91社区

听Preamble

Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives (HBHL) is a high profile, high priority interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral research program supported at 91社区 by the Government of Canada鈥檚 Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF), in partnership with the Government of Quebec and partner organizations from across sectors. CFREF aims to help Canadian postsecondary institutions excel globally in research areas that create long-term economic advantages for Canada.

HBHL was competitively selected for funding through this program for seven (7) years starting in September 2016. HBHL is a global center of excellence for multidisciplinary research and a hub for neuroinformatics and big data analysis. The research is centered around an advanced analytic platform for brain research鈥擭euroHub鈥攖hat accelerates translational discoveries and enables improved brain health for Canadians and globally.

HBHL鈥檚 scientific strategy consists of a suite of funding programs designed to stimulate, accelerate, and integrate progress across the overall research program with a focus on an interdisciplinary approach across fields linked by neuroinformatics. HBHL鈥檚 objectives are achieved across four strategies: Capacity Building; Advancing Discovery; Accelerating Innovation; and Exchanging Knowledge, each with specific objectives on the discovery-to-innovation continuum.

Mandate

The Canadian Framework for Brain Health Research (CFBHR) Steering Committee is established under the authority of the HBHL Strategic Steering Committee to oversee HBHL policies and processes related to ensuring the timely delivery of the HBHL Canadian framework deliverable, as alluded to in the original 91社区 application to the CFREF program.

Key Responsibilities

To fulfill its mandate, the CFBHR Committee will:

• Work with HBHL staff to develop a strategy, operational plan, and budget to fulfill the CFBHR deliverable for HBHL;
• Provide guidance on the development of and approval for funding calls;
• Oversee the review and selection of proposals and recommend reviewers, as necessary based on the process laid out in calls for application; and
• Oversee progress tracking of funded projects, as necessary.

Membership and Appointments

Membership of the CFBHR Steering Committee shall consist of a minimum of 9 members, including:

• Co-Chairs of the Canadian Framework for Brain Health Steering Group (members of the brain health research community at 91社区) (2)
• HBHL Associate Theme Leaders (4)
• 91社区 Community members-at-large (2) (as needs are identified)
• External member at large (minimum 1)

Inaugural members of the CFBHR Steering Group will be put forward for consideration to the SSC by the HBHL Managing Director. In the future, open positions on the CFBHR Committee will be filled through an open call and appointed by the CFBHR Committee. The Co-Chairs of the committee will be elected through a vote by members of the committee. Should a member not be able to attend a meeting, a colleague from the same area of research may be delegated.

CFBHR members serve for terms associated with their respective positions of relevant responsibility at 91社区 and/or their role related to HBHL. Ad hoc guests and/or observers with specialized expertise may be invited to participate in meetings at the discretion of the Chair(s). The HBHL Managing Director & CEO attends the CFBHR meetings in a non-voting capacity. Other HBHL staff may attend at the discretion of the Managing Director & CEO.

Meetings

The CFBHR Committee will meet 6-8 times per year, as needed. Meeting dates will be scheduled in advance to ensure that all members are aware of upcoming meetings within a reasonable timeframe. Additional meetings will be held as deemed needed, at the discretion of the Co-Chairs. The CFBHR agenda will be prepared by the HBHL Managing Director with guidance from the Co-Chairs.

Conflict of Interest

Before each meeting begins, the Chair will ask members if they have any conflicts of interest to declare in relation to the items on the agenda. In the event that a member is the lead applicant or a co-applicant in an application that is being reviewed, the member will be asked to leave the room for the duration of the discussion. For any other COIs that may arise, the CFBHR steering committee members will determine how to proceed on a case-by-case basis.

Possible options on how to proceed when COIs arise:

1. The member in COI is asked to leave the room for the duration of the discussion.
2. The member in COI is asked to remain in the room as they may bring valuable insight to the conversation. However, if the matter is up for decision, the member will not take part in the official voting process.

Remuneration

Members of the CFBHR Committee serve without remuneration but will be reimbursed for their reasonable expenses incurred in the exercise of their duties at the rates applied by their home institution.

Resources

Resources, including staffing, research assistance and budget may be requested from HBHL and will be provided as HBHL resources allow at the discretion of the HBHL Managing Director, within her authority.

Quorum

Quorum for meetings of the CFBHR Committee constitutes 50% of the members. Decisions are normally made by consensus. If consensus is not forthcoming within a reasonable timeframe, the Co-Chairs may proceed with a vote on the question. For the vote to be valid, a majority of members with voting rights, must cast a vote (quorum). Each member has one (1) vote. Normally the Co-Chairs do not vote other than in the case of a tie.

An e-vote may be conducted when appropriate. A simple majority of all members is required for e-vote decisions. Should a voting member fail to vote by the established deadline, this will be counted as an abstention.

Recording CFHB Committee Decisions

听A written record of the discussions and recommendations arising at each meeting will be duly documented in official meeting notes, which, once approved by the CFBHR Committee, will be available for audit upon request. The HBHL Managing Director & CEO will ensure that the agenda and meeting materials are sent to members a minimum of four days prior to each meeting and that accurate notes of each meeting are taken and circulated at the next meeting for approval. The responsibility for taking minutes may be delegated to an HBHL staff member with the Managing Director supervising the content.

Terms of Reference Review History

• Approved by the HBHL Strategic Steering Committee on May 16, 2023听