Research Funding

Research Funding

Research Funding

For more than 20 years, the Stem Cell Network has made strategic investments in stem cell and regenerative medicine research, helping to position Canada as a global leader in the field. As Canada’s only national stem cell and regenerative medicine network, SCN’s research funding translates Canadian regenerative medicine research discoveries from the innovation and developmental stages through pre-clinical evaluation and into clinical trials and commercial applications.

SCN funds translational research through a suite of funding programs. Through these award programs, SCN powers stem cell and regenerative medicine research across the clinical pipeline in more than 26 disease areas, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurological diseases.

During the 2025-2029 period, SCN will hold two peer-reviewed funding competitions to identify the research projects to receive funding. The first competition kicked off in September 2024 and offered two- and three-year awards that began in April 2025.

SCN is now pleased to announce the second research funding competition.

Save the Date!

The Round 2 competition officially opens Monday, August 31, 2026, and offers 22-month awards. Four regenerative medicine research programs are available that focus on innovation, translation toward the clinic, and policy and societal impact. 

SCN is proud to collaborate with two organizations to offer joint-funding award opportunities. These organizations are: 

Watch the webinar recording to learn more about SCN’s new research funding competition launching on August 31, 2026. 

The Letter of Intent (LOI) submission process opens August 31, 2026, and is mandatory for all SCN funding programs. To be clear: applicants MUST submit an LOI to be considered for the full application stage of the research competition. LOIs will be used to identify peer review requirements, gauge the level of interest in SCN’s programs, and ensure projects fall within SCN’s regenerative medicine mandate. 


Important Dates: 

  • LOI submissions open on Monday, August 31, 2026.
  • LOI submission deadline is Monday, September 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
  • Full application submission will open to eligible LOI applicants on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
  • Full application submission deadline is Tuesday, November 24, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. PDT).

Four Funding Award Programs

Status: coming soon

Accelerating Clinical Translation Awards

SCN will provide up to $700,000  to support multi-disciplinary research that is moving toward the clinic within five years; or is addressing a key research question associated with an ongoing clinical trial.

Program Guidelines

Status: coming soon

Early Career Researcher Jump Start Awards

SCN will provide up to $270,000  for early career researchers (within the first five years of an initial academic appointment) to develop a research program with a regenerative medicine focus.

Program Guidelines

Status: coming soon

Impact Awards

SCN will provide up to $290,000 to support proof-of-principle experiments, including novel therapeutic or technical approach development that will drive regenerative medicine therapies forward.

Program Guidelines

Status: coming soon

Impact Awards: ELSI & HE Stream

SCN will provide up to $215,000 to support the knowledge generation and/or translation of regenerative medicine research for targeted stakeholders and/or users.

Program Guidelines

Status: coming soon

Joint-Funding: Azrieli Foundation

SCN is pleased to partner with the Azrieli Foundation to support neurodevelopmental disorder projects through the Accelerating Clinical Translation Awards, Early Career Researcher Awards, Impact Awards, and the Impact Awards: ELSI & HE Stream which includes a NEW targeted call for Access, Affordability and Adoption (AAA) projects.
*Projects selected for joint funding will receive awards valued up to 20% higher than SCN’s standard awards.

Joint-Funding Program Guidelines
Joint-Funding Program Guidelines For AAA Projects

Status: coming soon

Joint-Funding: Breakthrough T1D

SCN is pleased to partner with Breakthrough T1D to support type 1 diabetes projects through the Accelerating Clinical Translation Awards, Impact Awards, and a NEW targeted call under the Impact Awards: ELSI & HE Stream exclusively for Access, Affordability and Adoption (AAA) projects.
*Projects selected for joint funding will receive awards valued up to 20% higher than SCN’s standard awards.

Joint-Funding Program Guidelines
Joint-Funding Program Guidelines for AAA Projects
Submit LOI through ProposalCentral

Questions:

LOI and full application-related questions should be addressed to SCN’s Research team at researchSCN@stemcellnetwork.ca. 

Resources:

SCN’s Peer Review Process

To ensure the research projects and clinical trials SCN funds align with our strategic mandate, SCN employs a two-stage peer review process that first evaluates the scientific excellence of an application and then assesses the strategic fit with our mandate and contractual obligations to the Government of Canada:

Stage one: Applications are evaluated to identify scientifically excellent research that will further the field, is novel and will ensure Canada continues to have international impact within the area of regenerative medicine. The evaluation of the scientific merit of an application is performed by SCN’s international peer review committees, comprising international subject matter experts drawn from academia and industry. The 2025 funding competition was made possible through the expertise and dedicated efforts of a committee of 64 Canadian and international peer reviewers. The peer reviewers who contributed to the 2025 funding competition are listed below.

Stage two: A strategic evaluation of highly ranked peer reviewed applications is conducted by SCN’s Research Management Committee (RMC). The RMC is responsible for considering how each potential project aligns with SCN’s mandate, budget needs, partner support, project potential for clinical and/or commercial translation, HQP training, knowledge mobilization, and the fostering of equity, diversity and inclusion within the multi-disciplinary research team.

Based on the Stage one scientific peer review and the Stage two strategic evaluation, the RMC and SCN Management make project funding recommendations for approval by SCN’s Board of Directors.

SCN uses a Continual Review process for all projects approved by SCN’s Board of Directors to ensure a research project’s milestones and deliverables are being met and that SCN funds are appropriately invested. Continual Review is conducted by the RMC, which offers insight and direction in reviewing the annual project progress reports. The RMC may also directly meet with investigators to better understand the nuances of their research so investigators receive the best possible feedback and support.

List Of 2025 Peer Reviewers

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