Calls for Proposals FY 2023 [1st Alignment Call] Advanced International Collaborative Research Program - Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for an Innovative Research Ecosystem（ASPIRE)​

※1　Total budget for the entire research period

Research areas

This research area focuses on cellular structure and function. As imaging and analysis technologies have advanced, various phenomena have been observed, such as the dynamic state of organelles in cells and the liquid-liquid phase separation of proteins and nucleic acids. This research area also covers protein structure analysis and prediction using cryo-EM and AI, which can be used in drug design, for example. 

2.Complex Systems of Living Organisms
Our understanding of complex systems, including cell-to-cell and tissue-to-tissue interactions, pathogen-host interactions, and even human-human social relationships, is being enhanced by non-invasive biomedical measurement methods and AI technologies for analyzing large-scale complexity. This research area aims to clarify the mechanisms of maintenance and breakdown of biological functions caused by such interactions. As a result, new medical innovations will be developed for controlling them. 

3. Human Life Stages 
In this research area, research based on life stages such as human development, maturation, and aging will be studied. It also includes research on phenomena specific to each life stage. Research using age cohorts and birth cohorts, as well as experimental animals and cultured cells that model human life stages, are also actively studied. Within this research area, aging research and healthy longevity research are particularly important issues in a super-aging society and are research themes of global interest. 

Participating funding agencies and researchers in counterpart team

（1）Participating funding agencies (FA)

（As of August 8, 2023）
※2　Country: Alphabetical order　
※3　Replace “AT” with @

i）already be receiving research support from an eligible funding agency in their country; or 
ii）are currently applying for research support from an eligible funding agency in their country, with the outcome known by no later than the end of August 2023.

A prior agreement must be in place regarding the implementation of joint research and the acceptance of the traveling researcher
between Japan and counterpart teams.

Note：
- Application will not be accepted if the partner country researcher has not received a grant for the project from their FA, or if their proposal under evaluation has been rejected. 

- If you would like to collaborate with a researcher who receives support from a funding agency in Europe and North America other than the agencies listed above, please contact amed-aspire“AT”amed.go.jp（Replace “AT” with @）in advance. AMED may or may not be able to provide support through this program depending on the funding agency in question.

Eligibility

Japan-based applicants

Eligible applicants for this program are Principal Investigators who are affiliated with a research institution in Japan for the duration of the R&D period and who are responsible for formulating R&D implementation plans and compiling results with regard to the R&D proposal for which they have applied.
A researcher who does not belong to a specific research institute in Japan or who belongs to a research institute outside Japan may also apply as a Principal Investigator. However, he/she must belong to a research institute in Japan by the date of the contract conclusion or February 1, 2024, and must be able to conduct the research for the entire R&D period. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled in principle.

• Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for Innovative Research Ecosystem (ASPIRE) aims to provide sufficient funds for large-scale collaborative joint research projects in cutting-edge fields, to be conducted at the initiative of the Japanese government in collaboration with advanced countries with high standards of science and technology. 

• Under the cooperation of funding agencies in between Japan and partner country, this new fund will support international joint research strategically by enabling flexibility to set the research budget and support period. 

• Through this international research collaboration, Japanese researchers will be encouraged to join the world’s leading scientific community. The exchange and connection of excellent young researchers from Japan and partner countries will also be strengthened. This will promote international talent mobility and circulation, and contribute to long-term collaborative networks. 

• Proposal solicitation, evaluation, adoption, support, etc. in this program will be conducted by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), and AMED will support research projects in the field of “Healthcare”.

November 17 or 18, 2023（tentative)

Candidate proposals that are selected for interview will be notified by e-mail to the Principal Investigator of the proposal at least one week prior to the interview. If the proposal is not eligible for an interview, or if the interview itself will not be conducted, we will not contact you. Please wait until you are notified of the acceptance or rejection of your proposal.

The event has ended.

Date：13:00 – 15:00, June 15, 2023 (Japan Standard Time)
※ Click here for the materials

Applicants must submit both（1）Preproposal documents（via email）and（2）Full proposal documents (via e-Rad) .
Applications will not be accepted if not completed within the respective submission deadlines.

（1）Preproposal documents (via email)

Submission deadline：12:00 noon, July 11, 2023 (Japan Standard Time)

Preproposal documents including Annex 1 (Letter of Intent) must be submitted by email to the Call Secretariat. If the preproposal documents are not submitted by the deadline, application to the Call will not be accepted.

Submit to：amed-aspire“AT”amed.go.jp 
(Replace “AT” with @)

（2）Full proposal documents (via e-Rad)

Submission deadline：12:00 noon, August 8, 2023 (Japan Standard Time)  
Please note that there is no item "2" "8" in the proposal form.

Full proposal documents must be submitted on the Cross-ministerial Research and Development Management System (e-Rad).