More information including the call criteria, the application form and submission is available on the TRANSVAC webiste.
Vaccines are one of the most successful and cost-effective public health tools for disease prevention. However, their development is time-consuming and complex, requiring a combination of specialised skills and technical capacities not readily available at a single organisation. In order to facilitate access to these skills and capacities, and to promote collaborations in the European vaccine landscape - aiming thereby to accelerate the development of safe, effective and affordable vaccines - the EC, in the context of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, has recently funded “TRANSVAC2”, a European vaccine research and development (R&D) infrastructure.
TRANSVAC2 builds upon the success of TRANSVAC, the European Network of Vaccine Research and Development funded under the EC´s previous Framework Programme (FP7). TRANSVAC made significant contributions to the European vaccine development landscape, providing scientific-technical services to more than 29 vaccine projects and developing a roadmap for the establishment of a sustainable European vaccine R&D.
TRANSVAC supports innovation for both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine development. High quality technical services across four different service platforms are offered: Technology (for process development and GMP production), Immunocorrelates & Systems Biology, Animal models, and support for Clinical Trials.
Academic and non-academic research groups, including SMEs, can apply to benefit from the expertise, reagents, and facilities offered by TRANSVAC2 to accelerate the development of their vaccines.
This call will not provide any form of cash funding. No funds will be transferred to any User unless pertaining to the refund of pre-approved expenses associated with using TRANSVAC’s Services.
Support is granted to Users in the form of access to a specific Service within the institution of a TRANSVAC partner. This support includes logistical, technological and scientific support as well as any necessary specific training needed in order to be able to benefit from the Services on-site. The Service Providers will also provide the required legal approvals and ethical approval. The support further includes the provision of basic consumables as required to complete use of the Service. Special consumables may need to be provided by the User. Once selected, the User can benefit from the Service which they applied for. Note that a User can benefit only from the Service they applied to use i.e. Users are not granted access to all of TRANSVAC’s Services, only the one for which the User applied. This may entail sending samples/antigens/vaccines to the TRANSVAC partner for analysis or, if necessary, actually visiting the TRANSVAC partner to complete the work.
Travel and accommodation costs: Travel and accommodation costs for the Users to/from/at the installation may be covered (if a physical visit is strictly necessary) if the Users are not in a position to do so themselves. In these cases, TRANSVAC will cover the costs of travelling and accommodation according to the rules of the corresponding installation (Service Provider). Costs are only reimbursed after the visit and upon submission of the requested reports. Any travel and accommodation costs must be pre-approved by the TRANSVAC partner in question. Any deviation from the budget is the responsibility of the User.
Access Period / Duration of Projects: In line with the EC’s Guidelines, each User has a maximum of up to three months to complete the work supported by TRANSVAC. In special cases the period of access may exceed this time frame.
Number of Lead Researchers (LRs): More than one LR may be designated on the application i.e. we can support collaborative / multi-LR applications as long as the majority of the Users work in a country other than the country where the TRANSVAC partner whose Service they wish to access is located. One LR should be identified as the main point of contact for TRANSVAC.
If you are interested in applying to one of the TRANSVAC Services, simply follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to the Service descriptions for specific information on the Services and other resources available (Sample sharing). Select the Service(s) which is most relevant for your work.
Step 2:Contact the corresponding service provider/lead scientist in order to confirm the feasibility of your study plan (the contact details are listed in the service description).
Step 3: Carefully read the Call Procedure for detailed information on (a) application guidelines, (b) eligibility criteria, (c) type of support, (d) selection process, and (e) follow up. These sections also include details on the duties of the Users accessing the TRANSVAC Services.
Step 4: Download and carefully read the Application form and complete it offline. With submission of the Application Form you declare that you have read and understood the Call Procedure and accept its terms. Applications can only be submitted during open calls (see Call Schedule).
All applications must be written in English.
European groups may apply to benefit from the expertise, reagents, and facilities of the TRANSVAC project. The Services are not restricted to any disease in particular. For scientists based in countries outside the EU Member States or its Associated States, access is subject to a range of charges according to the Service in question.
According to the EC regulations applicants must comply with the following criteria:
The User group leader and the majority of the Users in the group must work in an institution established in a EU Member State or Associated State (Associated States: Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Israel, Moldova, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Ukraine, Tunisia, Georgia, Armenia);
Additionally 20% of Users of a specific service can be of non-EU countries Associated to Horizon 2020 as listed in the document H2020 Programme Funding of applicants from non-EU countries & international organisations.
The User group leader and the majority of the Users in the group must work in a different country than the TRANSVAC partner whose Service they wish to access
Only Users that are able to openly disseminate the results they have generated with the support of TRANSVAC may apply.