GCRFF data challenge

About the challenge

The Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum (GCRFF) data challenge is a project that aims to check how much benefit we get from investing in cardiovascular and stroke research, and also to find areas where more research funding is needed.

Researchers from academic institutions are invited to participate in the challenge. The winning project will be awarded a $20,000 USD cash prize.

Participants will be asked to use artificial intelligence and data analysis to understand what has been successful, what has not, and to identify any gaps in cardiovascular and stroke research programmes. They will need to answer the question:

'How can the organisations that fund cardiovascular and stroke science most effectively fund research to drive discoveries and improve lives?'

You can find out about the challenge on the American Heart Association (AHA) website.

How research success is measured

The success of the research could be measured by:

• acquiring additional funding
• meeting stated objectives
• opening new research directions
• providing impact on human health.

To identify any gaps in funding, researchers will analyse the impact of cardiovascular diseases and strokes globally in relation to the amount of funding allocated.

They will also use grant funding data provided by GCRFF member organisations and bring their own institutional data to conduct analyses on the AHA Precision Medicine Platform. This platform is a cloud-based system where researchers can collaborate and analyse large datasets from any location, securely and with the power of machine learning.

Deadline and how to apply

Data challenge proposals must be submitted by September 30 2024.

The winner will receive a $20,000 USD cash prize. Second and third place will receive $5,000 USD each.

All awards are dependent on final research being published in a peer-reviewed journal.

You can find out how to apply on the American Heart Association website.