Deadline: 19-Aug-2026
The Novo Nordisk Foundation invites applications for high-level clinical and translational research projects in Denmark that improve understanding of human health through patient-oriented and practice-based studies. The call supports projects lasting 1–3 years, with total available funding of up to DKK 76 million and individual project grants of up to DKK 4,500,000.
A dedicated allocation of DKK 13.5 million is reserved for projects focused on the interaction between infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases. Eligible applicants must be principal investigators, and all research activities must be anchored at a university, hospital, or other non-profit research institution in Denmark.
What is this Novo Nordisk Foundation Grant Call?
This Novo Nordisk Foundation grant call supports clinical and translational research projects in Denmark.
The programme is designed to strengthen research that directly improves understanding of human health, disease mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment, clinical practice, and patient outcomes.
The call supports patient-oriented and practice-based studies that connect research knowledge with real-world clinical application.
Main Purpose of the Call
The main purpose of the call is to promote Danish clinical and translational research at an internationally competitive level.
The funding supports research involving patients, humans, clinical practice, diagnostic methods, therapeutic methods, and established animal models.
The call also gives strategic priority to research on the relationship between infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
Focus Areas and Priorities
The programme focuses on high-quality clinical and translational research in Denmark.
Key focus areas include:
- Clinical research
- Translational research
- Patient-oriented studies
- Human health research
- Research involving patients or humans
- Research conducted within clinical practice
- Diagnostic methods
- Therapeutic methods
- Established animal models
- Infectious diseases
- Cardiometabolic diseases
- Interaction between infection and cardiometabolic health
- Disease risk, severity, prognosis, and health system burden
Key Concepts Explained
Clinical Research
Clinical research studies health, illness, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes in people.
It may involve patients, human participants, clinical data, healthcare settings, diagnostic tools, or treatment methods.
Translational Research
Translational research connects scientific discoveries with practical healthcare use.
It helps move findings from laboratories, models, or early research into clinical practice, patient care, diagnostics, treatment strategies, or public health improvement.
Patient-Oriented Research
Patient-oriented research focuses directly on human health needs.
It may study disease progression, treatment response, risk factors, clinical outcomes, patient groups, or real-world healthcare delivery.
Cardiometabolic Diseases
Cardiometabolic diseases include conditions related to the heart, blood vessels, metabolism, obesity, diabetes, and related risk factors.
These diseases can increase vulnerability to infections and may worsen health outcomes when combined with infectious disease.
Infectious Disease and Cardiometabolic Disease Interaction
The strategic theme focuses on how infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases influence each other.
This may include research on how infections affect people with diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, or metabolic disorders, and how cardiometabolic conditions affect infection risk, severity, recovery, and prognosis.
Strategic Research Theme
A dedicated funding allocation is reserved for projects focused on interactions between infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
This theme encourages research that explores:
- How infectious diseases affect cardiometabolic health
- How cardiometabolic diseases influence infection risk
- How cardiometabolic conditions affect infection severity
- How infection and cardiometabolic disease together affect prognosis
- How combined disease burdens affect patients and health systems
- How translational insights can improve prevention, diagnosis, or treatment
This strategic focus aims to generate knowledge that can improve clinical understanding and healthcare response.
Funding Available
The total funding envelope for the call is up to DKK 76 million.
Individual projects may receive up to DKK 4,500,000.
The yearly maximum budget per project is DKK 1,500,000.
Projects may have a duration of 1–3 years.
A dedicated allocation of DKK 13.5 million is reserved for projects aligned with the strategic theme on infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
Who is Eligible?
Eligibility is limited to principal investigators.
All research activities must be anchored at one of the following institutions in Denmark:
- University
- Hospital
- Other non-profit research institution
Applications from the following groups are not eligible:
- Master students
- PhD students
- Postdoctoral researchers
The applicant must have the required academic and institutional position to lead the research project as principal investigator.
Eligible Research Activities
The call supports clinical and translational research activities that are connected to human health and clinical practice.
Eligible research may include:
- Patient-based studies
- Human participant studies
- Clinical practice research
- Diagnostic research
- Therapeutic research
- Translational studies
- Research using established animal models
- Studies linking experimental findings to clinical application
- Research on infectious disease and cardiometabolic disease interactions
Projects should contribute to stronger clinical evidence, improved disease understanding, or better healthcare approaches.
How the Grant Works
The Novo Nordisk Foundation provides financial support for research projects based in Denmark.
Projects must be led by eligible principal investigators and anchored at Danish universities, hospitals, or non-profit research institutions.
The funding may support research activities for 1–3 years.
Applicants may request up to DKK 4,500,000 per project, with a maximum of DKK 1,500,000 per year.
Projects aligned with the strategic theme may be considered under the dedicated DKK 13.5 million allocation.
How to Apply
Applicants should first confirm that they are eligible principal investigators and that the proposed research will be anchored at an eligible institution in Denmark.
They should then prepare a clear research proposal explaining the clinical or translational research question, scientific rationale, methodology, patient relevance, and expected contribution to human health.
The proposal should clearly state whether the project aligns with the strategic theme on infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
Applicants should also prepare a realistic project budget that follows the maximum funding limits.
Suggested Application Steps
- Confirm that the applicant is an eligible principal investigator.
- Confirm that the host institution is a university, hospital, or non-profit research institution in Denmark.
- Define the clinical or translational research question.
- Explain how the project involves patients, humans, clinical practice, diagnostic methods, therapeutic methods, or established animal models.
- Identify whether the project fits the strategic theme on infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
- Prepare a research plan covering objectives, methodology, timeline, expected outcomes, and clinical relevance.
- Prepare a budget of up to DKK 1,500,000 per year and up to DKK 4,500,000 in total.
- Explain how the research can improve understanding of human health or support clinical application.
- Submit the application through the official Novo Nordisk Foundation application process.
Why It Matters
Clinical and translational research helps convert scientific knowledge into better healthcare practice.
This grant call is important because it supports Danish research that can improve diagnosis, treatment, disease understanding, patient outcomes, and health system preparedness.
The strategic focus on infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases is especially relevant because these conditions can interact in complex ways and increase health risks for patients.
By funding high-level research in Denmark, the programme helps strengthen clinical evidence, support innovation in healthcare, and advance internationally competitive research.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid submitting projects that are not clearly clinical or translational in nature.
Applications should not be led by Master students, PhD students, or postdoctoral researchers, as these groups are not eligible applicants.
Projects should not lack a clear connection to patients, humans, clinical practice, diagnostics, therapeutics, or established animal models.
Applicants should avoid unclear budgets or budgets that exceed DKK 1,500,000 per year or DKK 4,500,000 in total.
Projects claiming alignment with the strategic theme should clearly explain how infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases interact in the proposed research.
Applicants should also avoid weak explanations of how the research findings could support clinical application or improve human health.
Tips for Strong Applications
A strong application should clearly define the clinical or translational research problem.
The proposal should explain why the research question matters for patients, healthcare practice, or human health.
Applicants should present a strong scientific rationale and a practical methodology.
Projects involving the strategic theme should clearly discuss risk, severity, prognosis, disease interaction, and health system burden.
The application should show how the project can bridge experimental findings and clinical application.
Applicants should also ensure the project budget is realistic, well-structured, and aligned with the funding limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does this Novo Nordisk Foundation call support?
The call supports clinical and translational research projects in Denmark that improve understanding of human health through patient-oriented and practice-based studies.
2. How much funding is available?
The total funding envelope is up to DKK 76 million.
3. What is the maximum grant amount per project?
Individual projects may receive up to DKK 4,500,000, with a yearly maximum budget of DKK 1,500,000.
4. What is the project duration?
Projects may run for 1–3 years.
5. Who can apply?
Eligible applicants are principal investigators whose research activities are anchored at a university, hospital, or other non-profit research institution in Denmark.
6. Are students or postdoctoral researchers eligible?
No. Applications from Master students, PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers are not eligible for consideration.
7. What is the strategic priority of the call?
The strategic priority focuses on research into interactions between infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases, especially their effects on risk, severity, prognosis, and health system burden.
Conclusion
The Novo Nordisk Foundation’s clinical and translational research call supports high-quality Danish research that improves understanding of human health and strengthens the connection between research and clinical practice.
With up to DKK 76 million available, the programme funds 1–3 year projects led by eligible principal investigators at Danish universities, hospitals, or non-profit research institutions.
Applicants should ensure their proposals are clinically relevant, translational in scope, clearly linked to human health, and aligned with the call’s funding limits and eligibility rules.
For more information, visit Novo Nordisk Foundation.