EP BrainHealth Call 2 | Biological, social and environmental factors that impact the trajectory of brain health across the lifespan – in the field of ...

The EP BrainHealth Call 2 is a significant funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe framework, specifically targeting neurodegenerative disorders. The total budget for this initiative is €27,540,000. Eligible applicants are primarily research institutions organized in transnational consortia, consisting of at least three research partners from a minimum of three different countries, with at least two partners from EU Member States or Associated Countries. Consortia may include a maximum of six partners, allowing for collaboration, but the presence of more than two partners from the same country is restricted.

This call emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to research, focusing on how biological, social, and environmental factors impact the trajectory of neurodegenerative disorders across life. Proposals should tackle at least two of three specified factor categories: biological (such as genetics, inflammation), social/lifestyle (including factors like exercise and socio-economic background), and environmental factors (like pollution and climate change). Projects are encouraged to investigate mechanisms of action, early recognition, diagnosis, and preventive strategies or interventions.

The call operates on a two-stage evaluation process, featuring a pre-proposal and a full proposal stage, where independent reviewers assess the proposals based on established criteria. Applications are to be submitted through an open call with deadlines set for March 10, 2026, and June 30, 2026. The nature of support provided to successful applicants will be in the form of grants to cover research costs.

The initiative particularly welcomes innovative methodologies, such as the integration of multimodal data, wearable technology, and principles of artificial intelligence, aiming to generate impactful outcomes that enhance the quality of life for patients and caregivers. Excluded topics include cancer or dominant focus on neurological or mental disorders, which fall under a different funding opportunity.

The independent nature of the review process ensures compliance with Horizon Europe's ethical requirements, and applicants have avenues to appeal evaluation outcomes within specified timelines. Overall, the EP BrainHealth Call 2 is positioned as a vital investment to advance understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative conditions, promoting collaboration across Europe’s scientific landscape.

The European Partnership for Brain Health (EP BrainHealth) Call 2 focuses on biological, social, and environmental factors that impact the trajectory of brain health across the lifespan, specifically in the field of neurodegeneration. The call aims to combine a holistic approach to brain health with in-depth biological understanding, facilitating multinational, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research that addresses critical translational questions.

The opening date for submissions is January 8, 2026. There are multiple cut-off deadlines, with the first on March 10, 2026, and the second on June 30, 2026, both at 14:00 (Brussels time). The call is currently open for submission.

The total funding available is 27,540,000.00 €. The project acronym is EP BrainHealth, and the full name of the EU-funded project is EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP FOR BRAIN HEALTH (EP BRAINHEALTH). The grant agreement number is 101259512. The topic is HORIZON-HLTH-2025-02-DISEASE-01, which is the European Partnership for Brain Health.

Applications should address how biological, social, and environmental factors affect the trajectory of neurodegenerative disorders across the lifespan. Applications addressing predominantly neurological, mental, and sensory disorders should be submitted to EP BrainHealth call 1. Applications addressing risk factors shared between mental health, neurological, mental, and sensory disorders on the one hand, and neurodegenerative disorders on the other, are encouraged and should be submitted to the call that best suits their project. Applying with the same proposal to both EP BrainHealth calls is not allowed.

Applications must be interdisciplinary and address at least two of the three factors impacting brain health trajectories in the field of neurodegenerative disorders:

1.  Biological factors, e.g., genetics, epigenetics, -omics, neuroplasticity, inflammation, infection, synaptogenesis, circuits, vascular factors, sensory impairment, co-morbidities.
2.  Lifestyle and social factors, e.g., exercise/activity, nutrition, sleep, smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, work (income, employment), socio-economic background/status, race/ethnicity, sex and gender, education, safety, social interactions (family/friends), access to healthcare, stress, trauma, migration.
3.  Environmental factors, e.g., pollution/contaminants, urbanicity, disasters, pandemics, war/conflicts, climate change, microbiota, nature.

In addition, applications must investigate at least two of the following aspects:

1.  Mechanisms of action of the identified factors.
2.  Early recognition, diagnosis, and prognosis linked to the identified factors.
3.  Prevention/treatments/interventions/technological development/care and support linked to the identified factors.

Furthermore, the following aspects are important:

*  Applications should investigate how factors impact brain health trajectories along the life course.
*  Outcomes benefiting the quality of life of patients and their carers are of special importance and should be explicitly defined and stated.
*  Applications focusing on disability, gender, ethical, cultural, and socio-economic aspects are encouraged.
*  Approaches such as integration of multimodal data, use of accessible wearable technologies (e.g., mobile devices), artificial intelligence/digital twins, and drug repurposing are particularly welcome.

Excluded topics/aspects:

*  Applications focusing on cancers.
*  Applications addressing predominantly research questions in the field of the EP BrainHealth call 1 (neurological, mental disorders, and sensory disorders).

Each consortium should have the critical mass to achieve the identified scientific goals and should specify the benefit of working together. Applicants should demonstrate that they have the expertise and range of skills required to conduct the research project or that appropriate collaborations are in place. Leveraging expertise from fields outside brain health research, which can introduce innovative approaches, is encouraged. The added value to ongoing activities and the expected impact on research, medical applications, improved patient well-being, health-related outcomes, and benefits for society should be explicitly stated. If a proposal is complementary to research already funded or submitted to other funding initiatives, it must be stated how EP BrainHealth funding can supplement the ongoing activities. Double funding is not permitted.

Only transnational projects will be funded. Each consortium submitting a proposal must involve a minimum of three research partners eligible for funding by organizations listed in the call text. The eligible research partners must be from at least three different participating countries, including at least two EU Member States or Associated Countries. The total number of research partners in a consortium is limited to six, including partners participating at their own expenses. For reasons of transnational balance, no more than two partners from the same country are allowed to join a proposal. Gender balance among the partners of a consortium is encouraged.

Proposals may be submitted by applicants strictly according to the eligibility criteria laid down in the call documents and the respective national regulations provided as annexes to the call text.

The review process will be in two stages: a pre-proposal step (first stage) and a full proposal step (second stage). In both steps, each proposal will be assigned to at least three reviewers. All reviewers are required to declare the absence of conflicts of interest (CoI) and must refrain from reviewing an application or from discussing a proposal for which a conflict has been identified. Proposals will be ranked according to the evaluation results, and the selection will be made based on this ranking. Only proposals complying with all central Horizon Europe and regional/national ethical requirements will be funded.

An independent observer will be appointed to assess the conformity of the implementation of the joint call and, in particular, review the proper implementation of the independent international peer review and the establishment of the ranking list of transnational projects. The observer’s assessment report will be submitted to the European Commission.

Applicants can appeal against the evaluation outcome if they suspect a breach in the application of the evaluation and selection procedures. Requests must:

*  Be related to the evaluation process or eligibility checks.
*  Include a clear description of the grounds for complaint.
*  Be received by the Joint Call Secretariat within the time limit specified, i.e., 7 days after the date of dispatch of the evaluation outcome.

The redress cannot call into question the scientific or technical judgment of appropriately qualified experts. Upon receipt of an appeal, an acknowledgment of receipt will be sent by the call secretariat. All appeals received by the 7 calendar days deadline will be processed together, and the decision will be communicated to the appellant within 7 calendar days from the deadline for submitting the appeals. The redress procedure outlined here does not overrule national appeal rights and procedures.

The EP BrainHealth Call 2 is a funding opportunity aimed at fostering collaborative, interdisciplinary research into neurodegenerative disorders. It seeks to understand how biological, social, and environmental factors influence the progression of these disorders across a person's life. The call encourages projects that not only identify these factors but also investigate their mechanisms, contribute to early diagnosis and prognosis, and develop new prevention strategies, treatments, and technologies. The program emphasizes the importance of improving the quality of life for patients and their caregivers and welcomes innovative approaches like integrating multimodal data, using wearable technology, and applying artificial intelligence. By requiring transnational consortia and focusing on translational research, the call aims to accelerate the development of effective interventions and improve brain health outcomes across Europe.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are research partners eligible for funding by organisations listed in the call text. The consortium must include partners from at least three different participating countries, including at least two EU Member States or Associated Countries.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required. Each consortium must involve a minimum of three research partners eligible for funding. The total number of research partners in a consortium is limited to six, including partners participating at their own expenses.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. The consortium must include partners from at least three different participating countries, including at least two EU Member States or Associated Countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is health, specifically focusing on brain health and neurodegenerative disorders. The call aims to combine a holistic approach to brain health with in-depth biological understanding.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, Associated Countries.

Project Stage: The project stage is translational research, addressing critical translational questions related to neurodegenerative disorders. The call aims to facilitate multinational, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 27,540,000.00 €. The funding range for individual projects is variable, depending on the scope and requirements of the project.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with multiple cut-off dates.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves two stages: a pre-proposal step (first stage) and a full proposal step (second stage).

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the European Partnership for Brain Health (EP BrainHealth), specifically focusing on biological, social, and environmental factors that impact the trajectory of brain health across the lifespan in the field of neurodegeneration. The call aims to facilitate multinational, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research that addresses critical translational questions. The total funding available is 27,540,000.00 €.

Eligible applicants must form a consortium of at least three research partners from at least three different participating countries, including at least two EU Member States or Associated Countries, with a maximum of six partners in total. The projects should address how biological, social, and environmental factors affect neurodegenerative disorders, investigating at least two of the following aspects: mechanisms of action, early recognition/diagnosis/prognosis, and prevention/treatments/interventions/technological development/care and support.

The application process involves two stages: a pre-proposal and a full proposal. The review process includes evaluation by at least three reviewers, and an independent observer will assess the conformity of the implementation of the joint call. The call encourages interdisciplinary approaches, leveraging expertise from fields outside brain health research, and welcomes approaches such as integration of multimodal data, use of accessible wearable technologies, artificial intelligence/digital twins, and drug repurposing. Applications focusing on cancers or predominantly on neurological, mental, and sensory disorders (covered by EP BrainHealth call 1) are excluded. The opening date for submissions is January 8, 2026, with deadline dates on March 10, 2026, and June 30, 2026.