COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Challenge Programme supports development of new knowledge to help tackle major societal challenges within human and planetary health. With total funding up to €80 million, four new themes are now open for applications from interdisciplinary research teams across Europe.
From the way we diagnose disease to how we produce chemicals and materials, many of the systems on which society depends are under growing pressure.
Infections are becoming harder to detect and treat. Climate change is increasing health risks. And the technologies driving the green transition are not efficient enough and often rely on limited and critical resources.
Addressing these challenges requires new knowledge as well as new ways of working across disciplines.
Through the Challenge Programme, the Novo Nordisk Foundation supports ambitious, interdisciplinary research aiming to advance solutions for both human and planetary health.
Every year, four new themes are identified and offered in open competition for leading research across Europe.
The four themes for 2027 are now open for applications:
- Theme 1: Advancing Next Generation AMR Diagnostics for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
- Theme 2: Heat and hypertension – understanding the mechanisms of interaction
- Theme 3: Unravelling electron transfer mechanisms in hybrid bio-electrocatalysis
- Theme 4: Harnessing novel Earth-abundant materials for sustainable technologies
Improving diagnostics for lung infections and better understanding of cardiovascular health in extreme heat
Two of the themes focus on advancing solutions for human health, addressing urgent needs in infectious diseases and cardiovascular health.
From improving diagnostics for serious lung infections to understanding how heat waves affect vulnerable patients with hypertension, the two themes aim to generate knowledge that can save lives and optimise treatment strategies.
“Every year, 2.5 million people die from lung infections. Diagnosing whether the infections are caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi is often difficult and makes it hard to provide the correct treatment in time. We need to improve our diagnosis of lung infections, to quickly find out which treatments will work, so we can slow drug resistance and save lives,” says Flemming Konradsen, Chief Scientific Officer for Health at the Novo Nordisk Foundation, on the motivation for the Challenge Programme theme “Advancing Next Generation AMR Diagnostics for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections”.
“A very concrete effect of climate change is heatwaves, which are becoming more frequent. This causes a rise in heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. People with hypertension are particularly affected by the heat, but we don’t fully understand the physiological mechanisms behind it yet. Our goal is to get a better understanding of these mechanisms so we can help optimise treatment strategies and improve the lives of people living with the consequences of increased temperatures,” adds Flemming Konradsen on the motivation for the “Heat and hypertension – understanding the mechanisms of interaction” theme.
Transforming our materials production and exploring alternatives to scarce resources
Two other themes focus on planetary health and green transition by supporting research that can pave the way for transforming our production of essential products and materials.
The two themes aim to generate knowledge that can help develop energy-efficient biosolutions and explore alternatives to scarce resources that can help reduce fossil emissions while strengthening Europe’s resilience and competitiveness.
“Nature has evolved highly efficient systems to transfer electrons with very little energy loss. These mechanisms are important to understand and optimise to connect biological systems efficiently with engineered systems. Such efficient hybrid bio-electrocatalysis can unlock new ways to produce essential products and materials using less energy and fewer fossil resources. A fundamentally better understanding of these mechanisms could strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and leadership in developing economically favourable biosolutions,” says Lene Oddershede, Chief Scientific Officer for Planetary Science & Technology at the Novo Nordisk Foundation on the motivation for the Challenge Programme theme “Unravelling electron transfer mechanisms in hybrid bio-electrocatalysis”.
“Many of the technologies we use today depend on scarce materials such as precious metals and rare earth elements. These materials are often expensive, geographically concentrated, and vulnerable to supply challenges. Therefore, we need to unlock the potential of Earth-abundant elements such as iron, silicon and carbon. Harnessing and using these materials as substitutes for the scarce materials can drive advances in electronics and sustainable manufacturing. This can help pave the way for new scientific discoveries and the next generation of technologies while reducing our dependency on limited resources,” adds Lene Oddershede on the motivation for the “Harnessing novel Earth-abundant materials for sustainable technologies” theme.
About the Novo Nordisk Foundation Challenge Programme
The aim of the Challenge Programme is to support ambitious, interdisciplinary projects that address some of the most pressing challenges facing society today.
Each year, four new themes are selected and transformed into open calls, where leading researchers across Europe have the opportunity to form strong, interdisciplinary teams to tackle complex problems that no single field can solve alone.
With a total budget of up to €80 million (DKK 600 million), the Programme aims to strengthen fundamental research and accelerate solutions that benefit both human and planetary health.
Find more information about the Challenge Programme and application guidelines for the 2027 themes here.
For concrete questions related to the content of each call, including eligibility, please contact challenge@novo.dk.
About the Novo Nordisk Foundation
Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives. The vision of the Foundation is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet. The Foundation’s mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society.
Media enquiries
Sabina Askholm Larsen, Senior Communications Partner, sla@novo.dk
