For Model Organism Investigators

A clinician who discovered a new gene as the cause of a rare disease can submit a Connection Application to the RDMM-Europe Clinical Advisory Committee (CAC). If approved, the Solve-RD Project Management Office will open a call for tender for Seeding Grant applications and starts searching for Model Organism Investigators using the RDMM-Europe database. Model Organism Investigators must have the relevant expertise to functionally study and validate the newly identified gene. The Model Organism Investigator will be invited to submit a Seeding Grant application for functional studies of the respective gene.

The RDMM-Europe Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) will review the submitted Seeding Grant applications.

The clinician who submitted the Connection Application will be asked to establish a connection with the selected Model Organism Investigator. Following a successful connection, clinician and Model Organism Investigator will be contacted by the Project Management Office. In addition, the model organism lab will sign a subcontract in order to receive the Seeding Grant of 20,000 EUR to functionally validate the new disease gene.

Within Solve-RD, a maximum of 20,000 EUR will be awarded for each Seeding Grant. Model Organism Investigators are expected to provide evidence that their lab is set up to do the work proposed in a timely fashion. Where the budget for the proposed work exceeds the Seeding Grant of 20,000 EUR, applicants are required to describe what work the Seeding Grant funds will cover and how additional funds will be garnered.

To apply for a Seeding Grant, you must:

• Be affiliated with an institution or organization by the time the funding begins;
• Not be a Solve-RD beneficiary;
• Not have a financial interest holding of more than 5% in a company proposed as an industry partner for research funding.

The specific objectives of the Solve-RD brokerage service are to:

• provide functional validation of human genetic variants that cause disease;
• supplement clinical disease gene discoveries by generating functional data so as to get higher impact publications;
• develop insights into potential rationale for treatment (e.g. identification of candidate drug targets) via knowledge of a disease gene pathway; and
• establish longer term collaborations between basic scientists and clinicians that will lead to subsequent grant funding in support of outstanding basic and/or applied research.

A report summarizing findings resulting from the seed-funded project will be due after its completion and before the final payment can be made.