must be attached to the application as PDF files.

They must be signed by the Head of department in question and attached to the confirmation.

The assessment board may call some applicants to interview before making their decision.

Research program

The research program may be written in Swedish or English and may comprise a maximum of ten pages including references (12pt, single line spacing, 2.5 cm margin).

The following is the recommended outline:

• Specific objectives
  A brief account of the aim of the proposed research work.
• Background
  Summary of your own and others' results in the research area.
• Work plan and preliminary results
  Detailed description of hypotheses and planned work. The work plan should also include a methodological description where it is made clear that current technology/methodology, including statistical considerations, power calculations, etc, is in place and mastered, or is otherwise available for the project in question. Preliminary results are of vital importance in the assessment of applications.
• Significance
  Brief description of the expected significance for cancer research.
• Literature references
  Author, title of work, publication name, volume, page and year of publication. Include only the absolutely essential references.
• Independent research line
  Applicants who work or plan to work in a larger group must clarify how the project relates to the other projects within the group. Applicants who are continuing a project that has been initiated in whole or in part during the doctoral or postdoctoral period must also describe the relationship between the project and previous supervisor's research.

Practical guidelines

Grant holders from other financing organisations than Cancerfonden 

Applicants holding grants from, or having appointments at, the tobacco industry can not apply or be awarded financing from Cancerfonden.

Applications

Applications are made in the Swedish Cancer Society's grant application system Fenix. Applications can be saved and altered until you have pressed the button "Request signing/Be om signering".

Applications cannot be signed and submitted unless all the tabs in the application form are marked in green.

Applications cannot be altered or supplemented after the end of the application period.

When applying to more than one category in the same application period, priorities for these applications must be submitted. Prioritization of each grant category should be emailed to forskning@cancerfonden.se.

If applicable, an invitation from a foreign host institution is mandatory if a stay at a foreign host institution is included and attached to the application.

Attachments

• Invitation from the host institution
• Complete list of publications.

1. Enter the total number of publications under the respective heading (type of publication) below.
   a) Total number of published expert-assessed original articles.
   b) Total number of published expert-reviewed research overview articles.
   c) Total number of other publications including patents.
2. Sort the publications under each heading in reverse chronological order, with the most recently published work at the top of the list. Include only articles or equivalents that are published or accepted for publication at the time of application. The order of all authors' names must be identical to the order in the published work. The publications must be of the type expert-assessed original articles, conference contributions, collections, research review articles, books and book chapters, as well as other publications including popular science books / presentations.

• Max. 3 x manuscripts, not yet published, with original data. 
• Research program, max 10 pages. 
• If applicable, basis for requesting an exception to the eligibility rules.  

Signing the application

When you have completed your application, you must send it to your Head of Department by going into the "Preview/Förhandsgranska" tab. At the bottom of the page, you click on "Request signing/Be om signering".

This sends the application to your Head of Department, who receives it and signs it digitally with BankID.

Note that if you make changes to the application after sending it to the Head of Department for signing, you must send a new request for signing by your Head of Department, as the application has changed. This applies regardless of what changes have been made.

When the Head of Department has signed the application digitally with BankID, you as the applicant will receive an email. You can then log in and sign the application digitally with BankID.

Note that you as applicant must do this no later than 6th October 2022 at 3pm.

Make sure, therefore, that you allow enough time for your application to be signed by your head of institution and then for you as applicant to sign and submit the application before the application period closes.

Application signing period

The signing deadline for applicants in Fenix is Thursday 6th October 2022 at 3pm.

Decisions

Decisions will be made at a meeting of the Research Committee in March. Written feedback reports will be available in Fenix under the corresponding applications. Unfinished applications will be deleted after the end of the call for applications.

Miscellaneous

Changed circumstances during the grant period:

• Changed employment and financial circumstances must be reported immediately to the Swedish Cancer Society for reconsideration of the grant.
• A researcher who has been awarded funds can retain these funds if the person in question continues their activities but is promoted in the meantime.
• Researchers who have been awarded a grant for the Fellowship in Healthcare Research and during the grant period apply for and are appointed to a position at a higher education institution (senior lecturer, professor) cannot retain funding from the Swedish Cancer Society.

Exceptions to the above rule are researchers who during the grant period:

• Are appointed associate university lecturer (BUL) or research assistant, in which case funding from the Swedish Cancer Society can be retained.

Change of address

The applicant/grantee is responsible for ensuring that up-to-date personal and institutional contact information is entered into the Fenix application portal.

Change of administrative authority / institution

When transferring grants to another administrative authority or to another institution within the current university or institute of higher education, the application for transfer must be made in Fenix with digital signing / approval from both the current and receiving Heads of Department.

Reports (financial and scientific)

Not later than three months (see contract) after the end of the period of performance, a report must be submitted via Fenix. Unused funds must be repaid. 

Log in to Fenix

If you already have an account, you can log in to Fenix. If you do not have an account yet you can create an account here. 

For more information, please look at instructions for Fenix.

Queries?

Contact the Research department at telephone number 010-199 10 10, or by email forskning@cancerfonden.se.

Use of personal data

Read more about the Swedish Cancer Society's handling of personal data in the Swedish Cancer Society's privacy policy (in Swedish).

The guidelines in pdf-format

Download the guidelines in a pdf here