Support "RESEARCH 4 COVID-19" for pandemic response

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

Considering the dynamic and rapid evolution of the situation and the uncertain context in which we live, this support will have two periods for the submission of proposals:

- The first application deadline will run until 5pm (Lisbon time) on April 5th, 2020;

- The second period will take into account how the situation develops and will only be announced after the first period is over.

The funding for each project will be up to 30 thousand euros, in addition to the own resources associated with the redirection of teams and R&D activities underway in the R&D units supported by FCT. At this stage, FCT will make available a budget allocation of 1.5 million euros 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 socio-cultural component and actions to promote a resilient society with the ability to cope with the current context of uncertainty in which we live, especially in the older population and in higher risk groups.

This support is aimed at R&D units of 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. Business entities may participate as long as in partnership with research institutions.

The evaluation of the R&D proposals will be done by a committee that includes experts appointed by FCT and AICIB. The result of the evaluation of the proposals of the first period will be communicated until April 20th.

More information at RESEARCH 4 COVID-19