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Lupus Canada Catalyst Grant

Lupus Foundation of America

The Lupus Canada Catalyst Grant Program was launched to support high caliber start-up projects that have the potential to significantly advance the field or impact the lives of persons living with lupus and their families. This grant provides support to Canadian investigators to initiate new research ideas and projects and is intended to complement rather than compete with Canada’s TriCouncil funding programs. Our hope is that investigators who receive a Lupus Canada grant will have greater success in obtaining larger multiyear grants from traditional funders.

Objectives

Catalyst grants are intended to help kick start a new project or research idea focused on discoid or systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This could include, but is not limited to:

• pilot or feasibility studies

• development of new research methodology

• development of new research technology, tools or devices

• novel partnerships/collaborations

This Request for Applications is intended to support any of the four pillars of health research: biomedical, clinical research, health systems/services or social, cultural, environmental and population health so long as there is a clear tie to advancements in Canadian lupus research. Our hope is that these grants will give the opportunity to a broad array of researchers to seed additional funding and that the program of research will substantially impact the lives of Canadians living with lupus and their families.

Funding Opportunity

Once again, this year Lupus Canada Catalyst Grant Program is collaborating with Lupus Foundation of America to facilitate and improve grant management. Applications to the Catalyst Grant Program will be adjudicated through a peer reviewed process. There is a total of $75,000 (CDN) available to fund one project for a term of 1 year. Grants are non- renewable and cannot be carried forward.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Explicit, Central Focus on Lupus (SLE)

The single strongest predictor is a proposal that directly advances lupus research, including:

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) mechanisms

Lupus nephritis

Neuropsychiatric lupus

Pediatric/juvenile lupus

Autoantibodies, B-cell & T-cell dysregulation

Innate immune activation, interferon signatures

Biomarker discovery (blood, urine, imaging)

Clinical trials, outcomes research

Lupus flares, disease prediction

Fatigue, quality of life, adherence

❗ Generic autoimmunity proposals score poorly unless strongly tied to lupus biology or lupus patients.

2. Fit to the Correct LFA Mechanism

Different LFA funding lines have different expectations:

🔹 Gina M. Finzi Memorial Fellowship

For trainees and early-career researchers

Emphasizes mentoring + scientific potential

Requires feasible, compact projects (1 year)

🔹 LFA Research Grants (Pilot → Mid-Scale)

For early- to mid-career PIs

Requires strong preliminary data

Focus on novel lupus mechanisms or biomarkers

🔹 LFA-Funded Clinical / Biomarker Consortia

Support translational or clinical-type studies

Require strong clinical access and collaboration

🔹 LFA Special Calls (e.g., pediatric lupus, LN biomarkers, disparities)

Require tight alignment with the specific topic

Predictor: Match your career stage, research maturity, and topic precisely to the mechanism.

3. High Innovation + Strong Clinical or Scientific Impact

LFA prioritizes research that can produce meaningful change in lupus care:

New biomarkers for early detection or flare prediction

Therapeutic targets (B cells, T cells, interferon pathways, complement)

Novel therapeutics or mechanisms of drug resistance

Precision medicine approaches

Multi-omics for lupus heterogeneity

Real-world impact on lupus outcomes, disparities, fatigue

Predictor: Clearly articulate why this will matter clinically for lupus patients.

4. Strong Preliminary Data

Even for early-career awards, successful applications typically provide:

Proof-of-concept experiments

Feasibility reports (assay working, cell lines, animal models)

Pilot data from lupus patients

Early biomarker signals

Predictor: Strong preliminary data greatly increases reviewer confidence.

5. Patient Sample Access or Relevant Models

LFA highly values clinically relevant lupus biology:

SLE patient samples (blood, urine, tissue)

Lupus nephritis kidney tissue

Reliable lupus mouse models (MRL/lpr, NZB/NZW F1)

Single-cell or bulk transcriptomics from lupus cohorts

Predictive computational models validated in real data

Predictor: Access to human lupus samples or well-validated models is crucial.

6. Clear, Feasible, Milestone-Based Aims

Most LFA grants are short-term (1–2 years), so strong proposals include:

2–3 focused Aims

Defined readouts (cytokines, autoantibodies, imaging, biomarkers)

Milestones with go/no-go criteria

Realistic timeline for a small award

Path to next-step NIH or foundation funding

Predictor: Tightly scoped, feasible Aims score highest.

7. Strong Mentorship (Critical for the Finzi Fellowship)

For trainees and early-stage investigators, success correlates heavily with:

A mentor deeply experienced in lupus research

Strong training plan

Regular meetings and oversight

Access to lupus clinics, cohorts, biobanks, animal models

A track record of mentor-funded trainees

Predictor: The mentor’s quality is one of the top scoring criteria for trainee mechanisms.

8. Clear Relevance to LFA Strategic Priorities

LFA is especially focused on:

Improving lupus diagnosis and flare prediction

Reducing disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes

Pediatric lupus (often severe and under-studied)

Lupus nephritis (biomarkers, treatment optimization)

Fatigue and quality of life

Treatment optimization and clinical effectiveness

Predictor: Direct alignment with these priority areas significantly strengthens an application.

9. High-Quality Writing & Scientific Rigor

Top-scoring LFA proposals are:

Very clearly written

Well-organized

Supported by compelling preliminary data figures

Explicit about potential pitfalls & alternatives

Strong in biostatistics and reproducibility plans

Easy for both clinical and basic reviewers to understand

Predictor: Strong writing substantially increases reviewer enthusiasm.

10. Path to Future Lupus Funding

LFA favors projects that can lead to:

NIH R21/R01/K-level applications

Clinical trial development

Biomarker qualification

Translational pipelines

Future patient-impact programs

Predictor: Show how the LFA grant propels your next major step.

🏆 Summary Table — LFA Success Predictors

Predictor	Why It Matters
Lupus/SLE-specific focus	Core mission requirement
Mechanism alignment	Ensures appropriate expectations
Innovation + impact	Major scoring factor
Preliminary data	Shows feasibility
Human samples/models	Strengthens relevance
Focused Specific Aims	Fits 1–2 year timelines
Strong mentorship	Essential for early-career awards
Alignment with LFA priorities	Improves competitiveness
Strong writing & rigor	Improves reviewer scoring
Future funding pathway	Fits LFA’s “catalytic” philosophy

Specialties

Clinical Trials

Eligibility Requirements

1. All applicants and co-applicants must hold an academic appointment at a Canadian university, teaching hospital or similarly accredited institution (i.e., an institution eligible to hold tri-council funding).

2. Candidates in postdoctoral training are eligible to apply, but must have a Co-Principal applicant with an academic appointment in order to receive funds at their institution.

3. All applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Collaborators may be from outside of Canada, however no funds from Lupus Canada may be transferred outside of the country.

4. Principal Investigators are permitted to submit up to a maximum of 1 application per competition.

5. A Principal Investigator may be awarded a Lupus Canada funded Catalyst Grant only once during the last two competitions, but may participate in applications as collaborators and co-applicants.

Eligible Countries:

Canada

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Lupus Foundation of America

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 2121 K Street NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20037

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