1. Deadlines for Submission

  • Call launch: 19 January 2026
  • Pre-proposal submission deadline: 13 April 2026, 13:00 CET
  • Communication of pre-proposal results: End of June 2026
  • Full proposal submission deadline: 20 August 2026, 13:00 CET
  • Communication of funding decisions: Mid November 2026
  • Expected project start: Q1/Q2 2027

2. Duration of Projects

  • Maximum project duration: 36 months (3 years)

3. Funding by the Netherlands (ZonMw)

  • Initial funding pre-commitment: € 1,000,000
  • Anticipated number of fundable research groups: 4
  • Maximum funding per project: €250,000
  • Eligible institutions: Research organisations (as defined by EU state aid legislation), non-research organisations (e.g., non-academic hospitals, healthcare institutions, SMEs)
  • State Aid: Funding must comply with the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER). Different aid intensities apply depending on the type of research and organisation.
  • Eligible costs: Personnel, bench fee, equipment, materials, travel, dissemination, open access (max €5,000 per project). Overhead is generally not allowed.
  • National requirements: Only one Dutch main applicant per project. Use ZonMw budget format. Obligations include a signed Statement of Agreement, submission of the full proposal to ZonMw, and a Consortium Agreement within six months of project start. Compliance with ZonMw procedures is required.


4. Call Requirements

  • Consortia must include at least three partners from three different eligible countries (at least two from EU Member States or associated countries).
  • Maximum of six partners per consortium (seven if including an under-represented country or company).
  • Proposals must be hypothesis-driven, interdisciplinary, and address sex/gender/diversity aspects.
  • Focus on viruses from specified families (e.g., Arenaviridae, Coronaviridae, etc.) or "Pathogen X".
  • Antimicrobial resistance, environmental/social drivers, transmission dynamics, clinical studies.

5. Call Text (Scope and Aim)

Aim: To increase scientific understanding and evidence-based knowledge on emerging and re-emerging pathogens with pandemic potential, and on host responses, to improve anticipation, prevention, and response to infectious health threats.

Scope: Primarily addresses Priority 1 of the BE READY SRIA (Accelerate knowledge in a coordinated and integrative manner), focusing on therapeutic targets and pathophysiology.

Expected outcomes include identification of novel pathogen targets, understanding zoonotic aspects, development of lead compounds, data integration, modelling, and advanced immunological assays.

Proposals must be submitted in English via the PT-Outline electronic platform.

For more detailed information, applicants should consult the full call text and the national guidelines for ZonMw funding, and are encouraged to contact ZonMw before submission for eligibility checks and further guidance. Do not hesitate to contact rgs@amsterdamumc.nl if you are thinking of applying to this call.