Research Grants

The Research Grants program is offered by the LEO Foundation, a major private philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing dermatological science worldwide. The Foundation has awarded more than DKK 1.8 billion to independent research and is recognized as one of the largest private funders of skin research at universities and hospitals globally. Its mission is to support projects that generate new knowledge about the biology of the skin and improve the understanding and treatment of dermatological diseases. The Research Grants program operates as an open competition, meaning proposals are evaluated based on scientific merit and alignment with the Foundation’s priorities rather than predefined thematic calls. The primary purpose of the grant is to fund high-quality research projects that advance knowledge in dermatology. Eligible research areas include basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, and technical studies. The Foundation specifically encourages projects that explore biological, medicinal, chemical, and pharmacological mechanisms underlying skin diseases, as well as research addressing clinical outcomes, patient quality of life, and societal costs. Investigator-initiated clinical trials are supported, provided they are independent of commercial interests. However, certain areas are excluded, including research focused directly on skin cancer, cosmetic dermatology aimed at aesthetic improvement, and projects involving commercial drug testing or partnerships with for-profit companies. Funding typically ranges from DKK 2 million to DKK 4 million per grant, supporting projects lasting between one and three years. Allowable expenses include salaries and benefits for research staff, operational costs, equipment, publication expenses, travel, tuition for PhD students, and administrative costs up to five percent. The Foundation enforces strict rules to prevent duplication of funding, such as prohibiting double salary coverage and requiring justification for salary requests for existing full-time employees. Projects must not begin before funding decisions are made, and only one application per applicant per call is permitted. Eligibility is open to researchers worldwide who hold a PhD or equivalent qualification and serve as the principal investigator of the proposed project. Applicants must be affiliated with a university, hospital, or other nonprofit institution. The grant requires a single main applicant and host organization, and funding is disbursed through that institution. Applicants with active grants from the Foundation may only reapply under specific timing restrictions, and resubmissions must clearly document changes from prior applications. These eligibility rules ensure that funding supports independent, academically grounded research with strong institutional backing. The application process is conducted through the Foundation’s online system, LEOnora. Applicants must create an account, complete a profile, and submit a structured application form in English. Required components include project descriptions, abstracts, methodological plans, references, team qualifications, and detailed budgets. Supporting documents such as CVs, publication lists, and funding histories must also be uploaded. The system allows applicants to draft and revise submissions until the deadline, and incomplete applications cannot be submitted. Applications undergo a multi-stage evaluation process. First, submissions are screened for administrative compliance and eligibility. Qualified applications are then reviewed by an independent scientific evaluation committee based on criteria such as significance, innovation, methodology, team expertise, and research environment. Recommendations are forwarded to the Foundation’s Grant Committee and ultimately to the Board of Trustees, which makes the final funding decisions. Applicants are typically notified within approximately three months after the deadline, and funded projects may begin several months thereafter depending on the call round. The program operates three times annually, with fixed opening and closing dates for each round. For example, the third round of the 2026 cycle closes on August 25, 2026 at 16:00 CEST, with funding decisions expected in December 2026 and project start dates as early as February 2027. This recurring structure provides multiple opportunities each year for applicants to submit proposals. Contact information for program officers is provided to support applicants during the process, ensuring transparency and accessibility throughout the grant lifecycle.

Focus on strong scientific rationale, innovation, and clear methodology aligned with evaluation criteria; ensure all mandatory documents are complete and budget justification is detailed