Consortium Projects for Clinical Translation

Aim of the program

The Consortium Projects for Clinical Translation (CONPRO) programme supports multidisciplinary teams working on the translation of scientific breakthroughs from proof-of-concept to real-world healthcare applications. The scope includes the development of novel or improved diagnostics and treatment. CONPRO funding is ideally suited to support phase I or II clinical trials.

Areas of the program

The Foundation focuses its grant making on areas of unmet medical needs, where scientific and/or clinical evidence with the potential for ground-breaking advances for patients exist.

The CONPRO grants will support ambitious, innovative, interdisciplinary research consortia based in Switzerland, with a focus on translational research. The programme is designed to foster strong interdisciplinary teams.

In 2026, two calls are open:

Brain Health – focus on Mental Health, Psychiatry and Neurology
Immunology – focus on Immunology, Infectiology, and Vaccinology.

Duration, volume and location of funding

Duration of funding: 3 years
Volume of funding: maximum CHF 3 million in total
In specifically justified cases, a 4th year of funding of CHF 1 million might be granted
The clinical translation must be predominantly pursued in Switzerland

Eligibility criteria

A consortium shall consist of several research groups collaborating in an inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional network in Switzerland.

Consortium size: one lead principal investigator (PI) and up to four co-applicants, incl. at least one physician-scientist with ongoing clinical responsibilities.
Institutions: inter-institutional collaborations are encouraged in the consortium.
Profiles: The PI and all co-applicants must hold independent group leader positions.
Time commitment: the PI should commit to at least 10% FTE to the project, co-applicants at least 5%.
Diversity: selection is based on scientific excellence but diversity is strongly encouraged.

Application requirements

Proposals shall demonstrate:

Rigorous hypothesis-driven scientific methodology
Clearly defined translational objectives within funding period
Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) were feasible
Compliance with the highest standards of Ethics and Scientific Integrity

Application materials

The application must be prepared using the templates on the Foundation website.

Pre-proposal, including the following annexes:

Curriculum vitae of all applicants (SNSF format)
Publication list of the lead applicant

Full proposal, including budget and the following annexes:

Curriculum vitae of all applicants (SNSF format)
A bibliography of the references used in the proposal.

The two documents shall be submitted simultaneously. Details on the formatting and submission process are provided in the Call Documentation.

Evaluation process

The evaluation follows a four-stage evaluation procedure:

Eligibility
Pre-proposals
Full proposals
In-person hearings

The applications are evaluated by a committee composed of 5 selected international experts. The Foundation does not provide feedback on its decisions.

Deadline and decisions

The application deadline is Monday, 15 June 2026 (23:59 CEST). Pre-proposal and full proposal must be submitted simultaneously via email to applications@helmut-horten-stiftung.org