Deadline: 12-Jan-2026
The Novo Nordisk Foundation is requesting applications for its Ascending Investigator Grant Programme to support the continued development and consolidation of excellent research leaders within plant science, agriculture and food biotechnology in the Nordic countries.
The proposed research must tackle key challenges in plant, agricultural, and food sciences to advance sustainable agriculture and food production. It should be fundamental, strategically aimed at improving sustainability, and extend knowledge beyond current standards, potentially involving high-risk approaches grounded in life sciences.
Key priority areas encompass the development of high-yield, resilient, and resource-efficient plants, the use of microorganisms to promote sustainability, the design of productive, circular, and biodiversity-rich agricultural systems, the creation of sustainable ingredients and foods derived from plants, microorganisms, and fungi, the exploration of precision fermentation, algae, insects, and cellular agriculture for food production, and the advancement of data-driven technologies and methods that enable and enhance sustainable agriculture and food systems.
The grant period is five years, with funding of up to DKK 12.50 million available per project. Applicants may request funds for salaries, PhD tuition fees, operating costs, equipment (up to 20% of the total budget), travel, publications, and conference participation, among others. However, the grant does not cover overhead costs, commercial activities, or duplicate funding from other sources.
The Ascending Investigator grants are designed for excellent established research group leaders with original and ambitious projects of high international standard who are aiming to rise to the top of their field.
Applicants should ideally have 7–18 years of research experience post-PhD and must be at the associate professor level or equivalent, leading their own research group. Professors, including those with MSO positions, are not eligible to apply. Applicants must demonstrate strong research leadership, significant scientific contributions, and innovation in methodology or technology.
Projects must be anchored at a university or other non-profit research institution in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden, with the host institution providing the necessary infrastructure, laboratory, and administrative support.
Evaluation will be based on the scientific quality and potential impact of the proposed research, as well as the applicant’s leadership, research track record, and collaborations. The proposal must clearly describe the applicant’s ownership of the project and, if applicable, the nature of any collaborations. Applications will not be influenced by the applicant’s current funding status or whether the applicant requests salary support.
The proposal submission includes several sections such as applicant details, CV, publication list, research summary, and supplementary information. The project description should cover the major challenge addressed, critical knowledge gaps, specific aims and hypotheses, scientific background, experimental plan, alternative strategies, risk assessment, and the expected impact.
Additionally, a lay summary, references, and up to four illustrations may be included. A hosting letter signed by the head of the host institution is mandatory. The research can commence no earlier than May 2026 and must begin by April 2027 at the latest.
For more information, visit Novo Nordisk Foundation.
