Deadline: 25 April 2025
The Health Research Board’s ILCT Programme supports research that addresses questions of direct relevance to the improvement of patient care, health of the public and health services and that has strong potential to have immediate use for decision makers in everyday clinical practice or policy.
Aim and Objectives
- The overarching aim of the ILCT programme is to achieve tangible benefits to patients, peoples’ health and health services through support of studies:
- Studies evaluating the effectiveness of a definitive trial of an intervention. The evaluation may be of any appropriate design and will provide high quality evidence on the efficacy and/or effectiveness, cost and broad impact of the intervention (Definitive Intervention stream)
- Stand-alone feasibility studies conducted in preparation for a future definitive trial of an intervention are also supported to achieve a pipeline of definitive intervention studies (Feasibility stream)
- Trial methodology sub-study (including SWATs) built into the main or feasibility study to explore primary trial methodology questions. This sub-study may take the form of a Study Within A Trial (SWAT), or other approach focused on improving the design, conduct, analysis, reporting, or dissemination of trials in areas where there is current uncertainty.
- The objectives of the ILCT Programme are to:
- Fund research teams to conduct high quality definitive trials of interventions “definitive interventions”, and feasibility studies in clinical and/or population health research and/or health services research that are relevant to health priorities internationally and/or nationally
- Support research that translates research knowledge into new ways of treating patients, delivering care or changing behaviour
- Support conduct of trial methodology research within the context of proposed trials or feasibility studies
- Improve health outcomes and health service delivery
Funding Information
- Over 2025 and 2026, HRB plans to commit in the region of €12M to the ILCT Programme, including €3M aimed at supporting cancer trials. Quality permitting it is expected that a minimum of 10 awards will be funded through the programme.
- The ILCT Programme will provide funding for Definitive Intervention studies up to a maximum of €1,300,000 (inclusive of overheads) (or €1,000,000 exclusive of overheads) per award, for up to 60 months duration.
- Funding for Feasibility Studies will typically be in the region of €430,000 (inclusive of overheads) (or €320,000 exclusive of overheads) or below, with durations of between 12-36 months.
Who can apply?
- This call is open to Host Institutions (HI) from Republic of Ireland. Applicants from HIs in Northern Ireland cannot apply as Lead Applicant, but they can apply as a Co-Applicant/Collaborator and receive funding (if fully justified).
- Researchers should be at the mid-stage or senior stage in their career. It is strongly recommended that the Lead Applicant should have experience in the conduct of interventions.
- The research team should demonstrate the necessary breadth and depth of expertise in each of the methodological areas required for the delivery of the proposed project. Appropriate multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary involvement in the research team is essential.
For more information, visit HRB.
