Asia Cohort

Working with the Asia Cohort Consortium

Researchers interested in proposing collaborative projects are encouraged to read the following sections and contact the CC at cc@asiacohort.org for further information. 

Proposals

An investigator who is interested in initiating a collaborative project will need to submit a proposal and project submission cover sheet to the ACC Coordinating Center.  The project submission cover sheet can be found here.  Both the proposal and cover sheet should be submitted electronically to the CC at cc@asiacohort.org.  Proposals will be accepted from any individual interested in collaborating with the ACC, including non-ACC members.  Proposals originating outside of the ACC must first secure a sponsoring ACC member.  The CC can assist in arranging an ACC sponsor if needed.  

Proposals should be a concise summary of the proposed project, and include the following areas: Rationale and Significance, Specific Aims, Study Design, and Research Methods.  The proposal should also address the specific issues of project oversight, decision-making, the role of the CC, data-sharing arrangements, authorship and project milestones.  While proposals should be as close to the implemented project as possible, it is understood that in the initial stages, proposals are working documents which are subject to change during the review process.  The CC can provide a sample proposal upon request and can also assist in the development of the proposal if necessary.  

Review

Proposals will be accepted continuously throughout the year and will be sent to the Executive Committee (EC) for initial review.  Proposals which support the ACC mission and are deemed scientifically sound will be slated for review at the next scheduled bi-annual Steering Committee (SC) meeting.  Proposals will then be posted on the ACC secure members portal to allow SC members to review proposals in advance of the meeting.  As the review process is intended to be a discussion which advances collaboration, project participants and SC members are encouraged to discuss project design and logistics on portal discussion boards following posting.  If an expedited review is necessary and feasible, the review will be done entirely online. This expedited review should be requested by the proposal’s investigator.

Though not required, proposal authors will have the opportunity to present proposals at an ACC bi-annual Steering Committee (SC) meeting.  The SC may also request a brief presentation of a proposal to assist the committee’s review.  This presentation will allow project proponents and SC members to exchange thoughts and further project development.

While there are no formal evaluation criteria, the SC will pay particular attention to the project’s relevance to the ACC mission, merit of a large-scale collaborative effort, degree of scientific quality, and potential contribution to the area of study.  Bi-annual meetings will allot time for the SC to discuss these issues and communicate with project proponents, if in attendance. 

SC members will then vote on reviewed proposals.  For a proposal to be accepted, it must be approved by a majority of the SC members present, assuming that there is a quorum.  In some instances, the SC may recommend changes to a proposal prior to acceptance.  In such cases, the SC will communicate with the proposal’s lead author to discuss where alterations are possible.  It is hoped that this will further the project’s design and continue to build a collaborative environment among individuals committed to the project’s success.

If applicable, proposals will also be reviewed by an appropriate working group at some point in the review process.  For example, all proposals involving biospecimens will receive review by the Biospecimens Working Group.  Working groups will not have authority to approve proposals, but are responsible for advising the SC and proposal authors on protocol, policy, and procedural issues pertaining to their respective areas of expertise.

Post-Approval