LS26 Targeted Prevention / Key Facts

This call is open to research projects that have the potential to promote disease prevention and/or increase the number of healthy life years in a defined human population.

Call scope

Projects must identify a specific risk population, define a disease/health condition, and develop an actionable mechanism for intervention. Scientific innovation and its value in addressing an open research gap in prevention research must be clearly demonstrated. In addition, projects must outline a pathway to implementation that allows for the assessment of the feasibility and impact of the proposed work. Project teams must demonstrate scientific expertise in relevant research disciplines, as well as further expertise from relevant stakeholders. Budget may be allocated for non-academic stakeholders as appropriate.

Who can apply?

Projects are led by a "core research team" of up to three principal investigators (PIs). The core research team consists of:

• A coordinating PI (PI&C), who must be based at a university or research institute in Vienna
• Up to two co-PIs, who may be based anywhere globally (i.e., Vienna, Austria, internationally)
  • Co-PIs outside of Vienna may receive a maximum total of 20% of the total budget
  • Co-PIs affiliated to institutions in Lower Austria may receive a maximum total of 49% of the total budget in Joint Projects

Project duration

24–48 months

Funding

• Call budget: € 7.5 million
• Project budget: € 400,000 to € 750,000 (up to € 800,000 for Joint Projects) 
• Personnel and non-personnel costs may be claimed
• Maximum 40% non-personnel costs
• Up to 20% overhead costs

Timeline

• Call opening: March 3^rd, 2026
• Short Proposal deadline: May 5^th, 2026, 2pm CET 
• Full Proposal deadline: October 6^th, 2026, 2pm CET
  
• Applicant response phase: between February 8^th - 19^th, 2027 (exact dates TBD)
• Expected funding decision: late March, 2027

• Project start: latest September, 2027

Process

• Two-stage selection process
• International jury
• International peer review
• Application via WWTF Funding Portal 

Info event

• Online information session about the call: March 17^th, 2026, 10am - 12pm CET
  • Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84627777408 
  • Webinar ID: 846 2777 7408