News

Updates on Research Support during the Pandemic

Published: 15 June 2020

Sent on behalf of Martha Crago, Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation)

 

Dear Colleagues,

I have been thinking of you often, as research is slowly ‎starting up again at McGill.

‎I, like you, eagerly await the resources to help with mitigating the costs of research personnel, both trainees and employees, during the ramp-down and ramp-up period. The government has generously provided close to a total of $750 million to mitigate these research costs, but it has been frustratingly slow to arrive. We expect the administrative guidelines in the next two weeks for both the funding for Tri-Agency grants as well as the funding for personnel paid from industry contracts and through philanthropic foundations. We have been working behind the scenes to get ready for the arrival of the funding and will let you know as soon as we have news that we can share.

I have been thinking in particular about people who do research with in-person participants. This is how I did my own research, so I can imagine how frustrated and perplexed you must feel. We are not ready to begin this form of research immediately. I am working with Nancy Ross, AVP Research in my office, and Shari Baum, Vice Dean, Life Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine, to consult with Research Ethics Board (REB) directors and infectious disease specialists while also reviewing various health directives. We are developing procedures and a guide for what to consider when restarting this kind of research. We hope to have them ready soon. In the meantime, I ask that you do not send amending or other documents to your REB. Please know that we have not forgotten you. We are just trying to be careful of all involved.

Finally, I would like to know of your questions and concerns during this period in which you are doing research under less than ideal circumstances. You can reach me at research [at] mcgill.ca (). I will look at what you send myself. 

Please keep well.

 

Martha Crago, PhD, C.M.

Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation)

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