Support for “RESEARCH 4 COVID-19” in response to the pandemic

The FCT, in collaboration with the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB), today, March 24, opened an exceptional funding line, RESEARCH 4 COVID-19. This initiative aims to support research and development (R&D) projects and initiatives already underway or in development that meet the needs of the National Health Service (SNS).

Given the dynamic and rapidly evolving situation and the context of uncertainty in which we live, this support will have two periods for the submission of proposals:

• The first application deadline is 5:00 p.m. (Lisbon time) on April 5, 2020;

• The second period will take into account developments in the situation and will only be announced at the end of the first period.

Funding for each project will be up to €30,000, in addition to the resources associated with the reorientation of teams and ongoing R&D activities in the R&D units supported by the FCT. At this stage, and with immediate effect, the FCT will make available a budget allocation of €1.5 million for this program, to be financed by national funds through the FCT budget.

R&D projects and initiatives may consider new prevention tools, therapeutic development, diagnostic methods, clinical and epidemiological studies, as well as R&D activities that include a sociocultural component and actions to promote a resilient society capable of facing the current context of uncertainty in which we live, especially among the elderly and high-risk groups.

This support is aimed at R&D units in higher education institutions and their institutes, state laboratories and other public research institutions, scientific societies or non-profit scientific associations, public or private non-profit institutions, which may submit proposals individually or in partnership, with the mandatory participation of healthcare services and entities. Business entities may participate provided they do so in partnership with research institutions.

The evaluation of R&D proposals will be carried out by a committee comprising experts appointed by FCT and AICIB. The results of the evaluation of proposals for the first period will be announced by April 20.

More information on the RESEARCH 4 COVID-19 page.