Understanding how infections foster and induce non-communicable diseases

The main goal of this opportunity is to better understand how infections can contribute to the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It focuses on identifying possible causal links and biomarkers that could help detect people at risk, and on clarifying the underlying mechanisms of action through laboratory, computational, or tissue-based studies. The initiative also aims to consolidate data on these relationships and ensure that research follows high standards for ethics and data privacy. Projects are encouraged to include diverse populations, considering ethnicity, socio-economic status, and gender balance. The scope is global, but excludes legal entities from the UK and Canada from funding.

• Identify and validate causal links and biomarkers between non-carcinogenic infections and neurodegenerative or cardiometabolic diseases
• Develop methodologies and AI-assisted tools to assess and model these relationships, with strong statistical rigor and risk mitigation strategies
• Create a centralized repository of infection-associated NCD causal relationships, biomarkers, and mechanisms of action
• Enable early diagnostic, vaccine, and intervention strategies to halt or prevent chronic disease progression, improving long-term patient outcomes
• Support a systematic, multi-omics, data-driven research approach to guide the development of innovative, preventive medical solutions across Europe

Example Projects:

• A study collecting tissue samples from diverse populations to identify biomarkers linking viral infections to heart disease.
• A computational project developing AI models to trace how bacterial infections might trigger diabetes, ensuring full transparency in methods and data.
• A laboratory-based experiment testing mechanisms of action between specific infections and non-cancerous chronic illnesses, while following strict data privacy rules.

• Personnel costs
• Subcontracting
• Travel and subsistence
• Equipment (depreciation or rental)
• Consumables and materials
• Dissemination and communication
• Access to research infrastructure
• IPR and certification
• Audit costs
• Indirect costs (25% flat rate)
• Internally invoiced services

• Budget for this Call: 7,250,000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 1
• Budget per grant: 7,250,000€

• Applicants must be legal entities established in eligible countries (not the UK or Canada).
• Applicants must comply with the IHI-specific requirement of a 45% industry contribution.
• Applicants must provide a declaration of in-kind contribution commitment and relevant budget documents.
• Proposals must include necessary annexes as described in the guidelines.
• Applicants must demonstrate both financial and operational capacity to carry out the project.
• Projects must follow ethical and data privacy standards.
• Applicants must ensure transparency in data, modeling, and research processes.