Call for implementation research grants in cancer prevention in Europe now open

As part of the Reimagining Cancer Research in Europe Initiative, and following on from the success of its inaugural call, UICC is delighted to announce the opening of a second call for applications for grants for implementation research on cancer prevention in Europe.

The call is open to collaborative groups of two to four research groups working to advance primary and secondary cancer prevention across the region in line with the European Beating Cancer Plan and Horizon Europe’s Mission on Cancer.

The call will open for three months from mid-November and to mid-February 2026.  

Key details

1. The initiative seeks to support the adoption and integration of existing evidence-based interventions for cancer prevention into health system policies and practices in Europe to maximise impact and reduce the burden of cancer. 

2. Groups of two to four principal investigators from host institutions in multiple EU or eligible non-EU countries, with at least one institution based in Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, or the UK are eligible.  

3. Projects can apply for funding of up to EUR 500,000, with a maximum duration of two years. For this funding round, priority will be given to proposals addressing primary cancer prevention (although applications focused on secondary cancer prevention remain eligible).

4. 2025 call open 14 November 2025 to 16 February 2026.  

5. The review and selection process will take place between February to May 2026 and awards will be made mid-2026.  

6. Projects must begin no earlier than September 2026 and no later than February 2027, and pending completion of ethics approval. 

”Cancer prevention is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce the global cancer burden. But to be truly effective, we need implementation research to close the gap between knowledge and practice. Through this international partnership, we hope to turn strategies into actions and create environments that help people live healthier and longer lives.”
– Ulrika Årehed Kågström, President of UICC and Secretary-General of the Swedish Cancer  

The Reimagining Cancer Research in Europe Initiative was created after consultations with European member organisations that highlighted a need for stronger cross-European collaboration and greater investment in implementation science and cancer prevention research.

It was launched at the World Cancer Congress in Geneva in 2022, to support the integration of evidence-based strategies for cancer prevention into health systems across Europe, in alignment with both Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the Mission on Cancer. 

For the first call, UICC partnered with the Dutch (KWF), Swedish (Cancerfonden) and Danish Cancer Societies, along with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). In 2025, the initiative has expanded to include additional partners World Cancer Research Fund International and Wereld Kanker Onderzoek Fonds, bringing the total available funding for the second call for applications to EUR 1.3 million. 

For more information email Sally Donaldson: donaldson@uicc.org