About the 2026 Challenge Programme
The Novo Nordisk Foundation’s 2026 Challenge Programme aims to address major challenges in science and society. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among European researchers, the programme seeks to leverage new technologies and scientific advances to create innovative solutions. The programme encompasses four themes, each focusing on a critical area of research. The Challenge Programme provides grants of up to DKK 75 million per project and a total of 150 million within each theme, encouraging ambitious and impactful research endeavours.
Modelling human cardiometabolic disease
Cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are the leading cause of death worldwide. Despite significant efforts to improve treatments, many drug candidates fail in early clinical trials – partly due to poor translation of findings from pre-clinical disease models into humans. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop better human CMD models – models that more accurately reflect complex disease and successfully translate basic discoveries into humans.
For the Challenge programme 2026, the Novo Nordisk Foundation asks researchers across Europe to join forces to meet this challenge. Whether in vitro, in vivo, or in silico – it is time to leverage recent scientific advances, new technologies and increased computational power to develop the next generation of disease models.
Sign up to the informational webinar on June 2nd by following the link on this page. During the webinar, you will be able to find out more information on the scientific scope of the call, as well as the eligibility and application process. Participants are welcome to engage with their own questions.
Agenda
- Brief introduction to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Strategy 2030
- Challenge Programme 2026 – Modelling human cardiometabolic disease
- Eligibility criteria and the application process
- Q&A
Further information
Marie Kveiborg
Senior Scientific Lead
[email protected]
Eugenia Krasnopjorova
Grant Manager
[email protected]