The call for proposals for LBG Clinical Research Groups (CRG) aims to fund medium-term, collaborative research programs with a clear focus on patient-oriented, medically relevant topics in the field of non-commercial clinical research. In line with the current government program (2025–2029), this year’s call focuses on women’s health research and gender medicine.

Support is provided for the development of innovative research findings in disease- or patient-oriented clinical research within the framework of investigator-initiated clinical trials, with the possibility of integrating translational aspects. At the same time, in the spirit of early-career development, high-quality training opportunities are to be offered to young clinical researchers.

The CRG shall address a coherent research program consisting of several work packages/sub-projects. The following requirements must be met:

• innovative and high quality in the field of disease- or patient-oriented clinical research and the development of diagnostic or therapeutic methods, science communication, and target-group-specific public outreach;
• at least 50% of the planned work must be carried out at medical universities/faculties;
• includes investigator-initiated clinical trials (Phase I–III) or other non-commercial clinical trials in combination with clinical pilot or accompanying studies (observational studies, longitudinal studies, epidemiological studies, biobanking, biomarker studies, patient outcome studies, proof of concept studies, etc.);
• complies with Good Clinical Practice standards;
• demonstrates an interdisciplinary, synergistic, and collaborative nature between clinical and non-clinical members, thereby making a particular contribution to improving cooperation (synergies) between medical institutions;
• promotes early-career researchers and addresses gender equality issues.

The main applicant of a CRG, the Lead Institution, must be an Austrian medical university/faculty with an affiliated university hospital.

The application for a Clinical Research Group must be submitted by an Austrian medical university/faculty with an affiliated university hospital, acting as the Lead Institution on behalf of several cooperation partners.

Cooperation partners may include public or private universities, universities of applied sciences, hospitals and/or non-university research institutions in the non-profit sector. Together with the Lead Institution, these partners are funding recipients.

Commercial cooperation partners are also possible, although they are not funding recipients.

A CRG comprises of the following personnel:

• one Mentor*,
• one Head*,
• one or more Sub-Project Manager(s), of which one or more Deputy Head(s)* have to be appointed, as well as
• researchers and additional team members.

* employed at Lead Institution

• Call budget 2026/27: EUR 8.32 million
• Funding:
  EUR 0.52–1.04 million per annum
  A maximum of 90% of the total costs of the Clinical Research Group will be funded.
  Participating institutions must contribute at least 10% of the Clinical Research Group costs from their own resources.
• Duration: 4 + 4 years, with the second funding period subject to a successful interim evaluation.

Two-stage selection procedure: Short proposals are evaluated by a scientific expert committee, which selects applicants to submit full proposals. The full proposals are then subject to peer review, after which applicants are invited to on-site interviews with the scientific expert committee.

The scientific expert committee provides strategic and operational support for programme development and the review process and is composed of high-ranking, internationally recognised scientific experts. The members of the committee will be announced here.

All information and documents are provided on this webpage.

Please check regularly for updates.

The call will be available on eSubmission shortly. Please the use the short proposal application form to prepare accordingly.

Online Application Portal

• Online Portal eSubmission

Programme Management – Clinical Research Groups

Neda Motamedi-Shad, PhD
Telefon: +43 (0) 1 513 27 50-45

Bettina Lengger, PhD
Telefon: +43 (0) 1 513 27 50-71

Mail: xst@yot.np.ng