Sleep and Respiratory Care Investigator-Initiated Studies and Grant Programs
- By Philips
- August 29 2026
- 10 min read
Philips Sleep & Respiratory Care values collaboration with clinicians, researchers, and academic institutions to advance the science of sleep and respiratory therapies. Through Investigator-Initiated Studies and educational and research grant programs, Philips supports independent initiatives that promote innovation, enhance clinical knowledge, and improve patient outcomes. These programs help strengthen scientific exchange and support the development of evidence that informs healthcare decision-making.
At a glance
- Learn more about the S&RC’s Investigator-Initiated Study (IIS) Program.
- Learn more about S&RC’s Grant offerings – educational and research.
Types of Programs
Investigator- Initiated Study
Also, known as Investigator-Initiated Research (IIR).
An IIS is an unsolicited research effort conceived, designed, conducted, and sponsored entirely by a non-Philips entity, in which the principal investigator (PI) both implements the study and assumes the role of Sponsor—i.e., the individual or entity responsible for understanding and complying with all applicable laws, regulatory requirements, and clinical controls; Philips does not act as Sponsor. Philips’ involvement is limited and supportive only: it may provide reasonable funding for purchasable items (materials, consumables, subject compensation, data-collection/management tools) and/or in-kind resources restricted to equipment installation/activation and training, typically in return for general study results rather than deliverables created specifically for Philips. IIS types include, but are not limited to, clinical investigations (e.g., prospective interventional trials), retrospective data studies (real-world evidence), and non-human studies (bench testing, animal studies).
IIS activities are only to be conducted within the approved labeling of the proposed subject of research. An IIS should not investigate the use of any device or system for a new indication or in a manner that deviates from the approved labeling.
For further information on our S&RC IIS application and review process, click here.
Collaborative Research
Collaborative Research is jointly conceived by the investigator-sponsor and Philips, with the investigator-sponsor retaining responsibility for ensuring the study is conducted and managed in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Philips may participate in study development, execution, and the generation of outcomes or deliverables, providing limited resources while engaging where the study purpose holds strategic relevance for Philips. Roles, responsibilities, and deliverables should be clearly defined up front to ensure scientific integrity, regulatory compliance, and transparent management of any Philips contributions.
Application process is under development.
Educational Grant
At Philips, we are committed to advancing patient care through clinical evidence. To achieve this, we partner with clinicians and researchers at academic medical centers and healthcare systems around the world to support sleep and respiratory therapy advancements. With research that focuses on patient safety, therapy effectiveness, clinical workflow, patient management innovation and access to care, we can deliver what matters most - better care for more people.
Research Grant
At Philips, we are committed to supporting a variety of third-party educational events that relate to sleep and respiratory care to deliver better care for more people. To achieve this, we are partnering with many stakeholders in healthcare, including providers, medical societies and patient groups that are focused on science and advancing care.
We believe partnering on educational activities that focus on various health topics, disease states, conditions and innovation can help make a difference in sleep and respiratory care treatment.
Investigator-Initiated Study Application Submission and Review Process
Thank you for your interest in submitting an IIS application. Below are the steps for applying.
Step 1: Complete the IIS application here. This step also includes uploading a current CV of the principal investigator. Note: All sensitive information should be removed prior to submission, for example, date of birth.
Step 2: Submit the IIS application. The IIS application will be reviewed against specific qualifications to ensure it meets scientific, legal, and regulatory requirements and aligns with the Philips S&RC IIS strategy and budget. Satisfying all criteria does not guarantee that the study will be supported by Philips.
The applicant will be contacted once the review committee has made a decision or if more information is required. We aim to contact the applicant within 45 days of submission.
Research Areas of Interest
Our research priorities are focused on generating evidence that advances the delivery, personalization, effectiveness, and equity of sleep and respiratory care. We welcome investigator-initiated research that addresses meaningful clinical questions, improves patient outcomes, and contributes to the evidence base supporting innovative diagnostic, therapeutic, and care delivery approaches across the continuum of care.
Telehealth and Remote Patient Management
Improving how care is delivered
Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy generates a rich stream of longitudinal patient data, creating significant opportunities to improve care through remote monitoring and telehealth. As additional data sources—including patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), sleep staging, wearable technologies, and electronic health record (EHR) integration—become increasingly available, clinicians face growing challenges in efficiently interpreting and acting upon this information.
Research Priority: We seek research that advances the effective use of remote patient monitoring and telehealth to improve access, clinical decision-making, workflow efficiency, patient engagement, and health outcomes. Areas of interest include clinical decision support, data integration, predictive analytics, patient stratification, and scalable models of remote care.
Combination Therapy
Personalizing treatment
Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) frequently present with multiple comorbidities that require multidisciplinary management. While medical devices and pharmaceuticals have traditionally been developed and evaluated independently, clinical practice increasingly relies on personalized combinations of therapies to optimize patient outcomes. The emergence of pharmacologic therapies for OSA further highlights the need to understand how device- and drug-based treatments may be integrated.
Research Priority: We seek research evaluating combination approaches involving PAP therapy, pharmacologic interventions, behavioral therapies, weight management strategies, and other complementary treatments. Particular interest lies in identifying patient phenotypes most likely to benefit from combination therapy and understanding how integrated treatment strategies can improve adherence, clinical outcomes, and quality of life.
Cardiovascular Outcomes
Demonstrating meaningful clinical impact
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA) are highly prevalent among patients with cardiovascular disease. Although PAP therapy remains the standard treatment for sleep-disordered breathing, its impact on major cardiovascular outcomes—including morbidity and mortality—remains an area of active investigation. Additional evidence is needed to optimize identification, treatment, and longitudinal management of these complex patient populations.
Research Priority: We seek research that advances understanding of the relationship between sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disease across the continuum of care. Topics of interest include screening and diagnostic strategies, interdisciplinary care pathways, patient phenotyping, treatment optimization, long-term cardiovascular outcomes, and personalized approaches to managing patients with coexisting sleep and cardiovascular disorders.
Sleep During Non-Invasive Ventilation
Optimizing respiratory support
Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is an established therapy for patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency resulting from a wide range of neuromuscular, pulmonary, and other disorders. Despite its widespread use, relatively little is known about how NIV influences sleep architecture, sleep quality, patient comfort, and long-term adherence outside of highly controlled settings. Improved understanding of sleep during NIV has the potential to optimize both respiratory support and patient-centered outcomes.
Research Priority: We seek research examining the interaction between sleep physiology and non-invasive ventilation across diverse patient populations. Areas of interest include sleep quality, ventilator-patient synchrony, monitoring technologies, titration strategies, adherence, home-based management, digital monitoring, and interventions that improve both sleep and respiratory outcomes.
Special Populations and Health Equity
Ensuring innovation benefits all patients
Many populations remain underrepresented in sleep and respiratory research, resulting in important evidence gaps that limit the delivery of equitable, evidence-based care. These populations include, but are not limited to, pediatric patients, older adults, women, racial and ethnic minority populations, individuals with disabilities, patients living in rural or underserved communities, and those with rare or complex respiratory disorders. Understanding how sleep and respiratory disorders present, are diagnosed, and respond to treatment across diverse populations is essential to advancing personalized care and improving health outcomes.
Research Priority: We seek research that addresses disparities in access, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes across diverse patient populations. Areas of interest include the evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in underrepresented populations; strategies to improve healthcare access, engagement, and adherence; culturally responsive models of care; and interventions that reduce inequities while advancing personalized, patient-centered sleep and respiratory care.
Review of Qualifications
We mindfully review all IIS requests with a detailed assessment by a cross-functional review board. IIS applications will be assessed with the following criteria:
IIS Strategy Alignment/Fit to S&RC Research Areas of Interest
- Alignment with Philips S&RC research areas of interest
- The proposed budget or resource request is reasonable and meeting Philips S&RC compliance and regulatory requirements
Scientific Merit
- The proposed study methods are clear and concise with an appropriate sample size, timeline, objective(s), endpoint(s), and statistical plan.
- The proposed study is original, not duplicative to existing literature/complements existing literature, and will yield valuable clinical insights.
- The study aims to yield valuable information related to an S&RC research area of interest.
- There is a publication and communication plan (evidence dissemination).
Investigator and Site Qualifications
- The principal investigator has adequate research experience.
- The institution has adequate infrastructure and study personnel to conduct the study.
- Investigator and site must comply with all applicable national and international regulations and guidances relating to study conduct and the protection of human subjects.
Satisfying all criteria does not guarantee that the study will be supported by Philips S&RC.
IIS Roles and Responsibilities
Principal Investigatory and Study Site Roles and Responsibilities as the Sponsor
In S&RC, an IIS is original research that is created, designed, and executed by a non-Philips sponsor-investigator. The investigator (principal investigator) is responsible for independently managing all aspects of the study. The submitting investigator will be the designated sponsor for the study according to the definition as described in the Code of Federal Regulation section 812.40 and ISO 14155:2026.
| INDUSTRY SPONSORED | INVESTIGATOR SPONSORED | |
| PROTOCOL OWNERSHIP | The company is responsible for the protocol with the support of the investigators. | The sponsor-investigator is responsible for the protocol. |
| DATA | The company is responsible for data management with subject consent. | The sponsor-investigator is responsible for data management, with subject consent. The sponsor-investigator shares data with the company in alignment with the contract/data sharing agreement. |
| MONITORING | The company is responsible for participant and data monitoring. | The sponsor-investigator is responsible for participant and data monitoring. |
| INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY | The intellectual property is negotiated during contracting. The company typically has rights to intellectual property coming from the study. | The intellectual property is negotiated in the contracting phase. |
| DELIVERABLES | The company determines deliverables. | The sponsor-investigator and company determine deliverables during contracting. |
| PUBLICATION | The company determines authorship. | The sponsor-investigator determines authorship. |
With the IIS request, the applicant agrees to take on the roles of Sponsor and Principal Investigator per ISO 14155:2026.
Sponsor (ISO 14155:2026): Individual, company, institution or organization taking responsibility and liability for the initiation and management of a clinical investigation and arranging the financial setup. When an investigator initiates, implements and takes full responsibility for the clinical investigation, the investigator also assumes the role of the sponsor and is identified as the sponsor-investigator. Note: The regulatory/legal definitions of “Sponsor” and associated indicators of sponsorship may vary by geography.
Principal Investigator (ISO 14155:2026): Qualified person responsible for conducting the clinical investigation at an investigation site. Notes: The Principal Investigator may also be the Sponsor of the clinical study. If a clinical investigation is conducted by a team of individuals at a investigation site, the principal investigator is responsible for leading the team. Whether this (principal investigator) is the responsibility of an individual or an institution can depend on national regulations.
Principal Investigator Responsibilities (ISO 14155:2026):
The role of the principal investigator is to implement, oversee management of the day-to-day conduct of the clinical investigation, and ensure data integrity and the rights, safety, and well-being of the subjects involved in the clinical investigation. The Principal Investigator must comply with all applicable global and local regulations and standards.
The principal investigator is responsible for ensuring adequate training and qualification of the investigation site team and for maintaining oversight of their activities. The principal investigator may delegate tasks to qualified members of the investigation site team but retains responsibility for the clinical investigation. This also applies when activities are outsourced to an external organization by the principal investigator, in which case he/she shall implement procedures to ensure the integrity of all tasks performed and any data generated by this external organization.
The principal investigator is responsible for all communications with IRB/EC, the informed consent process, compliance to the study protocol, medical care of the study participants/subjects, and safety reporting as outlined in ISO 14155_2026.
Additionally, the Principal Investigator shall:
- For clinical investigations in the European Union, apply all appropriate EU MDR regulations, as applicable, including but not limited to alignment with Articles 62, 74, and/or 82. Most IISs will fall under Article 82
- Notification to- or approval of- the study by the competent authority
- Each member state’s Medical Device Act
- Register study in databases such as Clinicaltrials.gov at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/manage-recs/how-register or the European Clinical Trials Register at https://euclinicaltrials.eu/ctis-for-sponsors/, as appropriate.
- Develop the study protocol and manage the data generated during the study.
- Submit status updates to the company per the agreement/contract.
- Notify the company of study milestones per the agreement/contract.
- Understand and comply with all institution(s) requirements, the ethical principles stated within the Declaration of Helsinki, Good Clinical Practice, and all applicable regulatory requirements
IIS APPLICATION
Please click here to submit your application.
Philips Educational Grant Program
At Philips, we are committed to supporting a variety of third-party educational events that relate to sleep and respiratory care to deliver better care for more people. To achieve this, we are partnering with many stakeholders in healthcare, including providers, medical societies and patient groups that are focused on science and advancing care.
We believe partnering on educational activities that focus on various health topics, disease states, conditions and innovation can help make a difference in sleep and respiratory care treatment.
Inquiry for a Philips Educational Grant Request
Are you exploring support for an educational activity, conference, medical training programs or patient education initiatives focused on sleep and respiratory care? Philips has a grant program that can help support you.
In your inquiry, please provide the following information:
- High-level program activity details and objectives.
- Date of activity and funds requested.
- Inquiries will be evaluated quarterly for scientific merit and alignment with our strategic goals.
- We make grants to bona fide healthcare educational activities, including accredited continuing education.
- Never used to induce the purchase or use of our products.
- Only educational programs that are scientifically justified are funded.
- Submit your request here.
- Requestor will be contacted directly once for further information and/or final decision.
The content on this page is intended to inform discussions related to scientific data or research collaborations only. It is not related or connected to any commercial or promotional topics or activities.