Four international research grants for 2026 are now open:
1. CHALLENGE PROGRAMME 2027 – Heat and Hypertension – understanding the mechanisms of interaction (Deadline: 7 Oct 2026)
2. CHALLENGE PROGRAMME 2027 – Advancing Next Generation AMR Diagnostics for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (Deadline: 7 Oct 2026)
3. CHALLENGE PROGRAMME 2027 – Unravelling electron transfer mechanisms in hybrid bio-electrocatalysis (Deadline: 7 Oct 2026)
4. CHALLENGE PROGRAMME 2027 – Harnessing novel Earth-abundant materials for sustainable technologies (Deadline: 7 Oct 2026)
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1. CHALLENGE PROGRAMME 2027 – Heat and Hypertension – understanding the mechanisms of interaction
The Challenge Programme aims to contribute substantially to the development of Danish and European research ecosystems within research areas of strategic priority to the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The goal is to develop innovative solutions to major scientific challenges, supporting leading researchers to form a consortium united by a clear vision and mission.
Funding Organization: Novo Nordisk Foundation
Research Scope:
Supported research may include but is not limited to:
• Elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying heat exposure and CVD associated mortality.
• Investigating the role of organ- and system-crosstalk during thermoregulation in hypertension.
• Understanding how antihypertensive medications disrupt thermoregulation and may contribute to morbidity or mortality in extreme heat.
• Risk-profiling based on biomarkers, clinical risk factors, and demographic circumstances in the setting of hypertension and heat exposure.
• Investigating how management of patients with hypertension during exposure to extreme heat can be tailored and improved.
Eligibility
The Challenge Programme supports collaboration between leading scientific experts to form a consortium of 2-4 research groups (main applicant plus 1-3 co-applicants).
• The main applicant must be an independent tenured/tenure-track researcher with their own research group, employed at a European (European Union, Schengen Area plus United Kingdom) university, hospital, or non-profit research organisation, which will be the host institution and will be responsible for administration of the grant.
• The main applicant must be employed at the host institution with at least a 75% commitment and must be guaranteed their own salary for the entire project period.
• Co-applicant institutions may be located anywhere globally.
• At least one applicant (either main- or co-applicant) must be at least 75% employed and have their research group at a Danish university, hospital, or non-profit research organisation at the time of submission.
Awards: Up to DKK 30 – 75 million (ca. EUR 4 – 10 million) for projects of 6 years duration.
Application Process: There are 2 stages to the application process. Stage 1 consists of an expression of interest with a preliminary budget. After the initial evaluation, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a proposal in Stage 2, consisting of a comprehensive application with a detailed project proposal along with a detailed budget. As part of the Stage 2 evaluation, the applicants will be invited to present and discuss their proposed research projects with the review committee in an online meeting.
The application must be submitted using the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s online application and grant management system, NORMA: https://norma.novonordiskfonden.dk
Application Deadline: 7 October 2026
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2. CHALLENGE PROGRAMME 2027 – Advancing Next Generation AMR Diagnostics for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
The Challenge Programme aims to contribute substantially to the development of Danish and European research ecosystems within research areas of strategic priority to the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The goal is to develop innovative solutions to major scientific challenges, supporting leading researchers to form a consortium united by a clear vision and mission.
Funding Organization: Novo Nordisk Foundation
Research Scope:
Supported research may include but is not limited to:
• Technological advancements (e.g. microfluidics, optics, biosensing or other promising technologies) targeted at improving respiratory sample collection or processing to enable rapid pathogen separation and/or concentration.
• Establishing the scientific and clinical validity of minimally invasive techniques and/or identifying relevant biomarkers in proxy samples for rapid diagnosis, to identify new analytes indicative of infection and LRTI causative agents (e.g. in breath, blood, urine, upper respiratory samples). This may include transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics for host response, pathogen identification or antibiotic susceptibility.
• Discovery of host and/or pathogen analytes or biometrics (e.g. through applying supervised machine learning or mining of existing datasets and sample biobanks) that facilitate differentiation between commensal and disease-causing pathogens. This may include antibody responses or antigen detections that correlate with prediction of LRTI and/or aetiology.
• Advancing predictive capabilities of antimicrobial susceptibility gene testing by establishing and optimising accurate genotype-phenotype correlations.
Eligibility
The Challenge Programme supports collaboration between leading scientific experts to form a consortium of 2-4 research groups (main applicant plus 1-3 co-applicants).
• The main applicant must be an independent tenured/tenure-track researcher with their own research group, employed at a European (European Union, Schengen Area plus United Kingdom) university, hospital, or non-profit research organisation, which will be the host institution and will be responsible for administration of the grant.
• The main applicant must be employed at the host institution with at least a 75% commitment and must be guaranteed their own salary for the entire project period.
• Co-applicant institutions may be located anywhere globally.
• At least one applicant (either main- or co-applicant) must be at least 75% employed and have their research group at a Danish university, hospital, or non-profit research organisation at the time of submission.
Awards: Up to DKK 30 – 75 million (ca. EUR 4 – 10 million) for projects of 6 years duration.
Application Process: There are 2 stages to the application process. Stage 1 consists of an expression of interest with a preliminary budget. After the initial evaluation, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a proposal in Stage 2, consisting of a comprehensive application with a detailed project proposal along with a detailed budget. As part of the Stage 2 evaluation, the applicants will be invited to present and discuss their proposed research projects with the review committee in an online meeting.
The application must be submitted using the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s online application and grant management system, NORMA: https://norma.novonordiskfonden.dk
Application Deadline: 7 October 2026
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3. CHALLENGE PROGRAMME 2027 – Unravelling electron transfer mechanisms in hybrid bio-electrocatalysis
The Challenge Programme aims to contribute substantially to the development of Danish and European research ecosystems within research areas of strategic priority to the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The goal is to develop innovative solutions to major scientific challenges, supporting leading researchers to form a consortium united by a clear vision and mission.
Funding Organization: Novo Nordisk Foundation
Research Scope:
Supported research may include but is not limited to:
• Elucidating molecular mechanisms and quantitative rates and efficiencies for electron transfer at biological-synthetic interfaces, such as between electrode-enzyme contacts and electroactive microbes
• Leveraging advanced modelling, AI, and quantum computing to understand system energetics, structure, and dynamics at the molecular level, and to optimise the design of novel bio-electrocatalysts
• Combining efficient, selective biological or molecular systems with synthetic or non-biological materials that are tuneable and scalable
• Developing innovative electrode architecture designs for electrochemically driven enzymes
Eligibility
The Challenge Programme supports collaboration between leading scientific experts to form a consortium of 2-4 research groups (main applicant plus 1-3 co-applicants).
• The main applicant must be an independent tenured/tenure-track researcher with their own research group, employed at a European (European Union, Schengen Area plus United Kingdom) university, hospital, or non-profit research organisation, which will be the host institution and will be responsible for administration of the grant.
• The main applicant must be employed at the host institution with at least a 75% commitment and must be guaranteed their own salary for the entire project period.
• Co-applicant institutions may be located anywhere globally.
• At least one applicant (either main- or co-applicant) must be at least 75% employed and have their research group at a Danish university, hospital, or non-profit research organisation at the time of submission.
Awards: Up to DKK 30 – 75 million (ca. EUR 4 – 10 million) for projects of 6 years duration.
Application Process: There are 2 stages to the application process. Stage 1 consists of an expression of interest with a preliminary budget. After the initial evaluation, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a proposal in Stage 2, consisting of a comprehensive application with a detailed project proposal along with a detailed budget. As part of the Stage 2 evaluation, the applicants will be invited to present and discuss their proposed research projects with the review committee in an online meeting.
The application must be submitted using the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s online application and grant management system, NORMA: https://norma.novonordiskfonden.dk
Application Deadline: 7 October 2026
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4. CHALLENGE PROGRAMME 2027 – Harnessing novel Earth-abundant materials for sustainable technologies
The Challenge Programme aims to contribute substantially to the development of Danish and European research ecosystems within research areas of strategic priority to the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The goal is to develop innovative solutions to major scientific challenges, supporting leading researchers to form a consortium united by a clear vision and mission.
Funding Organization: Novo Nordisk Foundation
Research Scope:
Supported research may include but is not limited to:
• Study novel earth-abundant materials for quantum technologies
• Utilise earth-abundant materials for in novel energy storage systems across relevant timescales.
• Discover and test cost-effective and sustainable materials for catalytic processes.
• Explore the use of Earth-abundant materials in semiconductors and other electronic components, promoting sustainable processes and alternatives to traditional materials.
Eligibility
The Challenge Programme supports collaboration between leading scientific experts to form a consortium of 2-4 research groups (main applicant plus 1-3 co-applicants).
• The main applicant must be an independent tenured/tenure-track researcher with their own research group, employed at a European (European Union, Schengen Area plus United Kingdom) university, hospital, or non-profit research organisation, which will be the host institution and will be responsible for administration of the grant.
• The main applicant must be employed at the host institution with at least a 75% commitment and must be guaranteed their own salary for the entire project period.
• Co-applicant institutions may be located anywhere globally.
• At least one applicant (either main- or co-applicant) must be at least 75% employed and have their research group at a Danish university, hospital, or non-profit research organisation at the time of submission.
Awards: Up to DKK 30 – 75 million (ca. EUR 4 – 10 million) for projects of 6 years duration.
Application Process: There are 2 stages to the application process. Stage 1 consists of an expression of interest with a preliminary budget. After the initial evaluation, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a proposal in Stage 2, consisting of a comprehensive application with a detailed project proposal along with a detailed budget. As part of the Stage 2 evaluation, the applicants will be invited to present and discuss their proposed research projects with the review committee in an online meeting.
The application must be submitted using the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s online application and grant management system, NORMA: https://norma.novonordiskfonden.dk
Application Deadline: 7 October 2026
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For more information, please contact
Ms. Panida Suwannatheerak and Ms. Mananchaya Pissaparn
Tel. 0-2470-9654
Email: researchfollowup@kmutt.ac.th
