i4A Open Call

Imaging for All (i4A) funding for Low/Middle-Income Country researchers to access imaging infrastructures and training opportunities

Applicants: Researchers and imaging facility scientists affiliated with not-for-profit institutions in Low/Middle-Income Countries (some exceptions may apply)
Hosting institutions: Institutions worldwide (some exceptions may apply)
Dates: The first open call for i4A funding will take place from September 25th to November 30th, 2024
Funding: Wellcome Trust (UK)

This announcement is the first of a series of open calls for the i4A funding programme aimed at providing researchers and imaging facility staff and management from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) with access to biological and biomedical imaging services, as well as imaging-related training opportunities across all continents.

  • Do you have a biological sample that you have longed to visualise with an advanced imaging technique that is currently not accessible to you?
  • Have you encountered a new imaging modality and wondered if it would be the ideal technology for your project but are uncertain about the next steps?
  • Do you wish to explore your scientific question from a new perspective, taking advantage of specialised sample preparation and/or imaging techniques?
  • Are you in the process of developing an imaging assay and need expert guidance?
  • Do you seek hands-on experience with a specific sample preparation method?
  • Do you want to learn how to operate a specific type of microscope?
  • Do you aim to enhance your image analysis skills to quantify your imaging datasets?
  • Do you seek to acquire in-depth knowledge in an imaging modality because you intend to acquire an instrument in your institution and/or train other researchers?
  • Do you want to learn about image data management systems?
  • Do you aspire to acquire skills in managing imaging facilities?

If you are an LMIC researcher or imaging facility professional interested in imaging technologies and relate to these or similar scientific objectives, the i4A programme could offer you the ideal opportunity to secure funding for your projects and your professional development!

Who can apply?

Any researcher or imaging facility staff or management affiliated with a not-for-profit organisation (e.g. university, institute) located in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) is welcome to apply. Please check if the country of your home organisation is classified as an LMIC by using this link.

Please note:

  • All applications will undergo an administrative feasibility check, to ascertain that they secure the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity.
  • The administrative feasibility check will also ascertain if applications will be incompatible with relevant legal frameworks, including sanctions and export controls.
  • Individual applicants will be considered as the grant recipients and not their affiliated institutions.
  • Successful applicants must comply with the Wellcome Trust grant conditions and grant funding policies, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) travel reimbursement guidelines and i4A sub-awardee terms and conditions.
  • Wellcome Trust does not fund activities that involve the transfer of grant funds into mainland China. Visit here for more information.
  • Wellcome Trust expects that applicants do not hold or are not employed on a research grant from the tobacco industry.
  • Wellcome Trust and therefore EMBL, may not be able to fund you if you, anyone associated with your grants, or your grant activities, are: the target of international sanctions or located in a country that is the target of international sanctions. For more information on WT stance on international sanctions, please visit this link.
  • For more information on Wellcome Trust’s policy on eligibility, please visit this link.

What do we offer?

The i4A programme provides funding for visits to national or international host destinations of your choice that aligns with your imaging-related goals. We only exclude your own institution as the host to promote knowledge exchange across a wider radius.

We offer three distinct grant tracks addressing different access needs and objectives.

i4A Access Grant (Track 1) targets researchers and imaging facility professionals who want to access imaging facilities of their choice to use biological or biomedical imaging technologies and related services on offer.

For detailed information regarding eligibility, conditions, application procedures and the selection process, and to apply, please refer to the page ‘i4A Access Grant Guide’.

i4A Pro Grant (Track 2) targets researchers with significant experience in imaging and imaging facility professionals aiming to significantly develop their skills in biological or biomedical imaging technologies and/or applying advanced imaging techniques to their research. This track will provide access to job-shadowing opportunities, personalised hands-on training and/or extended opportunity to conduct research involving imaging in GBI partner imaging facilities that have been independently evaluated for their open-access services.

For detailed information regarding eligibility, conditions, application procedures, the selection process, and to apply, please refer to the page ‘i4A Pro Grant Guide’.

i4A Training Grant (Track 3) targets researchers who want to participate in a national or an international in-person training workshop or course of their choice on biological or biomedical imaging technologies, image data analysis, image data management or imaging facility management with the goal of gaining new skills and knowledge.

For detailed information regarding eligibility, conditions, application procedures and the selection process, and to apply, please refer to the page ‘i4A Training Grant Guide’.

How to apply?

Here is an overview of how the application process works for the i4A funds:

Do you need help with your application? Send us your inquiries!

The “send your inquiry” step of the application process is intended to provide you the support you may require to decide which track to apply for, find an imaging facility that aligns with your needs, to identify suitable imaging modalities, or to pinpoint training opportunities that match your scientific aims.

Simply send us a brief description of your project and/or objectives in applying to the i4A funds. Let us know if you already have a specific destination in mind, which training course(s) you are interested in, or if you require assistance in making a decision, and we will take it from there.

While the ‘send your inquiry’ step is not compulsory for applicants in the i4A Access and i4A Training tracks, we do recommend that you make use of this opportunity. Applicants to the i4A Access track have the option to proceed by directly contacting their prospective hosting imaging facility, obtaining their confirmation of support and submitting their official application. Similarly, i4A Training applicants can also directly submit their official applications, specifying the training course/workshop they wish to attend.

For i4A Pro Grant applicants, collaborating and agreeing on a host imaging facility is a prerequisite to submitting an official application.

To start the process, please send us an email at i4a_support@embl.de.

For detailed application procedures specific to each track, please consult our dedicated guides.

We help you with your travel arrangements and offer to pre-fund your visit!

Reimbursement-based funding may pose challenges for LMIC researchers seeking access to facilities and training opportunities, especially in international contexts. In order to address these financial barriers, we aim to directly cover facility and training fees whenever it is possible. Our i4A administrative staff is happy to assist you with booking your tickets and accommodation in a pre-funded manner.

We will provide the grantees with the documentation necessary to facilitate visa applications, outlining the purpose of their visit and funding details.

Timeline of the first i4A open call

For applicants requiring visas for their travel associated with the i4A grant, please inform yourself about visa processing timelines with your respective embassies or consulates while selecting your training course or hosting institution/country.

How many awards will be distributed?

Under the i4A’s first open call, our goal is to award approximately 10 i4A Access, 10 i4A Training and 5 i4A Pro Grants, assuming we receive a similar number of applications for each track.

These numbers are not fixed and may vary depending on the distribution of submitted applications across the available tracks.

How do we select our grantees?

We aim for a transparent selection process that uses a point-based evaluation system, whose details can be found in the dedicated guides for each track.

Please note that in order to strengthen the diversity and international reach of this open call, we aim to limit awards to the same country and seek a balanced gender representation. Each track will be evaluated within itself for the fulfilment of these criteria.

Note on personal data handling:
We will collect personal information for the purposes of evaluating the applications, ensuring balanced gender representation in the selection process and generating anonymized statistics. Your personal data will be handled with the utmost care and confidentiality. The selection committee that will evaluate the submitted applications will sign a declaration for conflict of interest and a confidentiality agreement and will not discuss your project with other parties.

About i4A

i4A is a grant programme funded by the Wellcome Trust and coordinated by GBI. It is designed to diminish financial obstacles for researchers from low- and middle-income countries in accessing cutting-edge imaging services and imaging-related training opportunities and engaging with the global imaging community. By ensuring fair access to imaging infrastructures, we aim to promote international knowledge exchange and foster the advancement of imaging science worldwide.

Do you have further questions?

We are hosting a Q&A session on 15.10.2024 at 13:00 CEST. We will answer your questions and support your applications. To register, please use this link.

For your questions and support requests please get in touch with us via i4a_support@embl.de.