APPLICATION/NOMINATION PERIOD: 02 FEBRUARY - 15 APRIL 2026

Every year, the Falling Walls Engage Pitches highlight projects that bring science and society into dialogue. By science engagement, we mean initiatives where researchers actively collaborate with communities, citizens, or public audiences – for example through participatory research, citizen science, co-creation processes, public dialogue formats, or community-based initiatives. 

We particularly welcome projects that connect science engagement with climate action or broader sustainability challenges. 

In our search for the Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2026, we're welcoming applications and nominations in the following categories: 

• Life Sciences
• Physical Sciences
• Engineering & Technology
• Social Sciences & Humanities
• Art & Science
• Women's Impact Award (Female Science Talents)
• Science Engagement (Falling Walls Engage)
• Science Start-ups (Falling Walls Venture)

The 15 selected projects will be invited to present their work on stage at the Falling Walls Science Summit (6–9 November 2026). Finalists receive travel support, accommodation, and a full summit ticket. 

To apply, please register on our online platform, choose the category and fill in the application or nomination form.

Nominators of projects selected as finalists will receive a free ticket to the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin!

For more information, please visit our website.

(https://wellcomeleap.org/visible/)

Wellcome LEAP through its VISIBLE program (VISIBLE: Women’s heart disease revealed; access the full programme announcement here) is soliciting proposals across four thrust areas:

1. Develop scalable approaches for diagnosis and monitoring of coronary microvascular disease;
2. Identify risk factors and evaluate prognosis of coronary microvascular disease endotypes;
3. Build and validate multiscale, human-relevant models of the coronary microvasculature to interrogate causal mechanisms of coronary microvascular disease; and
4. Develop treatment strategies that improve both coronary microvascular function and patient-centred outcomes by testing existing therapies in well-characterized populations that most likely will benefit.

The goal of VISIBLE is to increase the proportion of women presenting with stable angina who receive effective diagnosis and treatment for coronary microvascular disease from <1% to >80%. In so doing, the program aims to demonstrate advances capable of reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease for millions of women worldwide.

All approaches must incorporate clinically deployable implementation strategies that expand effective care for coronary microvascular disease without increasing the risk of missed diagnosis or treatment of obstructive coronary heart disease.

Eligibility 

• Researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator.

Award details 

• Total Program Budget: US$55 million
• Individual Award Amount: Not preset; varies by proposal and is determined by project scope and review
• Funding Duration: Up to 3 years for selected projects under this program

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval 

Funder deadline:

• Abstracts deadline: 09 March 2026
• Full proposal deadline: 23 April 2026

(https://www.thempsfoundation.org/news-reviews-research/2026/01/22/mps-foundation-announces-new-research-grant-opportunities-for-2026)

The MPS Foundation, a leading not-for-profit research initiative dedicated to advancing patient safety and healthcare professional wellbeing, have announced the 2026 research grant application cycle.  The MPS Foundation seeks to support innovative research projects that have the potential to transform the future of healthcare.

This year, the Foundation is calling for Expressions of Interest from researchers and healthcare professionals interested in exploring the following key areas:

• The impact of human factors on patient safety, outcomes, and risk
• The personal and professional wellbeing of healthcare professionals and teams
• The impact of digital integration and technology on patient safety, outcomes, and risk
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching and learning innovations.

Award details:  

• The MPS Foundation will consider:
• Proposals with a total budget of up to £60,000, which last between 3 and 24 months; and
• Proposals with a total budget of more than £60,000 and up to £200,000, which last between 12 and 36 months.
• Awardees will receive a maximum of £100,000 in any one year.

Eligibility:  

• Researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval 

Funder deadline:

Expressions of Interest due 1 May 2026

Dear FHS Colleagues and Students,

I am seeking 100 volunteers for my Master’s research study: "Validating Hair Ethyl Glucuronide (hEtG) as a Biomarker for Chronic Alcohol Misuse."

We are specifically looking for participants who meet the following criteria:

• Hair Type: Untreated (virgin) hair—no chemical relaxers, dyes, or bleach in the last 6 months.
• Hair Length: Minimum of 3 cm.

What is involved?
A brief 30-minute session at the Hair and Skin Research Lab at Groote Schuur Hospital for a small hair sample collection.

How to participate:
If you are interested, please contact hairetgstudy@gmail.com or sign up via the link

Read the Invitation to Participate here.

Several departments have indicated that they require assistance with the disposal of E-Waste. If your office or laboratory has any electronic or electrical devices no longer in use — including outdated computers, used batteries, or damaged printers — please complete the form via the link below.

Please note that photos of the E-Waste items must be attached to the form when submitting your request.

Complete the E-Waste Disposal Form

(https://childmind.org/global/snf-global-center/fellowships/research-fellowship/)

The SNF Global Center Research Fellowship is an extraordinary opportunity for early-career researchers at leading academic institutions in LMICs. This fellowship empowers innovative researchers committed to addressing local needs to advance the field of child and adolescent mental health. Fellows in the program serve as principal investigators of research projects that have the potential to transform mental health outcomes for young people in their countries and beyond.

• Award details:  
  Up to US$550,000 for a four-to-five-year project
   
  Eligibility:  
• Early-career researchers within 10 years of completing a doctoral degree
• Currently employed by an eligible host institution in a LMIC.
• Able to dedicate at least 50% of their full-time work to the Fellowship.
• Applicants must be nominated by an eligible institution in a LMIC.

NB:  Eligible institutions in LMICs may nominate up to two candidates for the 2026 cohort.
 
 

Funder webinar for nominating institutions: 12th March 2026, register here.    

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval   

Funder deadline:  
The application for the 2026 SNF Global Center Research Fellowship will open in April 2026, with a deadline to apply of June 15, 2026

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/establishing-infrastructure-hubs-power-evidence-synthesis) 

Wellcome will fund five new global infrastructure hubs to enable more timely, relevant and affordable AI-enabled evidence synthesis to address policy-scale challenges. This is part of Wellcome’s first series of Evidence Synthesis Infrastructure Collaborative (ESIC) investments.

The hubs will establish foundational evidence synthesis capabilities that can be used to address Wellcome’s strategic priorities in global health.  

Eligibility 

Established researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator.

Award details 

£1.5 to £1.9 million, for a period of 3-5 years

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval  

Funder deadline: 

07 May 2026

The University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences Equipment Committee (FEC) seeks to advance the research equipment infrastructure of the Faculty, aligned with the research strategies of the Faculty and Departments. The purpose of this scheme is to provide co-funding to research groups for single items of research equipment that do not qualify for equipment funding awards from the University Equipment Committee (UEC) or the Academic Computing Committee.

Eligibility:

·       Applicants must hold an academic or joint appointment in the UCT Faculty of Health Sciences and are limited to one application per round.

Award value:

·       The maximum award from the FEC is R100,000.

Funder deadline:

17 April 2026

Download full call and application form

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/infectious-disease-clinical-trial-award-optimising-interventions-impact) 

Wellcome is pleased to share a new funding opportunity, Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Award: Optimising interventions for impact, delivered in partnership with the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). This funding call will support transdisciplinary teams led from Africa, South Asia or South-East Asia to conduct randomised controlled trials that optimise licensed pharmaceutical interventions for infectious diseases.

The clinical trial should generate evidence to inform changes to policy, practice and guidelines, and lead to measurable impact in the communities most affected, ultimately improving the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries.

The pharmaceutical intervention (vaccine or therapeutic) must focus on one of the following disease areas:

·       Mycobacterial infections (tuberculosis, leprosy or infections with non-tuberculous mycobacteria)

·       Bacterial infections (sexually transmitted infections, lower respiratory tract infections or bloodstream infections)

·       Invasive fungal infections

·       Dengue, leishmaniasis or schistosomiasis 

Eligibility 

The lead applicant must:

·       Be a mid-career or established researcher. If the lead applicant is a mid-career researcher, he/she needs to include an established researcher as a co-applicant to provide intellectual, personal and career development support and mentorship.

·       Be Based at an organisation in Africa, South Asia or South-East Asia (except mainland China) and intend to remain resident in that country for the duration of the award.

·       Have a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract – or the guarantee of one – for the duration of the award.

Award details 

£1,000,000 - £8,000,000 per award, for a period of 3-5 years

Funder webinar, 23 March 2026 - registration link

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval  

Funder deadline:

02 June 2026

(https://www.samrc.ac.za/funding/11th-gacd-multisectoral-approaches-call)

 The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) together with the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), is inviting investigators to submit applications with a focus on implementation research, maximising collaboration and coordination with sectors and in settings beyond the healthcare system to tackle chronic non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries and underserved populations in high-income countries (multisectoral approaches).

Eligibility 

·       Researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator.

·       One of the Principal Investigators (ideally the PI) must have a South African (SA) identity number (or permanent SA residence) and be a resident in SA for the duration of the project.

·       SAMRC requires joint funding from the NHMRC and/or CIHR.

o   Applicants intending to apply for joint funding from SAMRC & NHMRC should advise of their intent to participate in the call via email to international@nhmrc.gov.au.

o   Applicants intending to apply for joint funding from SAMRC & CIHR should advise of their intent to participate in the call via email to support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca and check CIHR agency-specific information.

·       Part of the project must take place in South Africa or on the African continent.

Award details 

·       SAMRC have a total budget of ~50,000 USD (~800,000 ZAR) per year and expects to jointly fund 1- 2 projects for 3-5 years.

Funder webinar, 24 March 2026- (10h00 registration link; 17h00 registration link)

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval  

Funder deadline:

First stage proposal deadline: 17 June 2026

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/infectious-disease-clinical-trial-development-award#call-at-a-glance-763b)

Wellcome is soliciting application for their Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Development Award. This funding call will support the formation of transdisciplinary teams led from Africa, South Asia or South-East Asia to develop an innovative idea for a future proposal for a clinical trial that optimises licensed infectious disease interventions to drive impact in low- and middle-income countries.

The pharmaceutical intervention (vaccine or therapeutic) must focus on one of the following disease areas:

• mycobacterial infections (tuberculosis, leprosy or infections with non-tuberculous mycobacteria) 

• bacterial infections (sexually transmitted infections, lower respiratory tract infections or bloodstream infections) 

• invasive fungal infections 

• dengue, leishmaniasis or schistosomiasis  

Eligibility:

The lead applicant must:

• Be a mid-career or established researcher. If the lead applicant is a mid-career researcher, he/she needs to include an established researcher as a co-applicant to provide intellectual, personal and career development support and mentorship.
• Be based at an organisation in Africa, South Asia or South-East Asia (except mainland China) and intend to remain resident in that country for the duration of the award.
• Have a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract – or the guarantee of one – for the duration of the award

 Award details:

• Up to £200,000 per award, for up to 24months 

Download the PDF outlining UCT's deadlines for internal approval
 
Funder deadline:
19 May 2026

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-early-career-awards)

The Wellcome Early-Career Awards scheme is soliciting applications from early-career researchers from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity. Through innovative projects, they should deliver shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health, and wellbeing. By the end of the award, successful candidates should be equipped to lead their own independent research programme.

Eligibility:

Early-Career Researchers.

Award details: 

PI salary for up to five years and up to £400 000 for research purposes.

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline: 

Three deadlines annually, with the next one for 2026 being 21 July.

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-career-development-awards)

Wellcome is soliciting applications for their Career Development Awards scheme. Mid-career researchers from any discipline who have the potential to be international research leaders are eligible to apply. Through this scheme they will develop their research capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work, and deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health, and wellbeing. By the end of the award, successful candidates should have achieved international standing in their area of research.    

Eligibility:  

Mid-Career researchers  

Award details:    

Up to eight years and applicants may request a salary.    

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:  

Three deadlines annually, with the next one for 2026 being 28 July.

(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-discovery-awards)

Wellcome is soliciting applications for their Discovery Awards scheme from established researchers and teams from any discipline. Researchers who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing are eligible to apply.  Successful applicants will be expected to actively promote a diverse, inclusive and supportive research environment within their team and across their organisation.    

Eligibility:

Established researchers  

Award details:

Up to eight years of project expenses.   

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:  

Three deadlines annually, with the next one for 2026 being 22 September.

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) is seeking applications for the 2026 Start-up Emerging Researcher Award (SERA). This competitive award is aimed at supporting emerging researchers, recently appointed in the FHS, who want to start their own research at UCT. Support is provided in the form of funding for a research project to be conducted by the applicant. We particularly encourage cancer-related applications as there is ring-fenced funding within FHS Research Committee for cancer-research projects.

Eligibility
Permanent UCT staff member or employed on a T2 contract, with a PhD or MBChB/Allied Health Professional degree with some research experience (see call for full details)

Award details
Up to R100 000

Submission deadline
29 April 2026

Download the full call and application form.

(https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/grant-opportunities)

The Grand Challenges family of initiatives fosters innovation to solve key health and development problems. The following Grand Challenges grant opportunities are available with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as sole or contributing funder:

• Innovations in Cost-Disruptive Tools for Diagnosis and Screening
  This Grand Challenge has multiple award sizes commensurate with technology maturity.

• Novel Interventions Targeting Placental and Gut Inflammation to Improve Fetal Growth
  This Grand Challenge includes three funding tracks designed to accelerate mechanistic discovery, candidate advancement, and early validation of interventions targeting maternal gut-placenta inflammatory axes and oxidative stress to improve fetal growth outcomes.

• Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods
  This Grand Challenge aims to identify the physiological parameters that can be modulated to improve micronutrient absorption and offer a solution for delivery and effective absorption of micronutrients. All stages of development would be accepted provided the potential impact is clearly defined.
  (Funder webinar on Thursday, April 2, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

• Cost-Disrupting Innovations to Reduce the Cost of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)
  This Grand Challenge seeks innovative approaches capable of achieving at least a 30% reduction in the ex-factory unit cost of RUTF in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

• Breakthrough Innovations to Significantly Reduce the Cost of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) Treatment
  This Grand Challenge seeks innovative approaches capable of achieving a 20 - 30% or greater reduction in the total cost per child successfully treated for SAM in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
  (Funder webinar on Thursday, April 2, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM)

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Accelerate Charitable Giving
  This Grand Challenge seeks applications and use cases of AI that address the core question: How might AI support donors to give more and give sooner?

Eligibility: 

Researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator.

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:

28 April 2026