What is the application process?
The application process consists of two stages:
Stage one - Expressions of Interest (EoI)
‘Applicant Consortia’ (i.e. formed by academia, SMEs, patient organizations and regulatory bodies etc.), are invited to submit an Expression of Interest in response to the Call for proposals published on the IMI website.
Each topic included will state which EFPIA member companies have already indicated that they will participate in the final funded project. Those EFPIA companies are therefore not to be a part of the ‘Applicant consortia’.
The ‘Applicant Consortia’ proposals are peer reviewed and then the consortium with the highest ranked EoI will be invited to jointly develop a full project proposal together with the EFPIA partners associated to the corresponding topic.
The peer review and selection of expressions of interest is carried out by experts (European and international) in the relevant scientific fields and representatives of the EFPIA participants.
Information on how to submit an Expression of Interest can be found on the IMI Website
Stage two – Full project proposal
The successful ‘applicant consortia’ and the relevant EFPIA partners develop their full project proposal. The full project proposal is evaluated based on consistency with the original Expression of Interest; scientific excellence; the quality of the implementation plan and the potential impact. Ethical issues are also considered at this stage. This proposal is peer reviewed, and if the required standard is met, put forward for project agreement negotiations to finalise the project and commence work.
The peer review at the full proposal stage is done by the same experts who selected the expressions of interest, but without the involvement of the EFPIA representatives.
Information about the call, including the Guide for Applicants and Rules for Participation is available in the call information package on the IMI website.
For information about the call for proposals, please contact the UK National Contact Point for the Health Theme:
Victoria Brewer
victoria.brewer@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk.