The Medical Research Council of Canada, designed to promote and support all manner of research in the health sciences, is the federal government's major funding agency for medical research in Canada. It was created in 1936 as the Associate Committee on Medical Research within the National Research Council (NRC). On 1 June 1946, the NRC replaced the Committee with the Division of Medical Research. On 4 July 1960, the Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC) was established as an autonomous subsidiary of the NRC.
Many different kinds of grants are awarded by the MRC. Operating Grants assist in defraying the running costs of basic, applied, developmental or clinical research in Canadian universities, their affiliated institutions, or other facilities. Major Equipment Grants allow the purchase of pieces of specialized equipment costing 10,000 or more. Scholarships are designed to give the investigator their first opportunity to develop and demonstrate their ability to carry out independent research in the health sciences. Centennial Fellowships are granted to young persons of distinguished academic standing who hold an M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M., or Ph.D and who wish to broaden their fields of interest. These awards are made for 1 to 3 years, and no more than 10 new awards are made in any year. Regular Fellowships are offered to equally qualified candidates who wish to take up full-time research training in the health sciences; these awards are tenable for 12 months, and may, under certain circumstances, be renewed. Finally, Studentships are provided to graduates with a B.Sc undertaking full-time training in research leading to an M.Sc or a Ph.D under the supervision of members of departments of schools of medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy and under certain circumstances, schools of nursing or physical education. Studentships are tenable for 12 months, with up to 3 renewals up to 3 times.
This accession contains operational subject files on a variety of MRC committees and working groups, and files on applicants and recipients of equipment grants, operating grants, visiting scientists, scholarships, studentships, fellowships, Centennial fellowships, and dental training grants. The files contain application forms and supporting documentation, correspondence, certificates of approval for clinical research on humans, description of research projects, referees' reports, notices of awards, and printouts from the Grant Application and Assessment System. Some files also contain academic transcripts, cheque requisitions, circulars to recipients informing them of changes in procedures, tracking sheets, and renewal forms.
For related material, see RG 128 Volumes 1-235, and Accessions 81-82/109, 85-86/655, 85-86/656, 86-87/174, 87-88/043, 89-90/237, 89-90/301, 89-90/310, 89-90/326, 90-91/212, 90-91/301, 90-91/310, 93-94/186, and 94-95/465.
