The Academic Clinical Trial grants fund investigator-initiated clinical trials (IITs) that address unmet medical needs in blood cancer, recognizing that academic research may address clinical benefit needs that sometimes diverge from commercial development pathways.

The goal of this clinical award is to address unmet medical needs by testing new treatments, exploring expanded uses for existing therapies, and optimizing innovative treatment approaches in patient care.

The Hoffman ALS Clinical Trial Awards Program helps develop new and improved ALS therapies by supporting early-stage clinical trials. These trials generally produce data on safety, dosing, and biomarkers that are essential for moving an investigational therapy one step closer to being evaluated by the FDA. Positive results at this stage “de-risk” the next stage of drug development, typically large clinical trials, and help attract the follow-on funding necessary to complete this work. The Hoffman ALS Clinical Trial Awards Program also supports early trials of imaging tracers.

This grant competition offers operating funds for research investigations that lead to improved health outcomes for women and/or children. All applications are peer-reviewed by either the Biomedical Grant Advisory Committee or the Applied Health Grant Advisory Committee. Applications submitted to this grant competition may be either stand-alone projects or projects that provide pilot data for future applications to provincial and/or national agencies. Funding of up to $60,000 is available for a two-year period. The principal applicant must hold a full-time academic or clinical faculty appointment at the University of Alberta, and the principal applicant must be a WCHRI academic member.

The annual competition awards individuals or collaborative teams pursuing research, innovation or quality improvement programs and projects that will establish new approaches to patient care.

Applicants may include physicians, nurses and allied health staff of the University of Alberta Hospital (UAH), which is inclusive of the Kaye Edmonton Clinic (KEC) and Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute (MAZ), and students or researchers in health disciplines from another faculty through joint application with an affiliate of the UAH. The research or quality improvement program or project must directly impact the care of patients at the UAH.

Heart & Stroke is proud to fund Canada’s best heart and brain health researchers. Check out the website https://www.heartandstroke.ca/what-we-do/research/for-researchers to see current opportunities.

UCeed is a group of early-stage investment funds, backed by philanthropic support, accelerating UCalgary and community-based startup companies to advance problem-solving research, create jobs and fuel the economy. Focused on advancing health care innovation across the field, including areas like therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices and software.

The AICE program from Alberta Innovates supports Alberta health technology ventures to grow and generate the evidence needed along their journey to achieve validation, market access, and start scaling. The objectives are to mitigate the risks faced by innovative Alberta health technology SMEs that require preclinical and clinical evidence to get to market by providing non-dilutive funding and access to advice and partners along the way.

The Cross Cancer Institute (CCI) and the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre (Arthur Child) host Investigator-Initiated Trial (IIT) competitions for local clinical trial investigators on a semi-annual basis.

All proposals go through a rigorous regional review panel comprised of clinicians and clinical trial support resources such as finance, biostatistics, and regulatory. This group provides comprehensive feedback to the Principal Investigator (PI) and successful applicants are recommended for review at the provincial level.

The Provincial IIT Review Committee reviews the proposed IITs for collaborative opportunities between cancer centres and seek support for funding approval.

Our Technology Transfer Services (TTS) Team supports inventors through a range of options for commercialization. The TTS Team can help you navigate the process and identify what path is most appropriate for you and your invention.

Services include: Invention disclosure, intellectual property protection and licensing, business contracts and agreements, and company creation.

Building on the National Intellectual Property Strategy that was launched in 2018, the Government of Canada continues to further support Canadian innovators, startups, and technology-intensive businesses. Originally launched in Budget 2021 and renewed through Budget 2025, ElevateIP provides innovators and Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) with the tools and expertise to understand, strategically manage, and leverage their intellectual property (IP).

ElevateIP Alberta is an education-first funding program that empowers innovators and SME’s to make informed, strategic IP decisions. By prioritizing education, we equip founders with the tools to understand, protect and leverage their IP for growth.

ElevateIP Alberta is delivered on behalf of the University of Calgary.