News

News

Exceptional financing line supports research under COVID-19

25-03-2020

FCT

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), in collaboration with the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB), opened on March 24, an exceptional financing line, the “RESEARCH 4 COVID-19”. This initiative aims to support research and development (R&D) projects and initiatives already underway or to be developed and that respond to the needs of the National Health Service (SNS).

Considering the dynamic and rapid evolution of the situation and the context of uncertainty in which we live, this support will have two periods for the submission of proposals. The first application period will run until 5 pm (Lisbon time) on April 5, 2020; the second will only be announced after the first period.

The financing of each project will be up to 30 thousand euros, in addition to the own resources associated with the reorientation of R&D teams and activities underway in the R&D units supported by FCT. At this stage, and as of now, FCT will make available a budget allocation of 1.5 million euros for this program, to be financed by national funds through the FCT budget.

R&D projects and initiatives may consider new prevention tools, therapeutic development, diagnostic methods, clinical and epidemiological studies, as well as R&D activities that include a socio-cultural component and actions to promote a resilient society capable of facing the current context uncertainty in which we live, especially in the more elderly population and in groups at higher risk.

This support is directed to R&D units of higher education institutions and their institutes, State Laboratories and other public research institutionsscientific societies or non-profit scientific associations, public or private non-profit institutions, which may submit proposals individually or in partnership, and the participation of health care services and entities is mandatory. Business entities can participate as long as in partnership with research institutions.

The evaluation of R&D proposals will be carried out by a committee that includes experts appointed by FCT and AICIB. The result of the evaluation of the proposals for the first period will be communicated by April 20.

More information on the  RESEARCH 4 COVID-19 page.