Deadline: 19-Aug-2026
The Clinical and Translational Research Grant Programme is accepting applications to support high-quality Danish clinical and translational research. The programme funds projects involving patients, humans, clinical practice, diagnostic or therapeutic methods, and established animal models. Applicants may request up to DKK 4.5 million per project for one to three years, with special emphasis on research exploring interactions between infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
Overview
The Clinical and Translational Research Grant Programme supports Danish research projects that connect scientific discovery with clinical practice.
The programme promotes clinical and translational research of high international quality and supports studies that may improve understanding, diagnosis, treatment, or management of human disease.
Research activities must be anchored at a university, hospital, or other non-profit research institution in Denmark.
Purpose of the Programme
The purpose of the programme is to strengthen clinical and translational research in Denmark.
The programme supports projects that involve patients, human participants, clinical settings, diagnostic methods, therapeutic approaches, or established animal models relevant to human disease.
It aims to advance research that can improve health outcomes, clinical knowledge, and patient-related medical practice.
Key Focus Areas
The programme focuses on clinical research, translational research, patient-based studies, human health research, clinical practice, diagnostic methods, therapeutic methods, established animal models, infectious diseases, cardiometabolic diseases, disease interactions, disease severity, prognosis, risk factors, and high-quality Danish medical research.
Strategic Focus Theme
The call gives special emphasis to the strategic focused theme: interactions between infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
This theme supports novel research that improves understanding of how infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases affect one another.
Projects under this theme may explore how these disease groups interact and influence:
- Disease risk
- Disease severity
- Disease progression
- Prognosis
- Clinical outcomes
- Patient vulnerability
- Long-term health consequences
- Diagnostic or therapeutic approaches
A total of DKK 13.5 million has been earmarked for projects within this strategic focused theme.
What Are Clinical and Translational Research Projects?
Clinical research involves studies connected to patients, human participants, clinical practice, diagnosis, treatment, or healthcare delivery.
Translational research helps move scientific knowledge from laboratory, preclinical, or early research settings into clinical application.
In this programme, eligible research may include studies involving:
- Patients
- Human participants
- Clinical practice
- Diagnostic methods
- Therapeutic methods
- Established animal models relevant to clinical research
The programme is intended for research that has clear relevance to human health and clinical improvement.
What the Programme Supports
The programme supports one- to three-year research projects of high scientific quality.
Supported projects may include research on:
- Patient care and clinical practice
- Human disease mechanisms
- Diagnostic innovation
- Therapeutic methods
- Translational pathways from research to practice
- Established animal models
- Interactions between infectious and cardiometabolic diseases
- Health outcomes linked to disease burden
- Clinical risk, severity, and prognosis
Projects should be scientifically strong, clinically relevant, and anchored in Danish research institutions.
Funding Amount
A total of up to DKK 76 million is available under the programme.
Applicants may request up to DKK 4.5 million per project.
The maximum annual project budget is DKK 1.5 million.
Projects may last from one to three years.
Funding for the Strategic Theme
Of the total programme funding, DKK 13.5 million is earmarked for projects focused on interactions between infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
Applicants working within this theme should clearly explain how their research contributes to understanding the dual burden and interaction between the two disease groups.
Project Duration
Projects may run for one, two, or three years.
Applicants should ensure that the project timeline, research activities, staffing, and budget are realistic for the proposed duration.
Who Is Eligible?
Only principal investigators are eligible to apply.
The research must be anchored at one of the following institutions in Denmark:
- University
- Hospital
- Other non-profit research institution
The principal investigator should have the capacity to lead the project and ensure scientific quality, institutional compliance, and project delivery.
Who Is Not Eligible?
Applications will not be considered if submitted by:
- Master’s students
- Ph.D. students
- Postdoctoral researchers
These individuals may potentially participate in projects, but they cannot apply as principal investigators under this programme.
Why It Matters
Clinical and translational research is essential for turning scientific knowledge into better healthcare practice.
This programme matters because it supports research that can improve diagnosis, treatment, disease understanding, and patient outcomes.
The strategic focus on infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases is important because these conditions can interact in complex ways. Understanding these interactions may help researchers and clinicians identify risk factors, improve prognosis, and develop more effective healthcare responses.
How to Apply
Applicants should prepare a strong research proposal that clearly explains the clinical or translational relevance, scientific quality, methodology, budget, and institutional anchoring of the project.
Step 1: Confirm Principal Investigator Eligibility
The applicant must be a principal investigator.
Master’s students, Ph.D. students, and postdoctoral researchers are not eligible to submit applications as principal investigators.
Step 2: Confirm Danish Institutional Anchoring
The project must be anchored at a university, hospital, or other non-profit research institution in Denmark.
Applicants should clearly identify the host institution and explain how it will support the project.
Step 3: Define the Research Question
The proposal should present a clear and important clinical or translational research question.
The research question should be connected to patients, humans, clinical practice, diagnosis, treatment, or established animal models.
Step 4: Align with the Strategic Theme, if Relevant
Applicants applying under the strategic focused theme should clearly explain how the project addresses interactions between infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
The proposal should describe how the research improves understanding of the dual burden, disease risk, severity, prognosis, or clinical outcomes.
Step 5: Prepare the Research Plan
The research plan should explain:
- Project objectives
- Background and rationale
- Study design
- Methodology
- Patient or human participant involvement, if relevant
- Diagnostic or therapeutic methods, if relevant
- Use of established animal models, if relevant
- Expected results
- Clinical or translational significance
- Timeline and milestones
Step 6: Prepare the Budget
Applicants may request up to DKK 4.5 million per project.
The annual budget must not exceed DKK 1.5 million.
The budget should match the proposed project duration and clearly connect costs to research activities.
Step 7: Explain Research Quality and Impact
The application should show why the project is scientifically strong and clinically important.
Applicants should explain how the research may contribute to improved disease understanding, patient care, diagnostic approaches, therapeutic methods, or clinical decision-making.
Step 8: Submit the Application
Applicants should submit the completed application through the required process with all necessary project, institutional, budget, and supporting information.
Selection Considerations
Applications are likely to be assessed based on scientific quality, clinical relevance, feasibility, and potential impact.
Key assessment areas may include:
- Quality of the research question
- Strength of the study design
- Relevance to clinical or translational research
- Institutional capacity in Denmark
- Principal investigator qualifications
- Feasibility of the timeline and budget
- Potential to improve clinical knowledge or practice
- Alignment with the strategic focused theme, if applicable
- Contribution to understanding infectious and cardiometabolic disease interactions
Tips for a Strong Application
A strong application should clearly show the project’s clinical relevance and scientific value.
Applicants should:
- Present a focused research question
- Show clear relevance to patients or clinical practice
- Explain the translational pathway
- Provide a strong and feasible methodology
- Align clearly with the strategic theme if applying under it
- Justify the budget carefully
- Keep annual costs within DKK 1.5 million
- Demonstrate institutional support in Denmark
- Explain expected impact on diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, or disease understanding
- Avoid overly broad or weakly defined research aims
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid submitting applications that do not meet eligibility or funding rules.
Common mistakes include:
- Applying as a Master’s student, Ph.D. student, or postdoctoral researcher
- Not identifying a Danish host institution
- Requesting more than DKK 4.5 million per project
- Exceeding the DKK 1.5 million annual budget limit
- Submitting a project with weak clinical or translational relevance
- Not explaining the patient, human, diagnostic, therapeutic, or animal model connection
- Providing an unclear methodology
- Not showing how the project fits the strategic theme when applying under that area
- Proposing an unrealistic timeline
- Failing to explain expected research impact
FAQ
1. What is the Clinical and Translational Research Grant Programme?
It is a Danish research funding programme that supports high-quality clinical and translational research involving patients, humans, clinical practice, diagnostic or therapeutic methods, or established animal models.
2. What is the strategic focused theme of the call?
The strategic focused theme is interactions between infectious diseases and cardiometabolic diseases.
3. How much funding is available in total?
A total of up to DKK 76 million is available.
4. How much can each project request?
Applicants may request up to DKK 4.5 million per project, with a maximum annual budget of DKK 1.5 million.
5. How long can projects last?
Projects may last from one to three years.
6. Who can apply?
Only principal investigators can apply. The research must be anchored at a university, hospital, or other non-profit research institution in Denmark.
7. Are students and postdoctoral researchers eligible to apply?
No. Applications submitted by Master’s students, Ph.D. students, and postdoctoral researchers will not be considered.
Conclusion
The Clinical and Translational Research Grant Programme provides major support for Danish research projects that connect scientific knowledge with clinical practice and patient benefit. With up to DKK 76 million available and project grants of up to DKK 4.5 million, the programme supports high-quality studies involving patients, humans, clinical methods, diagnostics, therapeutics, and established animal models. Applicants should present a strong principal investigator-led proposal anchored in Denmark, with a clear research plan, realistic budget, and strong clinical or translational relevance, especially if addressing the strategic theme of infectious and cardiometabolic disease interactions.
For more information, visit Novo Nordisk Foundation.
