> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://incubator.ersilia.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://incubator.ersilia.io/resources/faqs.md).

# FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

<mark style="color:$primary;">Many of the questions that you will find below were answered during the informative session held online by Ersilia on the 15th September. You can watch the recording</mark> [<mark style="color:$primary;">here.</mark>](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_N-ZnE-74o)

## 💬 <mark style="color:$primary;">Eligibility</mark> <a href="#most-frequently-asked-questions" id="most-frequently-asked-questions"></a>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can I apply if I am based outside the WHO African Region?</mark> </summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Researchers must be affiliated and work from an institution based in the WHO African Region. Participants with multiple affiliations must be able to justify their work from the eligible organisation.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can I apply individually?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">We accept applications from individuals when they demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed project. We will nonetheless prioritise applications from research groups.</mark>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Individual applicants must be at least PhD students.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">I am a master student, can I be a participant?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Yes, you can. But you have to apply as a part of a team with led by a Senior Researcher (e.g.: the PI of your research group) and that the project is embedded in your studies (e.g.: your master thesis).</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">If my data is not sufficient or does not have the adequate quality, could my eligibility be affected?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Yes. Before the program begins, data will be requested from participants, and mentors will review its quality. If the data is not considered adequate to proceed, a candidate's participation may be revoked, as stipulated in the Participation & Data Sharing Consent Agreement.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Is it better to apply individually or by teams?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">We encourage researchers working on the same project to apply together, so that different backgrounds and profiles can complement each other. Additionally, if the work and meeting attendance can be split among several people, it's easier to ensure that someone is always present.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can I still be selected if I am working outside an African country?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">If your research is affiliated with an African institution, you are eligible even if you are currently living outside Africa. That said, our aim is to strengthen African research, so priority will be given to groups based in Africa and working at African institutions.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can I apply if my mother tongue is not English?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Yes, but a proficency level in English is necessary since all the AI Incubator sessions will be deliverede in English. Applications must be submitted in English too.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can a team made up of researchers from two different research centers apply together? Can they be from two different countries?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Yes, provided the researchers are collaborators working on the same project and both countries are in Africa. If a project is carried out with collaborators based outside Africa, they can be mentioned in the application as collaborators, but those researchers cannot be part of the team.</mark>

</details>

## 🧬 <mark style="color:$primary;">Project</mark>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can projects of drug discovery for non-infectious diseases be selected?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">No, for this first round of the AI Incubator we will select projects of drug discovery for infectious disease research.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can I apply with a project that is not my current research?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">No, your project should fall within your existing research program. The Incubator is not designed to open up entirely new avenues of investigation, but to accelerate work already in progress with AI tools.</mark><br>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can I choose my mentor?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Actually, the mentors will be the same for all participants, and they will meet individually with each group once every two weeks.</mark>&#x20;

<mark style="color:$primary;">Each group can receive specific support from an expert according to their needs. This will be communicated to the program manager during the coordination meetings, who will be responsible for contacting experts and arranging one-to-one meetings for the team that requests them.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">What happens after Demo Day?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">After completing the program, participants will have integrated an AI workflow into their research, which they can apply to this and future projects.</mark>&#x20;

<mark style="color:$primary;">In addition, they will have publishable scientific material that they can use for conferences, scientific publications, and to apply for grants and fellowships.</mark>&#x20;

<mark style="color:$primary;">Participants will also become part of a community of peer researchers, which will allow them to stay up to date on new events and programs, and to count on the support of other participants and mentors.</mark><br>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Will I need paid tools for the development of the project?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">No, all the tools and materials used for the development of the program will be open-source. If at any point paid tools were required, this would be as additional, non-core material to the program, and the AI Incubator team would provide the licenses.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can we apply if we don't have our own dataset?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Yes,</mark> <mark style="color:$primary;"></mark><mark style="color:$primary;">**if you use a public dataset and you can share it with the AI Incubator mentors**</mark><mark style="color:$primary;">. If the data you use for your project is private and cannot be shared, you will not be eligible.</mark>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Data will only be shared with Ersilia mentors and collaborators, used solely for Incubator purposes, and the team will retain full ownership of the data, as set out in the Participation and Data Sharing Consent Agreement.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can I apply twice for the same round of the AI Incubator with different projects?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Yes, this is possible. The same person may be part of two applications, provided they are for two different projects (never the same project) and that they are the lead researcher on only one of them.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can I participate in several AI Incubator rounds?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Yes, you can. Being selected from the AI Incubator cohort one round does not exclude you from participating in future rounds.</mark>

</details>

## 💰 <mark style="color:$primary;">Budget</mark>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Do I need to add a budget for the in-person workshop?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">No, the in-person workshop is covered separately from the fellowship.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">When applying, do we need to prepare a Budget for each participant?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">No, this initial budget will just give the selection committee an approximate idea of how participants foresee using the financial support. If selected, you will be required to provide more details about each item listed in the budget.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Who is the receiver of the grant?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">The grant will be made availabe as a Fellowship to the Lead Applicant, which is in charge of disbursing it as agreed in the approved budget.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can my final expenses differ from those planned in the budget?</mark> </summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Yes, as long as they are properly justified. Prior approval for deviations of more than 10% from the original budget need to be communicated in advance to the Program Manager. The detailed budget that participants must submit before the start of the program should be as close to actual expenses as possible, but justified adjustments can be accepted (e.g.: a computer part breaks during the Incubator and part of the budget ends up being allocated to that).</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">If a member of our team has to leave the program due to some condition, do we lose our right to participate? Do we still keep the financial support?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">A justified withdrawal from the program by one member does not affect the rest of the team, who can continue to be part of the cohort. The remaining team members would keep the financial support in full. Any necessary adjustments related to the budget and the team's internal organization would be handled case by case with the mentors and the incubator's project manager.</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Can I use the financial support to pay chemical components or wet-lab material and equipment?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">Yes, you can use the financial support for experimental items related to the project you will be working during the AI Incubator</mark>

</details>

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:$primary;">Will additional funding be available for experimental validation?</mark></summary>

<mark style="color:$primary;">No. The total financial support, separate from the workshop expenses that we cover, is 10.000USD, which may be used toward part of the experimental validation of the computational project presented during the incubator.</mark>

</details>

{% hint style="info" %}
If you have any further questions about the Program or the application process, contact <ines@ersilia.io>. We're happy to help.&#x20;
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://incubator.ersilia.io/resources/faqs.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.