Research Newsletter – Issue 110: Funding Opportunities

TORA Deadline: 26 January 2026

Call Deadline: 02 February 2026

The Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) Joint Transnational Call 2026, known as "Access to Care," is supported by the Health Research Board (HRB) to enable Irish researchers to participate in collaborative European research. The call aims to fund projects that contribute to equitable access and utilisation of health and care services. More information is available at the HRB THCS Joint Transnational Call 2026 and THCS webpages.

Contact: Dr. Tauseef Ahmad, Research Support Officer

TORA deadline: 04 February 2026

Call Deadline (Pre-proposal): 11 February 2026 13:00 CET

Synopsis and Scope: The FutureFoodS Partnership has launched its second joint transnational call, titled "Accelerating Food Sustainability – through Household Dietary Shifts, Trust and Transparency, and Innovations in Circular Food Processing Systems".

While the call aims to transform food systems across three thematic areas, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed it will specifically support Topic 2: Towards diverse, sustainable and circular food processing systems. Research under this topic should focus on developing new, improved, or efficient solutions in food processing and packaging, as well as the valorisation of by-products and side-streams to reduce waste and promote circularity.

Important Information:

Eligibility: Applications must be submitted by a transnational consortium comprising at least three eligible partners from three different countries participating in the call.
National Funding: Irish applicants requesting funding from DAFM must adhere to the specific "Guidelines for Irish Applicants" and the National Annex. Please note that DAFM funding is restricted to Topic 2 only.
Process: This is a two-stage application process (Pre-proposal followed by Full Proposal upon invitation).

Links to further information are listed below:

Contact: Dr. Tauseef Ahmad, Research Support Officer

TORA Deadline: 05 February 2026

Call Deadline: 12 February 2026

Purpose

Support transnational collaborative research to resolve unsolved cases in rare genetic and non-genetic diseases. Focus on improving diagnosis and understanding of rare diseases (affecting ≤5 in 10,000 people).

Key Challenges

50% of suspected rare genetic cases remain undiagnosed.
Non-genetic rare diseases (~10% of cases) are under-investigated.
Average diagnosis time: ~5 years.

Research Focus Areas

Functional validation of uncertain genetic variants.
Multi-omics and integrative approaches.
New tools/methodologies (AI, bioinformatics, biostatistics).
Systems biology and disease mechanism modelling.
Integration of clinical, environmental, and lifestyle data.
Development of knowledge graphs and disease maps.

Exclusions

Pre-clinical therapy development (covered in JTC2025).
Interventional clinical trials.
Rare neurodegenerative diseases (except childhood cases).
Rare infectious diseases, cancers, and adverse drug events.

Eligibility

Open to HRB Host Institutions in ROI
Lead Applicants must be independent investigators with a proven track record.
Early Career Researchers must nominate a mentor and provide support documents.

Funding Details

HRB will fund up to €330,000 direct costs (+€75,000 for coordination).
Overheads included; PhD stipends and tenured staff salaries excluded.
Eligible costs: personnel, travel, small equipment (<€10k), FAIR data management, dissemination.

Application Process

Two-stage submission via ERDERA system by 12 Feb 2026, 13:00 GMT.

Host Institution sign-off required within 3 working days post-submission.

Additional HRB forms: Lead Applicant eligibility, HI sign-off.

Contact: Dr. Tauseef Ahmad, Research Support Officer

TORA deadline: 10 February 2026

Call deadline: 17 February 2026 17:00 GMT

Provides funding for early-career researchers from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity. Through innovative projects, they will deliver shifts in understanding related to human life, health and wellbeing.

Important information: Applicants must be at an early stage of their independent research career.

For more information please see the Wellcome Early-Career Awards page.

Contact: Dr. Tauseef Ahmad, Research Support Officer

TORA deadline: 12 February 2026 15:00

Call deadline: 05 February 2026

Students must not be in their final year. The stipend provides financial support for the student and a small contribution to consumables. Supervisors must be based in an eligible Irish institution.

In total, there are eight summer studentship awards available. Students may apply to conduct either Translational Research or Survivorship Research. Applicants are only eligible to apply for one type of studentship award, which is determined based on their proposed field of research.

Virtual/desk-based projects will be eligible as appropriate to the proposed project and discipline, as long as the project fits all other eligibility criteria.

See the Irish Cancer Society Research Funding details page for more details.

TORA deadline: 09 March 2026

Call deadline: 27 March 2026

Purpose

To turn research into action by partnering researchers with knowledge users (e.g., health service providers, policymakers).

Projects must address a documented need within the Irish health or social care system in the area of women’s health.

Research findings should have a direct impact on decision-making in the knowledge user organisation.

Eligibility

Host Institutions: Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Lead Knowledge User Applicant: Must be based in the Republic of Ireland.
Co-funding: Knowledge user partner(s) must provide at least 10% cash contribution of the HRB request.

Priority Areas

Applications in any aspect of women’s health are eligible, but these areas are prioritized:

Postpartum Mental Health (focus on traumatic births)
Endometriosis
Menstruation
Culturally Sensitive Healthcare / Intersectional impacts on Women’s Health

Additional Info on the HRB Funding Scheme webpage

Guidance notes will be available from 16 January 2026.

Reference previous APA guidance for format: HRB APA 2024 Guidance.

Contact: Dr. Tauseef Ahmad, Research Support Officer

TORA deadline: 16 March 2026

Call deadline: 24 March 2026 16:00

AHRC and Research Ireland are collaborating on a new research programme entitled UK-Ireland collaboration in the Creative Economy - Research Networking Awards that will deliver transformational impact on creative economy research between the UK and Ireland. The programme will exploit complementary strengths in the creative economy between centres of excellence in both countries, leading to new and sustainable collaborations and strengthening world-class research and industry capacity across UK and Irish ecosystems.

This funding opportunity aims to form research networks and conduct collaborative networking and partnership development activities between creative economy researchers and wider stakeholders in Ireland and the UK. Specifically, this opportunity aims to support a diverse range of projects that:

Build and consolidate new partnerships between researchers and stakeholders in the UK and Ireland and provide a platform for longer-term collaboration;
Deliver innovative research networking activities that are appropriately tailored to the themes and areas being addressed, such as workshops, seminars and / or other events and outreach, mobility, engagement and knowledge exchange activity;
Are genuinely collaborative and involve a balance of Research Organisations and industry stakeholders in both countries;
Promote the sharing of best practice and knowledge exchange between institutions in Ireland and the UK and clearly demonstrate the specific added value of enhanced collaboration in the field.

Under the collaboration between Research Ireland and AHRC agreement, a single joint proposal from applicants in both countries is submitted to UKRI Funding Service.

The application is processed according to the normal procedures of AHRC Standard Grants, and funding by AHRC and Research Ireland is decided following a joint assessment process following the recommendation of the AHRC-Research Ireland panel.

UK-based research groups will be funded by AHRC and Irish based research groups will be funded by Research Ireland.

A maximum request of €35,000 direct costs for durations of 12 months will apply to the total Irish budget. A letter of support is required from the Irish Co-lead’s host HEI.

Eligibility: This call is open to independent investigators only. Postdoctoral Fellows are not eligible to apply.

You can find further information on this Research Ireland page.

Contact: Martin O’Donoghue, Research Support Officer

TORA deadline: 09 April 2026

Call deadline: 16 April 2026 13:00

The Research Ireland Public Service Fellowship Programme is now open for applications.

This programme offers researchers, at a range of career stages, a unique opportunity to be seconded to Government Departments and Agencies.

Successful researchers will work on specific projects where they can add value with mutually beneficial outcomes.

The 2026 Public Service Fellowship call is partnering with 26 Government Departments and Agencies, with 71 projects available for application.  Many projects offer blended working arrangements and locations include Dublin, Cork, Kildare, Wexford, Kerry, Cavan, Westmeath, Offaly, Mayo, Galway, Sligo and Meath.

Research Ireland will hold an information webinar on the Public Service Fellowship 2026 call in February 2026.

Contact: Kieran O'Dwyer, Senior Research Support Officer

TORA deadline: 23 October 2026

Call deadlines:

Notice of intent (NOI) - 03 March 2026,
Letter of intent (LOI) - 09 June 2026,
Full Application deadline - 03 November 2026

The International Joint Initiative for Research Harnessing Disruptive Technologies to Address Global Challenges, administrated by New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), Canada, aims to support international, interdisciplinary, and transformative research to harness the potential of disruptive technology to offer novel solutions to global challenges and accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Projects are expected to include appropriate stakeholders and end-users in the co-development and co-leadership of the project. Engagement with other sectors, as appropriate, will help identify barriers to implementation and develop strategies to overcome them.

A trans-sectoral approach, involving the academic, research, economic (businesses), societal (governmental and non-governmental organisations), and/or community sectors, as appropriate, ensures relevant outcomes and positions research for uptake and use, which will maximize impact in the long-term.

This call will support research projects focused on harnessing disruptive technologies to address at least one of the Sustainable Development Goals or another recognised global challenge.

Projects may be focused on developing or implementing a disruptive technology, or research on the impact of a disruptive technology on society and/or economies.

Projects should be designed to be completed within three years.

For applicants based in Ireland, Research Ireland will provide up to a maximum of €500,000 in total direct costs.

Eligibility:

The Irish Co-PI must have held a PhD or equivalent qualification for at least three years at Letter of Intent (LOI) submission.
The official date is defined as the day, month and year that the degree was conferred i.e., the month and year printed on the official PhD certificate.
They must also be an independent researcher and hold either a permanent contract or a contract that covers the period of the grant.

More information can be found on the Research Ireland Global Challenges page.

Contact: Martin O’Donoghue, Research Support Officer