ERC - Excellence Grants

The European Research Council (ERC) supports excellent researchers at different stages in their careers for groundbreaking and visionary research.

ERC Starting Grants provide support for promising early career scientists.

ERC Consolidator Grants provide support for researchers who want to consolidate their scientific independence.

ERC Advanced Grants are aimed at leading and established researchers who have achieved excellent scientific results in the last 10 years.

ERC Synergy Grants provide support to a group of 2 to 4 excellent researchers regardless of their career stage. The ambitious research project can only be implemented through the specific expertise of the group.

ERC Plus Grants provide support for outstanding researchers with bold ideas and a vision for transformative research that goes beyond the scope of existing ERC programmes.

The following apply to all ERC Research Grants:

• Pioneering research is funded
• There are no prescribed priorities or topics for project ideas: bottom up
• The only selection criteria is scientific excellence

For further information, follow the links and/or contact us

ERC - Proof of Concept Grants

ERC Proof of Concept Grants allow for verification of innovative potential of ERC project results.

O p e n:

ERC Proof of Concept Grants 2026

ERC grantees can apply for a proof of concept grant during or shortly after their ERC research grant. Regardless of the actual project costs a flat rate of 150.000 Euro is awarded. The duration can be up to a maximum of 18 months.

The next deadline is 17 September 2026.

For further information click here and/or contact us .

Support for researcher mobility and training (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral actions)

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie programme provides funding to support doctoral education and postdoctoral training through international, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral mobility in research.

The MSCA Work Programme 2026-2027 is now published:

For further information please contact us .

Horizon Europe-Cluster 1 Health

Horizon Europe Pillar II is the political core of the framework programme containing the top-down topics in Horizon Europe. Of the six clusters, Cluster 1, Health contains the most relevant topics for the UKE. The final Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027 has been finalised and it contains the detailed descriptions of the topics with deadlines. The next round of deadlines are in April 2027 (some April with the second stage in September) and in September 2027.

Other clusters and programme parts with health aspects

In addition to the topics under Cluster Health, there are topics among the other clusters and programme parts of Horizon Europe that relate to health and that are thence relevant to the UKE.

The Work Programmes 2026-2027 have now been finalised and contain the topics to be published in 2026 and 2027. If you would like further information, contact us.

Mission Cancer

Horizon Europe has five missions with the aim of finding solutions to greater challenges. EU Mission: Cancer addresses the topic of cancer and its objectives are understanding, prevention and early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and quality of life of cancer patients and their families. The 2026/ 2027 Work Programme Missions has now been finalised. It contains the topics with deadlines in 2026 (April) and 2027 (September).

Deadline: 15 September 2026

• Virtual Human Twin (VHT) Models for Cancer Research
• Microbiome for early cancer prediction before the onset of disease
• Pragmatic clinical trials to optimise immunotherapeutic interventions for patients with refractory cancers
• Earlier and more precise palliative care
• Boosting mental health of young cancer survivors through the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre (ECPDC)
• Development of a research capacity building programme on cancer with and for Ukraine
• Improve the Quality of Life of older cancer patients

Deadline: 21 September 2027 (opening in early 2027)

• Leveraging functional genomics to reveal novel targets for cancer treatment
• Clinical research by Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures for the benefit of patients with common cancers
• Phase 1 including first-in-human clinical trials to test biomarker-guided medicines or multimodal treatment interventions for patients with rare or very rare cancers or cancer subtypes
• Improving equitable health outcomes and added value for and with cancer patients through health-economics research, health systems research and outcomes research
• Precommercial procurement of affordable solutions for healthcare systems in the areas of cancer technologies, cancer medical devices, or cancer medicine
• Support a Young Cancer Survivor Quality of Life (QoL) research programme by cancer charities and funding agencies

For further information, follow the links and/or contact us .

Mission Adaptation to Climate Change

Horizon Europe has five missions with the aim of finding solutions to greater challenges. The Mission Adaptation to Climate Change is to support at least 150 European regions and communities towards climate resilience by 2030. It focuses on helping these regions and local authorities to understand climate risks, develop adaptation pathways and implement innovative solutions.

The European Commission has now published the 2026/ 2027 Work Programme Missions. It contains the topics with deadlines in September 2026.

Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) JU Calls

The Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) is a private-public partnership that offers funding for health research and innovation. Projects include both academic and industry partners and should address public health needs, improve the lives of patients and boost the competitiveness of Europe’s health industries.

F o r t h c o m i n g:

The Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) has published the draft topics for the IHI Call 13 , which is planned to be launched in summer 2026. The following three topics are under consideration for inclusion:

1. IHI European HealthCare Incubator Network

2. An AI foundation Toxicology Model and Framework to Support Waiving a Second Species in Drug Safety Studies

3. Decode the Immuno-science of age-related mediated diseases

The IHI Call Days – Call 13 (from 24 June to 30 June 2026 online) will provide detailed information on these topics and the rules for participation.

For further information and advice, contact Katharina Lötzer from the EU team .

European Innovation Council (EIC)

The EIC supports breakthrough innovations throughout the lifecycle from early stage research, to proof of concept, technology transfer, and the financing and scale up of start-ups and small and medium sized enterprises.

The EIC Work Programme 2026 is now published:

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EIC Transition | Deadline 16 September 2026

The EIC Transition programme funds innovation activities that go beyond experimental proof of principle. Both maturation and validation of novel technologies from laboratory to application in the relevant environment, and the development of a business case and business model towards the innovation’s future commercialisation are supported.

Follow this link to the call.

Main points:

• Proposals must build on the results of eligible EU-funded projects at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 or 4
• Single applicants or multi-beneficiary small consortia (maximum 5 partners) can apply
• Open call without any predefined thematic priorities
• The recommended budget range per proposal is up to EUR 2.5 million
• Project duration of 1 to 3 years
• The application procedure is one-stage, the evaluation process two-stage: evaluation by EIC expert evaluators and, if successful, an interview with the EIC jury members.

F o r t h c o m i n g:

EIC Pathfinder Challenges | Deadline 28 October 2026

The EIC Pathfinder Challenges funds cutting edge projects that address one of the four three challenges in predefined areas of emerging and strategic technologies.

• Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing
• Advanced Materials for Miniaturised Energy Harvesting Systems
• DeepRAP: Deep Reasoning, Abstraction & Planning towards trustworthy Cognitive AI Systems

Main Points:

• Single applicants or consortia can apply
• The recommended budget per proposal is up to EUR 4 million (larger if justified)
• The application procedure is one-stage

For further information, follow the links and/or contact us .

EU4HEALTH PROGRAMME

The EU4Health Programme is the fourth EU Health Programme and runs from 2021 to 2027.

It complements measures taken by the member states to make health systems stronger, more resilient and more accessible. As soon as the Work Programme 2026 is published, we will let you know. Further information is available from the German NKS EU4HEALTH information page:

EU4HEALTH-Hintergründe und Allgemeines

For further information, follow the links and/or contact us .

European Partnership for Brain Health (EP BrainHealth)

The European Partnership for Brain Health has the common goal of developing and improving scientific knowledge as a foundation to promote brain health throughout the lifetime.

O p e n:

Two Calls for Proposals for Multinational Translational Research Projects :

• Call 1: Biological, social and environmental factors that impact the trajectory of brain health across the lifespan – in the field of neurological, mental and sensory disorders
• 
  Call 2: Biological, social and environmental factors that impact the trajectory of brain health across the lifespan – in the field of neurodegenerative disorders

The deadlines for the second stage are on 30 June 2026 2 pm CEST.

Pandemic Preparedness (BE READY Now) Partnership

BE READY (Building a European strategic Research and innovation Area in Direct Synergy with EU and international initiatives for pandemic preparedness) is a project funded under Horizon Europe designed to improve the EU’s preparedness to predict and respond to emerging infectious health threats.

European Partnership on Personalised Medicine (EP PerMed)

EP PERMed is a coordination platform that brings together European as well as international, national and regional ministries and funding organisations, agencies and authorities, joining forces on several levels and sectors.

Joint translational calls are expected to be published at the end of the year. Stay posted for opportunities: Calls - European Partnership for Personalised Medicine - EP PerMed

European Partnership on Chemical Risk Assessment (PARC)

PARC aims to develop next-generation chemical risk assessment to protect human health and the environment. It supports the European Union's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and the European Green Deal's “Zero pollution” ambition with new data, knowledge, methods and tools, expertise and networks.

Stay posted for funding opportunities: Opportunities | Parc

European Partnership on One Health Antimicrobial Resistance JTC 2026

The European Partnership on One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (EUP OHAMR) provides joint support to research and innovation and mobilises numerous stakeholders to address the challenges of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with a One Health approach.

O p e n:

Joint transnational call 2026 - EUP OHAMR

Main Points:

• Explore new treatments to tackle AMR
• Consortia made up of three to six partners (seven under certain conditions) from the participating countries
• Address one of three specified topics covering innovation and cost-effective treatment options

Slides are available from a Webinar for Applicants and the deadline for the second stage is 17 June 2026 (13:00 CEST).

European Research Area 4HEALTH (ERA4HEALTH) Partnership

The European Research Area 4HEALTH (ERA4HEALTH ) Partnership supports impactful medical research and the adoption of health technologies, while strengthening EU capacity for Investigator Initiated Clinical Studies (IICS) and advancing Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI).

O p e n:

Trials4Health: Multi-country Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials in Cardiovascular, Autoimmune and Metabolic diseases

Main Points:

• Randomised interventional multi-country Investigator-Initiated Clinical Studies that are designed as pragmatic comparative-effectiveness studies and/or drug repurposing studies
• Transnational collaboration between clinical/public health research teams
• High public relevance in at least one of these specific diseases or conditions
• Consortia size ranges depending on national regulations of countries involved

A recording of an informative session is available and the deadline for the second stage is on 17 June 2026.

Prevent-OO: Understanding and Preventing Overweight and Obesity - Mechanisms of their onset and progression, neglected determinants and novel strategies for critical transitional periods in life

Main points:

• Reducing the burden of overweight and obesity in Europe
• Multidisciplinary proposals addressing at least one of two specified subtopics
• Minimum of three and a maximum of five eligible partners from at least three different countries participating in the call (more under specific circumstances)
• Excluded: clinical studies Phase 3 and 4 and Studies solely addressing target groups aged from 12 to 25 years

Slides from an Information Day are available and the deadline for the second stage is on 11 June 2026 12:00 CEST.

European Rare Disease Alliance (ERDERA)

The aim of the European Rare Disease Research Alliance (ERDERA) is to advance research in rare disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment and to build on the results of other EU-funded projects such as the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases . The alliance will provide a number of funding opportunities.

O p e n:

The Networking Support Scheme (NSS ) aims to promote transnational networking events to share knowledge across borders, disciplines and sectors and to cover topics related to rare diseases and rare cancers.

Events can be funded to an amount of EUR 30.000 and must:

• Include at least three different eligible countries
• Involve early stage researcher and patient advocacy
• Promote the inclusion of typically underrepresented countries (UCs)

The call is permanently open with scheduled collection rounds in October and April of each year (until 2029).

F o r t h c o m i n g:

Clinical Trials Call - ERDERA will soon be available.

For further information, contact us .