European Brain Health Partnership launches its first two Calls

The first two Calls the European Partnership for Brain Health (EP Brain Health) have been launched, with the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) participating as the national funding body. Applications are open until 1:00 p.m. (Mainland Portugal time) on March 10, 2026.

Both Calls subject to the theme "Biological, social, and environmental factors that impact the trajectory of brain health across the lifespan." Call focuses on neurological, mental, and sensory disorders, and Call covers neurodegenerative diseases. Both aim to support transnational research and innovation projects that address at least two of the following three factors:

1) biological factors, such as genetics, epigenetics, omics, neuroplasticity, inflammation, synaptogenesis, circuits, vascular factors, sensory impairment, and comorbidities;

2) lifestyle and social factors, such as exercise/activity, nutrition, sleep, smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, work (income, employment), socioeconomic history/status, race/ethnicity, gender, education, safety, social interactions (family/friends), access to healthcare, stress, trauma, and migration;

3) environmental factors, such as pollution, urbanization, disasters, pandemics, wars/conflicts, climate change, and nature.

For further information, please refer to the page dedicated to these Calls on the FCT website and the Call and Call pages, both on the EP Brain Health website.

EP Brain Healthisco-funded under the Horizon Europe Framework Program and promotes collaboration between funding agencies in the European Research Area, with a view to financing joint transnational R&I projects in priority areas of Brain Health. This partnership brings together 54 organizations from 33 countries, including Portugal, represented by FCT and the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB).