Alzheimer Society Research Program

The Alzheimer Society Research Program (ASRP) is a collaborative initiative of our Federation, in which all the provincial Alzheimer Societies, the Alzheimer Society of Canada (ASC), partners and donors pull together to support research directed at both eradicating dementia and improving the lives of those affected by it. In 2011, ASRP grants and awards amounted to over $2.8 million to support the work of researchers who share our vision of a world without Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Introduction

The ASRP provides Training Awards and Research Grants with the overall objective being to support Canadian studies that promise new insights into causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

  • Training Awards
    • (a) Doctoral Awards provide an opportunity for promising individuals to begin the process of becoming future independent investigators in the field of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
    • (b) Post-doctoral Awards are for graduates with a PhD or MD who wish to gain additional research experience.
    • (c) Special Partnership Awards: Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS) and ASRP Partnership Program Trainee Awards; Research Training Awards Program on Knowledge Translation and Dementia; and, the Firefly Spark Award.
  •  Research Grants
    • (a) Young Investigator Grants are designed to help launch the careers of outstanding young researchers who have completed their post-doctoral training and are entering their first phase of an academic appointment.
    • (b) Regular Research Grants are designed to fund established researchers.

The ASRP focuses on two research streams, Biomedical and Quality of Life. The Biomedical Stream provides funding for research into basic biological mechanisms related to brain changes associated with the disease, and into the identification of therapeutic agents to combat the disease. For example, applications dealing with brain-behaviour mechanisms, biochemical changes and molecular genetics are processed in the Biomedical stream. The Quality of Life stream is concerned with aspects of the disease especially pertaining to quality of life issues, behavioural and cognitive changes, environmental support and caregiving issues. ASC reserves the right to allocate an application to the review panel deemed most appropriate for that application.

The ASRP is committed to the establishment of research partnerships with other agencies and organisations, and Partnership awards will continue to be offered. ASRP and ASRP Partnership awards are offered to individuals by way of an annual competition that includes an extensive peer review process. The various grants and awards are described in detail in Section III of the Application Guidelines.

The Alzheimer Society of Canada has a conflict of interest policy. For a copy of the policy, please contact the Research Department at research@alzheimer.ca.


Last Updated: 12/13/11