DoM Internal Review Process for CIHR Project Grant
The Department of Medicine (DoM) offers an internal peer review process for CIHR Project Grant applications to help enhance their success. These internal reviews run in parallel to the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry (FoMD) Office of Research internal review process.
CIHR Project Grant Fall 2026 Competition
The DoM stream will only engage qualified reviewers who have been successfully awarded CIHR grants at least twice as a Principal Applicant and have participated in CIHR Peer Review Committees.
- The DoM internal review process is required for all early career researchers (ECR) affiliated with the DoM who have never received a full CIHR Project Grant as Principal Applicant. An ECR is a researcher within five years of the date of their first independent research-related appointment.
- Participation in the internal review process is strongly recommended for all other Principal Investigators even if they have a record of CIHR Project funding. However, this is not mandatory.
- Applicants are advised that the DoM will not conduct internal reviews for the resubmissions. Individuals who applied in the Spring 2026 competition and intend to resubmit to the CIHR Fall 2026 competition must therefore participate in the FoMD’s internal review process.
- Participation in the internal review process in the DoM or FoMD stream is required for FoMD's bridge funding eligibility, in case the CIHR application does not receive funding.
For New Submissions
Notice of Intent (NOI) to Apply - New Submissions
ECRs who will be (or are considering) applying to the CIHR Project Grant Fall 2026 competition should email Prashanth Komirishetty (domreas@ualberta.ca) no later than Monday, June 1, 2026.
- Place in the Subject line: Notice of Intent to Apply CIHR Project Grant Fall 2026 {your name}
- Include five keywords that best describe the nature of your proposal and the key methodologies
- Include the project’s title
- Include a CIHR one-page summary
- Identify which committee/panel at CIHR will be submitted to
Application Review Process
Each ECR will be assigned two qualified reviewers. The individuals will meet at least once in person or via Zoom. The reviewers will provide clear, constructive feedback and written comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal, as well as a list of specific recommendations. However, the degree by which these recommendations will be followed is up to the applicant.
Survey of Internal Review
To determine if the DoM Internal Review makes a difference in the success rates of our faculty members, applicants will complete a short questionnaire (up to five questions) to quantify:
- Their experience, e.g., was it constructive or useful?
- The degree by which they followed the specific recommendation, i.e., % of the recommendations followed in the submitted application.
The reviewers will also grade the application in a standard CIHR manner.
These answers will be analyzed with the CIHR application score/ranking and success (or not) for:
- Satisfactory level of the internal review
- Effectiveness of this intervention
- Effectiveness of types of selected reviewers
Questions
Please contact Prashanth Komirishetty (domreas@ualberta.ca), Research Office, Department of Medicine.