Living labs to monitor and mitigate carcinogenic substances in and originating from soils: Evaluating their effects on human cancer risks

The HORIZON-MISS-2027-06-SOIL-CANCER call is a significant initiative under Horizon Europe focusing on the intersection of soil health, environmental contamination, and human cancer prevention. The aim is to establish living labs dedicated to monitoring and mitigating carcinogenic substances originating from soils and evaluating their effects on human cancer risks. The total budget for this initiative is EUR 24,000,000, with an expected funding of around EUR 12,000,000 per grant, totaling two grants to be awarded.

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, SMEs, large enterprises, public authorities, land managers, environmental NGOs, and healthcare institutions, fostering a collaborative multi-actor approach essential for living lab operations. A consortium of multiple applicants is required, and each project must establish four to five interconnected living labs across at least three different Member States or Associated Countries, ensuring diverse environmental and socio-economic contexts are represented.

The geographic eligibility includes all EU Member States as well as EEA countries and EU Associated Countries. The focus is on addressing regions with hotspots of carcinogenic substances, particularly regarding PFAS contamination and heavy metals like arsenic and cadmium.

The initiative aligns with broader EU goals, such as the European Green Deal and the Cancer Mission, aiming to enhance understanding of how environmental and occupational cancer risks are influenced by soil contamination. Projects will not only deliver remediation solutions but will also investigate the epidemiological links between soil contaminants and human health outcomes.

Funding is provided as grants, including financial support for third parties that enables participation from smaller actors. A single-stage application process is employed, with submissions due by September 21, 2027. This grants opportunity promotes an interdisciplinary and participatory research environment to co-create sustainable, economically viable solutions for soil health challenges.

In summary, this call represents a transformative shift in research and innovation, encouraging the development of long-term collaborative networks that can effectively tackle soil contamination and its health implications while fostering community engagement and building capacity for sustainable practices beyond the funding period.

The HORIZON-MISS-2027-06-SOIL-CANCER call, a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (RIA), is a joint initiative between the Soil Deal for Europe Mission and the Cancer Mission under the Horizon Europe program. This call aims to establish and support living labs focused on monitoring and mitigating carcinogenic substances in and originating from soils, and evaluating their effects on human cancer risks. The call is structured as a single-stage application process. The planned opening date is 04 February 2027, and the deadline for submission is 21 September 2027, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The total budget allocated for this topic is EUR 24,000,000, with an indicative contribution of around EUR 12,000,000 per grant. The expected number of grants to be awarded is 2.

The primary goal of this call is to contribute to the Mission Soil's objective of setting up 100 living labs and lighthouses by 2030 to facilitate the transition to healthy soils. It also supports the Cancer Mission's goal of improving the lives of over 3 million people by 2030 through cancer prevention, cure, and improved support for those affected by cancer and their families. The activities are aligned with the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the EU Soil Strategy for 2030, the proposal for a Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, the Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, the One Health approach, the European Health Data Space, the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the European Chemicals Industry Action Plan, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call include: increased capacities for participatory, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research and innovation to co-create and co-implement economically viable soil health solutions tailored to soils contaminated with or at risk of contamination by carcinogenic substances; enhanced understanding of the environmental pathways through which these substances affect humans and the food chain, and the links (drivers and processes) between carcinogenic substances in soil and cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence in humans.

The scope of the call addresses the significant environmental and occupational cancer risks associated with soil pollution by carcinogenic substances like PFAS and heavy metals such as arsenic and cadmium. The call acknowledges the knowledge gaps regarding the relationships between land management practices, soil properties, the presence of carcinogenic substances, biomonitoring, bioaccumulation, transfer processes, human exposure pathways, and the impact on cancer.

Projects funded under this call are expected to expand and complement the existing network of Mission Soil living labs and lighthouses. Living labs are defined as long-term collaborations between multiple actors to address common soil health challenges in real-life sites at local or regional levels, typically involving 10 to 20 sites per lab. These labs should address soil health challenges across various land uses, including agricultural, peri-urban, post-industrial, forest, and semi-natural areas. Individual sites can include farms, forest holdings, urban green areas, and industrial areas. Sites demonstrating exemplary performance in soil health improvement and serving as demonstration, training, and communication centers are designated as lighthouses.

Proposals should support the establishment of four to five research-and-innovation-centered living labs to: deliver research-based remediation solutions for soil contamination by carcinogenic substances; investigate links between carcinogenic substances in soil and transfer of pollutants from soil to humans (e.g. via air, water, or the food chain), and long-term impact on cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence in humans. Proposed solutions should be adapted to the different environmental, socio-economic and cultural contexts in which the living labs are operating. Living labs should be located in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries, with special attention given to regions with the greatest need (hotspots of carcinogenic substances). Proposals should explain the rationale and mechanism for cooperation within and across the living labs.

The proposals should also: establish an interdisciplinary, participatory, and multi-actor approach in the living labs to co-implement locally adapted solutions to isolate, immobilize, reduce, and/or eliminate carcinogenic substances to and from soils, and to monitor how these solutions affect the pathways of carcinogenic substances in soils within the soil-water-air nexus and its mobility and uptake in the food chain; establish for each living lab a baseline of the soil conditions (both naturally occurring and exogenous contaminants) to allow an accurate monitoring of soil health improvements over time and across the different sites of the living lab, as well as the impact of research-based remediation solutions on pathways of soil carcinogenic substances within the soil-water-air nexus and its mobility and uptake in the food chain. The set of soil health indicators/descriptors presented in the proposal for a Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience should be used as a basis; proposals may complement with additional indicators tailored to the addressed soil health challenge(s), pedoclimatic conditions, land use, and other local/regional factors; analyse bioavailable fractions of contaminants, their potential bioaccumulation in crops; identify most critical exposure pathways of carcinogenic substances in soils within the soil-water-air nexus and its mobility and uptake in the food chain; analyse its correlation with the incidence and prevalence of cancer in humans across the different sites of the living labs using biomonitoring of contaminants (individually and in combination) in humans, combine this research with modelling and desk research, integrating environmental pollution data with health outcome data, for example using biomonitoring data from the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) or the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), from regional or national cancer registries and in collaboration with local health authorities, research institutions, and community organizations; demonstrate the technical, social, economic, cultural and environmental viability of the proposed solutions, as well as their potential scalability and transferability to diverse contexts; identify high performing sites that may be converted into lighthouses. Engage with the SOILL project to assess the growth and development of these lighthouses and to support the establishment of a labelling process that could formally recognize these exemplary sites as lighthouses; propose strategies (e.g., financial, organisational) to ensure the long-term sustainability of the established living labs beyond Horizon Europe funding. Strategies should include business models and actions involving a mix of public or private funding schemes, financial instruments, cooperation with local authorities, engagement of social economy entities, social enterprises, business communities, SMEs, or attracting investors and entrepreneurs.

The multi-actor approach is mandatory, involving researchers, landowners, land managers, industry representatives (SMEs), public administrators, and civil society (consumers, local residents, environmental NGOs, youth organizations). Effective contributions from social sciences and humanities (SSH) are expected to foster social innovation, knowledge transfer, and socio-cultural and behavioral change.

Financial support to third parties (FSTP) is permitted, with a maximum amount of EUR 60,000 per third party, to facilitate the active involvement of smaller actors such as land managers, landowners, SMEs, or civil society. Eligible activities include site management, implementation, monitoring of soil health solutions, data collection, sampling, participation in events, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and demonstration initiatives.

Collaboration with SOILL (the structure supporting soil health living labs and lighthouses) and the EU Soil Observatory (EUSO) is required, ensuring that data, maps, and information are publicly available through EUSO and the Cancer Data Space. Data should be FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable), and chemical data should be shared in the Common Data Platform for Chemicals.

The general conditions for admissibility, eligibility, financial and operational capacity, exclusion, evaluation, award, and legal and financial setup are aligned with the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application forms and evaluation templates are available in the Submission System. Guidance is provided through the HE Programme Guide and Model Grant Agreements (MGA). Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 and related annexes, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various guidelines and manuals related to legal entity validation, financial capacity assessment, and grant management.

This funding opportunity aims to address the critical issue of soil contamination by carcinogenic substances and its impact on human health by fostering collaborative, multi-actor living labs that develop and implement sustainable remediation solutions. It seeks to bridge the gap between research and practical application, promoting soil health and reducing cancer risks through innovative and participatory approaches. The call encourages projects that not only deliver technical solutions but also ensure their long-term viability and scalability, contributing to the broader goals of the European Green Deal and the Cancer Mission.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are broad and encompass a multi-actor approach. This includes researchers, landowners or land managers, industry representatives (especially SMEs), public administrators, and civil society organizations (e.g., consumers, local residents, environmental NGOs, youth organizations). The call emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration.

Funding Type: The funding type is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) grant, specifically a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]. Financial support to third parties (FSTP) is also a component, allowing beneficiaries to provide grants to smaller actors.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium. Proposals should support the establishment of four to five research-and-innovation-centered living labs. These living labs should be located in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. Living labs should be located in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries. Special attention should be given to regions with the greatest need (hotspots of carcinogenic substances). A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: soil health, environmental science, cancer research, public health, agriculture, urban development, industrial areas, forestry, social sciences, humanities, and innovation. It focuses on the intersection of soil contamination, carcinogenic substances, and human health, aligning with the European Green Deal, EU Biodiversity Strategy, EU Soil Strategy, Zero Pollution Action Plan, and Europe's Beating Cancer Plan.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries as eligible locations for the living labs.

Project Stage: The project stage is geared towards research and innovation actions, with an emphasis on establishing and supporting living labs. This suggests a focus on development, validation, and demonstration of solutions, with the potential for identifying sites for commercialization and scale-up (lighthouses).

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic is EUR 24,000,000. The indicative funding is around EUR 12,000,000 per grant, with an expected two grants to be awarded. Furthermore, beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties, with a maximum amount of EUR 60,000 to be granted to each third party.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage call.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant. Additionally, there is a provision for financial support to third parties (FSTP) to facilitate the active involvement of smaller actors.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rate cannot be determined with the information provided.

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

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, titled "Living labs to monitor and mitigate carcinogenic substances in and originating from soils: Evaluating their effects on human cancer risks," aims to address the critical issue of soil contamination by carcinogenic substances and its impact on human health. The call seeks to establish four to five research-and-innovation-centered living labs across at least three different EU Member States and/or Associated Countries. These living labs will focus on developing and implementing remediation solutions for soil contamination, investigating the links between carcinogenic substances in soil and human health, and promoting sustainable soil management practices. The call emphasizes a multi-actor approach, encouraging collaboration between researchers, landowners, industry representatives, public administrators, and civil society organizations. The projects are expected to contribute to the goals of the Mission Soil, the Cancer Mission, and the European Green Deal, ultimately leading to increased capacities for participatory research, enhanced understanding of environmental pathways, and the co-creation of economically viable soil health solutions. The total budget for this call is EUR 24,000,000, with an indicative funding of around EUR 12,000,000 per grant and an expected two grants to be awarded.