Advancing research on the prevention, diagnosis, and management of post-infection long-term conditions

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Code: 39583 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-DISEASE-03 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 16/04/2026

Microbial infections can lead to long-lasting consequences on patients’ quality of life, leading to long-term conditions characterised by persistent inflammation, organ damage, and impaired functional capacity, which pose a growing public health and economic challenge.

These conditions are insufficiently understood, underdiagnosed, and lack effective treatments.

Advancing research into their prevention, treatment and management is essential to improving patient outcomes, reducing healthcare burdens, and strengthening workforce productivity.

Identifying and addressing low-value care in health and care systems

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Code: 39580 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-CARE-03 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 16/04/2026

Low-value care, as defined in the footnote, can have widespread negative consequences for patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, the health and care system, and the broader environment. A 2017 OECD report estimated that “wasteful healthcare spending is common” and that “up to one-fifth of healthcare spending could be redirected towards better uses”.

Low-value care represents a significant challenge, contributing to waste, costs, misuse of resources, and inefficiencies. Addressing low-value care can free up and allow reallocation of valuable healthcare resources to other areas of need, thereby maximising health outcomes, improving health and care systems resilience, and reducing their environmental impact. In this context, a recent report by the Expert Group on Health Systems Performance Assessment (HSPA) establishes the methodological basis and metrics to identify, measure and reduce low-value care.

Integrating New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to advance biomedical research and regulatory testing

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Code: 39577 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-TOOL-03 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 16/04/2026

This topic aims to support the ongoing paradigm shift in biomedical research and safety assessment of chemical compounds by fully integrating NAMs across the entire research and regulatory spectrum, from basic discovery phase to clinical application, and regulatory testing of medicinal products and medical devices, and/or industrial and environmental chemicals.

Building public trust and outreach in the life sciences

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Code: 39574 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-STAYHLTH-03 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 16/04/2026

Life science innovations significantly contribute to peoples’ daily life and to individual and social well-being. To foster public trust, people must understand how life sciences work and how these technologies may impact people’s lives.

Innovative interventions to prevent the harmful effects of using digital technologies on the mental health of children and young adults

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Code: 39571 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-DISEASE-02 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 16/04/2026

Already before the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 in 6 people in the EU suffered from mental health issues. The economic costs of it are estimated at 4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and since then these figures worsened in particular among vulnerable groups such as children and adolescents or those at risk of discrimination. Digital technologies have the potential to enhance mental health for instance by providing access to information, support networks and therapy services.

However, there are indications that the excessive or misguided use of digital technologies, particularly among children and young adults, can negatively affect mental health and exacerbate mental disorders. There is an urgent need for more robust data to foster a safer, responsible and healthier use of digital technologies among children and young adults, prioritising the protection of their mental health.

Behavioural interventions as primary prevention for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) among young people

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Code: 39569 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-STAYHLTH-02 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 16/04/2026

The topic is focused on behavioural interventions for youth, defined as 12 to 25 years old, for the primary prevention of the top NCDs later in life, where “top NCDs” refers to the most prevalent NCDs. For the purpose of this call, NCDs explicitly exclude cancer.

Implementation research should be conducted to implement existing behavioural interventions. These interventions should be evidence-based and have an emphasis on empowerment and self-management (e.g. health literacy, health education, health promotion). As self-monitoring is an essential element of self-management, proposals should include user-friendly hardware and software for efficient self-monitoring (i.e. wearables and point-of-care devices for measuring various physiological parameters and other predictors and other biomarkers and the corresponding apps for easy readout and tracking, possibly also including gamification elements). Hardware and software should be interoperable in line with internationally accepted standards in order to avoid lock-in effects and assure scalability.

Towards a better understanding and anticipation of the impacts of climate change on health

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Code: 39565 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-ENVHLTH-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 16/04/2026

The climate crisis poses an existential challenge to planetary and human health with larger effects on populations, groups and regions in a vulnerable situation. Climate change increases the incidence of non-communicable diseases and the prevalence of mental health conditions and facilitates the emergence and spread of infectious diseases. Climate change can act as a risk multiplier and exacerbates existing health conditions and vulnerabilities.

Public procurement of innovative solutions for improving citizens’ access to healthcare through integrated or personalised approaches

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Code: 39562 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-CARE-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 16/04/2026

Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI) can boost the wider market uptake of high impact innovations in health systems, while enhancing the tools available to providers and improving access to healthcare for citizens.

This supports enhancement of social rights and the European economic competitiveness by providing business opportunities and thus incentives to innovate. By acting as early adopters of innovative solutions, procurers can open up new growth markets for the European industry and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Joint/collaborative demand-driven initiatives can help create economies of scale and facilitate the wider adoption of innovations in the health sector for the benefits of patients in need.

Improve the Quality of Life of older cancer patients

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Code: 39557 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-07 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/09/2026

This topic contributes to the EU Cancer Mission’s objective to improve quality of life of cancer patients. The focus is on cancer patients aged 65 years and above.

Currently, older cancer patients represent the largest proportion of cancer patients especially in Europe, with more than two thirds of new cancer cases being diagnosed in patients above the age of 65. Yet, there is still relatively little knowledge about their functional health and care needs during and after treatment.

Managing cancer in older patients is complex, due to the high heterogeneity in terms of their intrinsic health capacities, including mental health and cognitive capacities, comorbidities, frailty etc. as well as with regard to their performance activities including social interactions, work, mobility etc. Consequently, overall health care needs of older patients with cancer vary significantly.

Older cancer patients are consistently underrepresented in clinical research, with representation declining progressively with increasing age. This leads to a lack of knowledge regarding treatments, specific needs, and clinical endpoints. Older patients are also particularly vulnerable to treatment toxicities loss of muscle mass, and may experience a large variety of confounding comorbidities and symptoms, which strongly impact their quality of life during and after treatment.

As such, quality of life expectations should be systematically factored in the decision process to define the optimal approach to cancer management.

Pragmatic clinical trials to optimise immunotherapeutic interventions for patients with refractory cancers

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Code: 39554 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-03 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/09/2026

While cancer research and innovation have generated novel treatment options, patients with refractory cancers across Europe need access to more effective, affordable and tailored cancer immunotherapeutic interventions which keep up with increasing demands in a complex and fragmented oncology healthcare landscape with spiralling healthcare costs.

Development of a research capacity building programme on cancer with and for Ukraine

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Code: 39551 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-06 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/09/2026

Ukraine has a very high cancer burden with more than 155,000 new diagnoses every year. The country has also one of the highest childhood cancer mortality rates globally.

Disparities in access and quality of cancer care in Ukraine were high before Russia’s unprovoked aggression and worsened because of the conflict, which has also led to increased cancer mortality and morbidity, due to discontinuation of treatments and shortage of medical supplies.

Microbiome for early cancer prediction before the onset of disease

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Code: 39548 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-02 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/09/2026

This topic will contribute to the achievement of the EU Cancer Mission’s objective to achieve better cancer prevention and early detection.

The focus is on the development of validated microbiome tools, an assessment of predispositions, the comparison with other predictive tools and risk modelling approaches.

Boosting mental health of young cancer survivors through the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre (ECPDC)

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Code: 39544 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-05 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/09/2026

As part of its citizens engagement activities, the EU Cancer Mission has launched a dialogue with young cancer survivors, to better understand the specific needs and challenges faced during and after treatment.

Mental health has been systematically highlighted as a major concern, stressing the importance of access to quality psychosocial support including through virtual, digital means along the different stages of the patient’s journey, at diagnosis, during and after treatment.

The communication on a Comprehensive approach to mental health adopted by the European Commission on 7 June 2023 calls for the establishment of a platform to boost mental health of young cancer survivors.

Virtual Human Twin (VHT) Models for Cancer Research

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Code: 39540 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/09/2026

Virtual human twins (VHTs) are digital representations and in-silico models of an individual’s health and disease at different levels of the human anatomy (e.g. cells, tissues, organs or organ systems) for the prevention, prediction, screening, diagnosis and treatment of a disease, as well as the selection and personalisation of intervention options.

Earlier and more precise palliative care

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Code: 39536 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-04 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/09/2026

This topic will contribute to the achievement of the EU Cancer Mission’s objective to provide better quality of life for cancer patients, their families and carers. The focus is on the development of innovative models for earlier, more precise and better integrated palliative care.

Call 1 – “Collection & Valorisation”

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Code: 39533 | Identifier Code: UPSTREAM | Programme name: 2939 | Start submission calls: 15/01/2026 | End submission calls: 16/03/2026

Aim. Provide targeted financial support and technical assistance to associated regions to replicate, scale and localise UPSTREAM solutions for monitoring, prevention, removal and valorisation of plastic litter and microplastics in rivers and connected waters.

ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS

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Code: 39531 | Identifier Code: ERC-2026-POC | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: European Research Council (ERC) | Start submission calls: 20/01/2026 | End submission calls: 17/03/2026

The ERC Proof of Concept Grants aim at facilitating exploration of the commercial and social innovation potential of ERC funded research and are therefore available only to Principal Investigators whose proposals draw substantially on their ERC funded research.

Bridging the gap between disaster risk management and climate adaptation

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Code: 39528 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-04 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 04/02/2026 | End submission calls: 23/09/2026

The successful proposal will contribute to the implementation of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, the Preparedness Union Strategy and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan, by facilitating the interaction between the actors of the Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management at European, national and regional scales.

Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

• The Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management communities at European level are brought together to develop inter- and transdisciplinary methodological approaches, constructing and disseminating joint knowledge.
• The knowledge and understanding of the common aspects for Disaster Risk Management preparedness and climate change adaptation are enhanced, including the question of responsibility and accountability.
• The terminology and understanding of the risks and the possible solutions are aligned for Disaster Risk Management and Adaptation and hence local resilience to climate change is improved.

Improving climate resilience of navigable inland waterways, their surroundings and related water infrastructure

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Code: 39524 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-06 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 04/02/2026 | End submission calls: 23/09/2026

Successful proposals will support the implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy, the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, the European Water Resilience Strategy, the EU Preparedness Strategy and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

• Navigable inland waterways, their surroundings and related infrastructure are managed in a more integrated and sustainable manner across Europe and become more climate-resilient
• Climate and environmental risks to water infrastructure (e.g. droughts, flooding, slow onset events, ecological degradation and cascading and compound events) are more effectively addressed in a systemic way. Safe, efficient and reliable navigability conditions are improved.
• Cost-efficient and environmentally friendly measures — especially nature-based solutions — are identified with the involvement of stakeholders. They improve climate resilience of inland waterways while supporting integrated co-benefit and avoiding competing water uses, including between countries and regions.

Facilitating implementation of actionable solutions for climate adaptation of regions and local authorities

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Code: 39521 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-01-CLIMA-02 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 04/02/2026 | End submission calls: 23/09/2026

The successful proposal will contribute to the implementation of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

• The wide range of solutions tested and deployed in the context of the Adaptation Mission and the good practices emerged in its Community of Practice are harvested, assessed, structured and systematised to support the implementation of the Mission.
• Regional and local authorities can access, in the local language, the latest and most actionable solutions for climate adaptation relevant to their (climatic) conditions.
• Adaptation solutions stemming from research and innovation are ready for replication and scale-up, contributing to the delivery of the Adaptation Mission and acceleration of adaptation efforts across Europe. Legacy of the knowledge created by the Mission is also ensured.
• Knowledge and understanding of the policy implications of adaptation solutions is increasingly utilised in the policy cycles at EU, national, and regional and local levels.