LF Fellows (Danish biomedical research)

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About the grant

Background

The Lundbeck Foundation’s ambition is to make Denmark leading in neuroscience research by funding relevant biomedical, health, clinical and other sciences in Denmark. The goal is to foster world-class research at Danish universities and Danish university hospitals. At the same time, our grants must help provide an environment that stimulates the best graduates and scientists at all career levels.
In keeping with the purpose of the Lundbeck Foundation we seek to “bring discoveries to lives”. Therefore, we value projects that present a clear plan for how the anticipated project outcomes can lead to impact on science and/or human health.

Lundbeck Foundation believes that diversity strengthens science and for this reason diversity, including, but not limited to, gender and ethnic origin, is encouraged. It is therefore important that we receive applications from as many qualified scientists as possible, from all backgrounds.

Research theme

The proposed research must be within the fields of biomedical, clinical or health science, or must facilitate research within these fields.

Who can apply?

Lundbeck Foundation fellowships are granted to outstanding and promising young researchers who are establishing or expanding their own research groups at non-commercial Danish research institutions. This applies to Danish-based researchers, to researchers from abroad who wish to move to Denmark and continue their research here and to researchers already employed at Danish universities and university hospitals.

Applicants must:
• Have obtained their PhD no more than eight years ago¹ (rules for leave of absence apply²).
• Work within the fields of biomedical, clinical and health science, or related fields with a clear biomedical angle to the project.

Applicants may not:
• Already hold, or receive within the same year as this grant is awarded, a major Danish or international starting grants similar to a Lundbeck Foundation Fellowship

Which proposals are eligible?

Your project proposes frontline clinical, translational or basic research within the fields of biomedical, clinical or health science, or facilitates research within these fields.
The Lundbeck Foundation does not fund drug trials conducted, either wholly or partially, in collaboration with commercial enterprises. Consequently, the Foundation only funds investigator-initiated trials conducted independently of industry. Furthermore, the Foundation does not fund research projects aimed at directly supporting commercial entities (drugs or enterprises) or have commercial implications for specific commercial enterprises.

How much?

The Lundbeck Foundation is allocating up to DKK 70 million to this call. Grants are DKK 10 million each and cover five years. The budget may include all staff and non-staff costs related to the project, including your own salary. Funding for full PhD stipends (including tuition fee and conference travel costs) can in total be budgeted up to DKK 1.500.000 per PhD student. Up to 10% of the budget can be reserved for indirect costs if appropriately justified.
If you are moving to Denmark from abroad, you can apply for DKK 100,000 as a lump sum to cover your relocation costs. To qualify for this, it is a prerequisite that you do not live in Denmark at the time of application and you over the past 3 years have not lived in Denmark for more than 3 months. The DKK 100,000 lump sum must be clearly stated in the budget.

Application

How to apply?

You must submit your application, written in English, via the Lundbeck Foundation’s application application system here

Please note that the Foundation will not consider or assess any application material which is not submitted via the application system.

Your application must include the following:

• Research plan including anticipated impact
• NEW in 2024: Roadmap to impact
• NEW in 2024: If relevant (in case of resubmission of application to the LF fellowship
• Publication list
• CV
• Budget
• A letter of support from the Danish host institution
• A Letter of Intent from a resident researcher at the host institution who will mentor you during the process of establishing a research group as an integral part of the research environment there

Please follow the guidelines on the application form.

You are welcome to contact Senior Grant Manager Ulla Jakobsen, uj@lundbeckfonden.com, or Scientific Programme Manager Jo Beldring Henningsen, jbh@lundbeckfonden.com, if you have any questions regarding your application.

Evaluation process

The evaluation will be based on the scientific excellence characterised by the criteria below:

• Applicant (scientific creativity, scientific achievements, scientific collaboration and network, commitment, level of independence as a researcher)
• Research project (ground-breaking nature, potential impact, scientific approach, feasibility)
• Host environment (scientific skills, facilities, commitment)
• Expected implications for human health, including the feasibility of the roadmap to impact (NEW in 2024)

The assessment will be divided into two steps:

Step 1
Applications are evaluated by the Lundbeck Foundation Grants & Prizes Panel (https://www.lundbeckfonden.com/en/grants/review-panels/) who select the applications to continue  to the next step.

Step 2
Selected applications are peer reviewed by three external, international experts who then provide the Foundation with a written report. Applicants will be invited to comment on the written reports. Selected applicants will be invited to an interview by the Grants & Prizes Panel. Based on the application, three independent peer reviews, the applicants’ written reply to the peer review and interviews with applicants, the Grants & Prizes Panel will make recommendations for funding or rejection to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, who will make the final decision.

Important dates

• Deadline for application: 13:00, August 31, 2023
• Decision on step 2: November 2023
• Interviews of selected applicants: 27 – 28 February 2024
• Final decision: March 2024

What are the grant conditions?

If your proposal is successful, you must accept the Lundbeck Foundation’s Terms and Conditions for Research Grants. The current version can be seen here https://www.lundbeckfonden.com/en/grants/terms-and-conditions-for-research-grants/

The purpose of the Lundbeck Foundation is to create powerful ripple effects that bring discoveries to lives through investing actively in business and science at the frontiers of their fields.

^{1 PhD age is calculated from day of graduation to the application deadline.
2 The PhD seniority of applicants who have taken maternity or paternity leave after gaining their PhD will be reduced by the actual number of weeks of leave multiplied by 1.5. In the case of illness or family care leave, the exact period will be deducted. The start and end dates of the maternity/paternity leave or other leave periods must be stated in the applicant’s CV. The PhD seniority of applicants who have taken leave from research for their clinical postgraduate education (Klinisk Basisuddannelse) after gaining their PhD will be reduced by 12 months.}