Personalised Medicine for CARdiovascular, MEtabolic, and kidNey diseases (CARMEN2026)

The CARMEN2026 call under the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (EP PerMed) offers funding for research projects focused on personalised medicine for cardiovascular, metabolic, and kidney diseases. It is part of the Horizon Europe program, with a total budget of €38 million. Eligible applicants include academia, the clinical/public health sector, and private sector partners, encouraging diverse consortium formation across EU Member States and Associated Countries. The application process involves a two-stage submission and evaluation: pre-proposals submitted by 10 February 2026 and full proposals by 09 June 2026. Mandatory consortia must involve a minimum of three partners from different participating countries, with each partner independently eligible for funding from their regional organizations. The evaluation process involves rigorous checks and assessments by independent reviewers, focusing on excellence, impact, and implementation quality. While specific success rates are not disclosed, the competitive nature of the program suggests only a limited percentage of proposals will receive funding. Co-funding is not required at the call level, allowing for a decentralized funding model. Key considerations include ethical compliance and the inclusion of early-career researchers along with a commitment to innovative, multidisciplinary approaches in research.

The European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (EP PerMed) is offering funding through its Joint Transnational Call (JTC) 2026, focusing on Personalised Medicine for CARdiovascular, MEtabolic, and kidNey diseases (CARMEN2026). The call falls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically topic HORIZON-HLTH-2023-CARE-08-01. The total funding available is 38,000,000.00 EUR. The project acronym is EP PerMed, and the full name of the EU-funded project is the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine. The grant agreement number is 101137129.

The call employs a two-step submission and evaluation procedure, involving pre-proposals and full proposals. Joint transnational consortia must prepare a single proposal in English, submitted by the coordinator through the electronic submission system. Research project consortia intending to submit a transnational proposal should register on the electronic submission system. Joint proposals comprise the pre-proposal and full proposal templates (Word format) for describing the planned work, and the electronic submission tool for partner information and financial plans. Official templates must be used, and proposals must adhere to the "Guidelines for Applicants."

The deadline for pre-proposal submission is 10 February 2026 (14:00 CET). Applicants selected to submit a full proposal will be notified around 05 May 2026 by the Joint Call Secretariat (JCS), which will also provide the full proposal application template. Any significant changes between the pre- and full proposal stages must be communicated to the JCS and relevant funding organizations. The deadline for full proposal submission is 09 June 2026 (14:00 CEST). The electronic submission system will not accept proposals or amendments after these deadlines. Inconsistencies between the online submission tool and the PDF application form will be resolved in favor of the online submission tool.

Eligibility criteria mandate that only transnational projects will be funded. Each consortium must include at least three partners from three different EU Member States or Associated Countries, each eligible for funding from their respective funding organization. These entities must be independent of each other. The project coordinator must be eligible for funding from their regional/national funding organization and cannot be changed between stages.

Consortium composition rules specify that a maximum of two project partners per consortium can request funding from the same funding organization, with some organizations limiting funding to one partner per project. At the pre-proposal stage, the maximum number of partners is six, with no more than two from the same country (including partners on own funds). A consortium can have seven partners if it includes a third partner from the same country, provided funding is requested from at least two different funders of that country. Consortia can include an additional partner eligible for funding from an underrepresented region/country in the full proposal phase, participating in a widening option. No more than one partner on own funds is allowed in consortia with at least three partners eligible for funding. Organizations representing patients or citizens can be added as additional partners at either stage, either on own funds or by applying for funding.

Eligible applicants include entities from academia (universities, higher education institutions, research institutes), the clinical/public health sector (hospitals, healthcare settings, health organizations), and private for-profit (SMEs) and non-profit partners (foundations, associations, NGOs). Consortia are encouraged to include partners from different categories to reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the call and are strongly recommended to integrate at least one early-career researcher (ECR) as a principal investigator. The number of participants, their category, and their research contribution should be appropriate for the call's aims and the research project's goals, with a reasonable balance in international participation. Each project should demonstrate the critical mass necessary to achieve ambitious scientific goals and the added value of cooperation.

Research groups will be funded by their respective regional/national funding organizations and are subject to their eligibility criteria. Applicants are advised to contact their relevant funding organization prior to submission, which may be mandatory for some regions/countries. Ineligible partners can lead to the rejection of the entire proposal. A consortium can apply for a redress procedure if its proposal is rejected.

The maximum project duration is three years, with studies finalized within this period. Eligible costs and funding provisions vary by funding organization. Project partners must adhere to their regional/national regulations and scientific remits.

The formal check and evaluation process involves the JCS checking proposals for formal criteria and forwarding them to regional/national funding organizations for compliance checks. Pre-proposals that pass the eligibility check are sent to at least three independent reviewers for evaluation based on written evaluation forms with scores and comments. The CSC decides which pre-proposals are invited for full proposal submission based on reviewers' scores and recommendations, ensuring a balance of requested and available budgets.

Full proposals undergo a similar formal check by the JCS and funding organizations. Each full proposal is allocated to at least three independent reviewers. Before the Peer Review Panel (PRP) meeting, project coordinators receive the reviewers' assessments and can provide comments on factual errors or misunderstandings. The PRP then meets to discuss all proposals and rebuttal letters, producing a joint assessment report and a ranking list of proposals recommended for funding.

Evaluation criteria for both pre-proposals and full proposals include Excellence, Impact, and Quality and efficiency of the implementation, each weighted equally. A scoring system from 0 to 5 is used, with a threshold of 3 for each criterion and an overall threshold of 9.

Excellence is evaluated based on the clarity and pertinence of objectives, ambition, soundness of methodology, inclusion of sex and gender research, consideration of underrepresented populations, and quality of open science practices.

Impact is evaluated based on the credibility of pathways to achieve expected outcomes, potential impact on personalised medicine development, suitability of measures to maximise outcomes, and added value of transnational collaboration.

Quality and efficiency of the implementation are evaluated based on the quality of the work plan, capacity and role of each participant, interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration, appropriateness of management structures, and sustainability of research capacities.

The JCS and CSC take steps to ensure no conflict of interest among reviewers. Reviewers must declare any conflicts and maintain confidentiality. Breaching the conflict-of-interest rule results in exclusion.

Applicants must complete an “Ethical self-assessment” at the full proposal stage. Proposals recommended for funding undergo an Ethics and RRI evaluation to verify alignment with ethical norms and regulations. Ethical clearance does not replace the ethical vote by a competent Research Ethics Committee.

The CSC recommends projects for funding to regional/national funding organizations based on the PRP's ranking list, ethical clearance, and available funding. Final decisions are made by the funding organizations, subject to budgetary considerations.

Applicants can appeal against the evaluation outcome within seven calendar days of receiving the evaluation outcome email, provided the appeal demonstrates a procedural irregularity, factual error, manifest error of assessment, misuse of powers, or a conflict of interests.

Applicants should contact their regional/national representative to enquire about eligibility with their respective funding organizations prior to submitting an application.

In summary, this call for proposals aims to fund transnational research projects focused on advancing personalised medicine for cardiovascular, metabolic, and kidney diseases. It involves a two-stage application process, emphasizing collaboration between diverse partners from different countries and sectors. The evaluation process is rigorous, considering scientific excellence, potential impact, and the quality of the implementation plan. Ethical considerations and adherence to regional/national funding regulations are also critical. The call seeks to foster innovative research that goes beyond the state-of-the-art, incorporates multidisciplinary approaches, and ultimately contributes to the development and implementation of personalised medicine in healthcare.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are categorized as follows: A. Academia (research teams working in universities, other higher education institutions) or research institutes; B. Clinical/public health sector (research teams working in hospitals/public health and/or other healthcare settings and health organisations). Participation of clinicians (e.g. medical doctors, nurses), pharmacists and general practitioners in the research teams is encouraged; C. Private for-profit (industry) partners, e.g. SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) and private non-profit partners, e.g. foundations, associations or non-governmental organisations. The call strongly encourages consortia to include partners from different categories (A, B, and C).

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, with funding provided by regional/national funding organizations to research groups based in their respective regions/countries.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium of multiple applicants is required. Each consortium must involve at least three partners from three different EU Member States or Associated Countries whose funding organisations participate in the call. All three legal entities must be independent of each other. The maximum number of partners is 6 at the pre-proposal stage, with specific rules for including a 7th partner under certain conditions.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. Applicants must be eligible for funding from their respective regional/national funding organizations. A widening concept allows for the inclusion of a partner from an underrepresented region/country in the full proposal phase.

Target Sector: The target sector is health, specifically focusing on personalised medicine for cardiovascular, metabolic, and kidney diseases (CARMEN2026). The call aims to develop personalised medicine approaches, including clinical and other health-related applications, and the translatability of research to practice in healthcare.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is research and development, with an emphasis on translatability of the proposed research to practice in healthcare. The call encourages projects that go beyond the state-of-the-art and have innovative potential.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 38,000,000.00 €. The funding amount for individual projects will vary based on the regulations of the respective funding organisation.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a two-step submission process: pre-proposal and full proposal.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money, with funding provided by their respective regional/national funding organizations.

Application Stages: Applicants must pass through two main stages: pre-proposal and full proposal. Each stage involves formal checks, evaluations by independent reviewers, and decisions by the Call Steering Committee (CSC). The full proposal stage includes a rebuttal stage where applicants can comment on reviewers' assessments.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the process involves multiple layers of evaluation, including formal checks, independent reviews, and ethical clearance, suggesting a competitive selection process.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding requirements are not explicitly stated, but applicants must adhere to the financial regulations of their respective regional/national funding organizations, which may include co-funding requirements.

Summary:

The Joint Transnational Call (JTC) 2026, under the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (EP PerMed), is a funding opportunity targeting research projects in the field of personalised medicine for cardiovascular, metabolic, and kidney diseases. This call encourages transnational consortia comprising academic institutions, clinical/public health sectors, and private sector partners (including SMEs) from different EU Member States and Associated Countries. The application process involves a two-stage submission: a pre-proposal and a full proposal, with strict adherence to the guidelines and templates provided by EP PerMed. Projects should aim for innovative approaches, incorporate multidisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration, and demonstrate a clear pathway to impact, including the translatability of research to clinical practice. Ethical considerations and responsible research and innovation (RRI) are also key evaluation criteria. Funding is provided by regional/national funding organizations, and applicants must comply with their specific eligibility criteria and regulations. The total funding available is 38 million euros, and projects can have a maximum duration of 3 years. The call emphasizes the importance of including early-career researchers and encourages the participation of patient or citizen organizations. The evaluation process includes formal checks, independent reviews, and a rebuttal stage, ensuring a rigorous and transparent selection process.