GooGhywoiu9839t543j0s7543uw1 - add alsalberta@gmail.com to GA account 66309507 with "Administrator" permissions - date 10/07/2022

Alberta ALS Research Network Announces Research Trainee Awards

The Alberta ALS Research Network (AARN) is proud to announce its first funding awards. In collaboration with Mitacs, a Canadian NFP that has been investing in homegrown innovation for more than 25 years, these awards will help fund Alberta student and postdoc internships for research trainees focusing on ALS through Mitacs’ Accelerate program.

Growing opportunities for trainees and early career researchers is a primary target for AARN. Working with Mitacs helps meet that target while stretching AARN dollars further via Accelerate’s fund-matching model.

  • Graduate/Undergraduate Awards: AARN contributes $7,500 for a 4-6 month internship and Accelerate matches for a $15,000 research award (minimum $10,000 stipend, up to $5,000 toward research).

  • Postdoc Awards: AARN contributes $10,000 and Mitacs matches for a 4-6 month internship of $20,000 (minimum $10,000 stipend, up to $5,000 toward research).

  • Opportunities may exist to extend internships for repeated terms.

This is a time sensitive opportunity. If we wait too long to submit applications, the available funds will be gone. In the future AARN will have an established membership roll for award announcements. For now, we need your help getting the word out to potential interested parties at our universities.

Requirements are simple:

1. Research must be in the ALS field.
2. Researcher and PI must be in Alberta.
3. Applicant and PI must be AARN members. Become a member here.

Interested applicants should send an outline of their proposal to AARN for review (see below for full details).

Please direct any questions to AARN Project Manager Kelsie Snow at kelsie@alsab.ca.

About the Alberta ALS Research Network (AARN)

The Alberta ALS Research Network is a newly-launched initiative aimed at making Alberta a global leader in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) research and care. AARN’s mission is to accelerate research and find a cure for ALS by fostering collaboration between top ALS researchers at Alberta Universities.

Award Overview

The AARN Research Trainee Awards will support promising trainees to pursue innovative ALS research. Awards will be granted in partnership with Mitacs, a Canadian NFP organization that has been supporting research and innovation for more than 25 years, through Mitacs’ Accelerate program. Accelerate is a fund-matching program aimed at cultivating and encouraging Canadian student and post-doctoral researchers.

This award is open to Alberta-based undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows working on ALS research under the supervision of an Alberta-based researcher.

Application Steps

1. Identify a supervisor at an Alberta-based institution whose research is relevant to the field of ALS.
2. Review the Accelerate application process and guidelines.
3. Submit an application outline to AARN, including:

  • Up to 1 page summary of the project

  • Up to 0.5 page summary of applicant qualifications

  • Up to 0.5 page describing the supervisor and training environment

4. Send your application outline to AARN.
5. Applicants selected by AARN will be invited to submit a full proposal to Accelerate via Mitacs’ online process alongside their supervisor and AARN.

Value

Selected undergraduate and graduate applicants will receive $15,000 per 4-6-month internship (minimum $10,000 stipend, up to $5,000 for research).

Selected postdoctoral applicants will receive $20,000 per 4-6-month internship (minimum $15,000 stipend, up to $5,000 for research).

Term

Internships run 4-6 months. Opportunities may exist to extend internships for repeated terms. Applicants interested in funding over multiple terms should indicate this in their application outline.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Applicant must be Alberta-based.
2. Supervisor must be Alberta-based.
3. Research must be relevant to the field of ALS.

Deadlines

Submit application outline by email to AARN Project Manager Kelsie Snow (kelsie@alsab.ca) by JULY 15, 2025.

Applicants selected for full Mitacs application will be notified by AUG 1, 2025.

Invited applicants must submit their full application to Mitacs no later than AUG 31, 2025.

Total number of awards will be determined based on AARN budget and quality of applications.

Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by AARN Steering Committee. Successful applicants will be invited to formally apply to Mitacs based on strength of application.

Please direct any questions to Kelsie Snow at kelsie@alsab.ca.