Thematic Research Areas
Research projects suitable for funding within the call must:
- Be in scope of at least one of the three thematic research areas outlined below.
- Be use-inspired i.e., the research project must enhance fundamental knowledge and include considerations of potential application/translation of the knowledge gained towards generating better and needed tools. The scientific rationale, concept, and research direction should be driven by the potential use and/or translation of that knowledge.
- Have clear aims/goals where it is articulated what outcomes are expected to be catalysed by this project, and the potential future impact of these outcomes (beyond this project).
Theme 1: Pathogenic Fungi
Research and discoveries are needed to develop new and effective prevention, diagnostic and treatment tools for the growing threat of invasive fungal infections and the rise of antifungal resistance. The pathogenic fungi prioritised for this call are the 19 Fungal Priority Pathogens listed by the World Health Organization.
Areas of research could be (but are not limited to):
- Target exploration and validation of novel potential therapeutic targets.
- Biomarker identification for future potential diagnostic tools.
- Understanding fungal biology or host-pathogen interactions that provide insights into potential vulnerabilities that could be targeted therapeutically or preventatively.
- Mechanisms of antifungal resistance and improved strategies to mitigate emergence and spread of drug-resistant strains.
- Enabling tools and technologies such as establishment of assays, strains, or animal models for improved translational efforts.
Theme 2: Novel AMR Tools
The current clinical pipeline for combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is inadequate and urgently requires new and innovative solutions. Projects supported under this theme are exploratory projects that investigate rationally designed and novel approaches to prevent, diagnose or treat antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections. Pathogens listed on the WHO Bacterial Priority Pathogen List, 2024 or the US CDC Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report are prioritised.
Areas of research could be (but are not limited to):
- Drug discovery, including promising novel treatment modalities such as phages, antibodies, aptamers, cyclopeptides, drug conjugates, targeted protein degradation etc.
- Novel target exploration and validation.
- Dual-action or novel combination therapies.
- Rapid, point-of-care diagnostic tools.
Theme 3: Harnessing Innate Immunity
Innate immunity provides a rapid, ‘front-line’ defence against respiratory pathogens through the recognition of Pathogen-associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs). Although pathogens can evade innate immunity, one strategy is to boost innate defences using immunostimulatory molecules. This would give individuals an advantage over the pathogen(s) by promoting an early or more efficient innate immune response. The objective of this theme is to better understand how innovative tools can be developed and used to induce innate immunity and broadly counteract respiratory infections.
Areas of research must have applicability to broadly protective responses (i.e. more than one respiratory pathogen), and can focus on:
- The underlying underlying mechanisms of immune stimulation.
- Duration and type of protection, including the interplay between central vs tissue-specific factors, epigenetic signatures, and metabolic pathways.
- Identification and characterization of novel therapeutic targets and/or novel immunomodulators.
Funding
A total of DKK 26 million is available for granting in this call in 2025. The individual grants awarded can have one of two different granting frameworks: For each grant where there is only one applicant based in Denmark, up to DKK 3.5 million can be awarded, with a grant period of up to 3 years. For each grant where there is a Danish main applicant and a co-applicant based abroad, up to DKK 6.5 million can be awarded, with a grant period of up to 3 years.
Application Process
The application must be completed and submitted using NNF’s online application and grant management system, NORMA, which can be accessed from: https://norma.novonordiskfonden.dk. When all applications have been assessed, applicants will be notified about whether or not they have been awarded a grant. The notification e-mail will be sent from [email protected] to the e-mail address entered on initial registration.
