RICHEN Competition

Project presentation
 

RICHEN EUROPE is the European operatng branch of the RICHEN GROUP, a major international group of medical device manufacturers with a global commitment. The company specializes in developing the best solutions for patients in the feld of gastroenterology. Over the years our R&D department has excelled in the design and development of high-performance safe equipment and reagents for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection.

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Since 2015, the Richen Group has been supporting the European Helicobacter & Microbiota Study Group (EHMSG) as Platinum Sponsor. The European Helicobacter & Microbiota Study Group (EHMSG) was founded in 1987 thanks to a collaboration of Helicobacter pioneers who created networks in their own countries and now represent their national networks to the European study group. This multdisciplinary group is composed of one representative from most countries of the European Union and organizes an annual workshop in a different country every year.
The Richen group is always looking for new ways to increase the quality, reliability and certainty of diagnostic results as well as recognising the needs of its customers and working with research groups to further develop its research portfolio. Thanks to this philosophy, the Richen Group has launched its first ever research competition in 2021, with the aims of encouraging and supporting early career medical researchers to conduct studies and to generate results within a 1-year timeframe, enabling them to apply for more substantive competitive funding.
Richen is offering to each successful applicant 1 instrument (plus accessories and kits) on a free loan for the duration of the Research Project. Richen Europe shall offer assistance and training and will be the reference contact for the duration of the Project.
Proposals may be in any area relevant to research into the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infecton. Applications must be submitted on the offcial form and adhere to instructions within these guidelines.
 

Assessment Procedure

In assessing applicatons, the Research Grants Panel (RGP) gives consideraton to:

! The originality of the applicaton
! Assessors scores
! Expert comment from the RGP members

The RGP shall select up to 4 Research Projects from those submited before the deadline of 30th September 2023. These applicants will receive the loan instrument and start their study (November 2023 – July 2024), together with a maximum of 100 kits free of charge. Further kits shall be provided by Richen Europe at a special price dedicated to this Open Competiton. At the end of the Research Project development (12/07/24) the applicants shall return the instrument to Richen Europe and the best research publication shall be declared winner of the Richen Group Open Competition 2023-2024. The winner will be announced during the XXXVIIth EHMSG Workshop in Porto (September 2024) and will be awarded with a free registration to the 2025 Workshop, including travel and accommodation for the duration of the event (dates to be confirmed). 

Furthermore, the winner of the Competition will have the possibility of purchasing the same instrument delivered for the Research Project’s development with a 50% discount from the price list.

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Requirements and Details

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• The competiton is open to all early career researchers including post-doc students and junior professionals in the field of gastroenterology from any country within the European Union.

• Research proposals may be in any area relevant to the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection, including but not exclusively epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects.

• The research project shall be completed and its results must be presented to the Organizers before the deadline (max. 8 months from the delivery of the instrument), in order to be considered for the final award selecton. 

• Ethics approval must be provided before the provision of the instrument and beginning of the project. Candidates shall therefore submit the request at the time of the application in order to receive approval before the announcement of the selected Research Projects (23/10/23).

• The awarded candidate shall present to the Competition’s Organizers the list of possible scientific journals/magazines/reviews or other publishing entities that shall be contacted for the publication of the Research Project’s results whether its validity is confirmed by scientific data. 

• Whilst the candidates shall remain the sole owners of the publication, the latter must acknowledge that projects have been supported by Richen Europe.

• All Research Projects must be presented in English language only.

• For an applicaton to be valid, candidates must submit:

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✓  the application form with personal data

✓  copy of ID

✓  detailed curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages)

✓  official statement of professional status

✓  description of the Project’s objectives and Research background

✓  instrument needed and number of foreseen tests/patients

✓  Research Project’s duration (max. 8 months)

✓  Draft calendar of the project and its expected publication date

 

It does not represent a reason for exclusion if the research study is already being funded by a different entity, which shall however be by no means in contrast or in competition with Richen Europe and the EHMSG Organization. This other funding must be mentioned in the application process.
The complete dossier must be sent in a single attachment to the attention of the Organizer’s contact e-mail attiliocitrino@china-richen.com.cn . Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
Aligned with the EU competition rules, the Organizers shall accept applications without discrimination on grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of national minority, property, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Calendar and deadlines 

• 27/05/2023 - 30/09/2023: Presentation of applications 

• 30/09/2023 - 23/10/2023: Ethics approval to be provided by candidates

• 23/10/2023: Announcement of 4 selected Research Projects

• by 10/11/2023: Delivery of equipment and training of candidates

• 13/11/2023 - 12/07/2024: Undertaking of selected Research Projects

• 15/07/2024: Deadline for submission of presentation and poster with the Research Project results to the Organizers

• September 2024: Announcement of Competition’s winner

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