Guidelines

1.    Description

This is the 5th anniversary of the ESRS-Synthélabo grant (now ESRS-Sanofi-Synthélabo grant) initiated by Prof. Alexander Borbély 10 years ago, in 1992. On this occasion the grant will be different. In the framework of the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) SANOFI-SYNTHELABO Group is offering four research grants for European sleep researchers, and has agreed to raise the financial contribution for each grant.

2.    Topic

The topic can deal with any area of sleep research.

3.   Jury

3.1    Composition

The successful applicants will be chosen on a competitive basis by a jury consisting of the following 4 members:

Prof. I. TOBLER, President of the ESRS
Prof. M. BILLIARD, Past President of the ESRS
Dr. D.-J. DIJK; Chairman of the ESRS Scientific Committee
Dr. G. LE FUR, representative of the SANOFI-SYNTHELABO Group

3.2    Chairperson

The chair of the Jury is the President of the ESRS. In case of a split decision during the voting procedure, the chairperson will have a casting vote which counts double.

The applicants should not be more than 40 years old and should preferably be members of the ESRS. The applicants should not be affiliated to a commercial or industrial organization.

5.    Procedure

The grant will be awarded at the 16th ESRS Congress in Reykjavik. The research project should be completed within two years.

5.1   Announcement and Deadline

The grant will be announced to ESRS members per email. Applications must be received not later than March 31, 2002.
They should be addressed to :

Prof. Irene Tobler Ph.D.
Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology
University of Zurich
Winterthurerstr. 190
CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
Fax : +41 (0)1 635 57 07
email: tobler@pharma.unizh.ch

5.2    Application Contents

The application must include the following items:

- proposal consisting of (max 6 pages):

• a brief overview of the scientific context including relevant references
• a description of the scientific aim of the project
• half-page summary
• an account of the finances required (e.g. salaries, cost of equipment)
• a written approval by the local ethical committee where applicable.

- Information on the facilities in which the project will be carried out,
the persons actively involved in the project, and on support from other sources.
- the curriculum vitae of the applicant;
- the list of publications of the applicant;

All documents should be submitted in English, preferably by email.

5.3   Selection time line

The jury will select and inform the successful applicants before end of May, 2002. The jury is entitled not to award the grant if the scientific standard of the applications is deemed inadequate.

5.4    Award of the Research Grant

The European Sleep Research Grant (ESRS-Laboratoires SANOFI-SYNTHELABO) will be awarded during the 16th Congress of the European Sleep Research Society in Reykjavik (3-7 June 2002). The jury will decide the mode of payment of the grant (lump sum or yearly installment).

5.5   Duration of the Project, Obligations of the Grant Recipient

The project will be carried out over a period of two years. A yearly progress report will be required. The recipients will be expected to present the results at the next congress of the ESRS and to publish an article in a scientific journal.

The amount is 70'000 FF for each of the four projects (corresponding to: 10'670 EUR on January 15, 2002).

Laboratoires SANOFI-SYNTHELABO will transfer this amount in Euro to the account of ESRS after the decision of the jury in May 2002. Payment to the grant recipient will be the responsibility of the ESRS Treasurer.