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Call key data
The impact of pollution on the development and progression of brain diseases and disorders
Funding Program
Horizon Europe: Cluster 1 - Health
Call number
HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-ENVHLTH-01-two-stage
deadlines
Opening
22.05.2025
Deadline
16.09.2025 17:00
Funding rate
100%
Call budget
€ 40,000,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
between € 6,000,000.00 and € 7,000,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
This topic aims at supporting activities that are enabling or contributing to one or several expected impacts of destination “Living and working in a health-promoting environment”.
Call objectives
Life-long exposure to pollutants in the living and occupational environment is an important risk factor for non-communicable diseases, leading to a variety of serious physical and mental health impacts and causing preventable disease burden with associated elevated economic costs. Pollution disproportionately impacts certain vulnerable groups (e.g. children and older adults) or groups who are more sensitive or more exposed (workers, populations living in polluted areas) to this type of environmental stressor. At present, over 10% of annual premature deaths in the 27 EU Member States are related to environmental pollution.
Age is a major risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, but environmental exposure and lifestyle are important candidates for understanding their aetiology. Accumulating evidence suggests that the “exposome”, described as the totality of human environmental exposures from pre-conception onwards, represents a major modifiable risk factor for most neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. Additionally, emerging evidence suggests that pollution, may contribute to the development of neurodegenerative disease, with increasing incidence in an ageing population.
The environment is known to be a significant determinant of child health, with increasing evidence that some industrial chemicals are toxic to the development of the human brain. The health impact of many potentially neurotoxic chemicals remains unstudied in human populations, including in children. The developing brain is particularly vulnerable to toxic chemical exposures and this sensitivity is likely greatest in utero and throughout early childhood.
Chronic and repeated exposure to pollutants, in working environments but also for consumers, has also been associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration.
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Expected effects and impacts
Research activities under this topic should explore evidence on the causal link between exposure to different pollutants (focusing on specific pollutants or a combination thereof) and the development or progression of neurological, neurodegenerative or neurodevelopmental diseases or disorders. Proposals can consider occupational, living and/or social environments and include one or more vulnerable, sensitive or exposed population groups. More specifically research actions under this topic should include several of the following activities while focusing either on neurological, neurodegenerative or neurodevelopmental diseases or disorders:
- Gain better insights on the pathogenesis and the molecular, genetic and epigenetic pathways and biological mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of disease, considering emerging pollutants, specific windows of susceptibility and adopting, when relevant, a life-course approach. Synergistic neurotoxic effects and realistic doses and duration of exposure should also be considered;
- Generate evidence on the impacts of pollution in comorbidities associated to neurodegenerative, neurological or neurodevelopmental diseases and disorders;
- Develop and/or validate better in-vivo, in-silico and in-vitro models, instruments and/or methods and take advantage (as applicable) of structural, functional and molecular imaging methods (e.g. MRI nuclear imaging), multi-omics and bioinformatics to study disease causation and evolution, considering, among others, also epigenetic factors and providing better biomarkers for early detection and disease progression;
- Apply the exposome framework to advance the understanding of the role of environment on neurodegenerative diseases research; elucidating the neuroexposome and emphasizing the brain’s distinctive responses to environmental exposures;
- Contribute to the development of health indicators to inform mitigation and prevention measures, incorporating, when relevant, an intersectional approach that considers diverse individual characteristics such as sex, gender, age, ethnicity, and disability and socioeconomic and lifestyle factors;
- Strengthen the understanding of the possible causative link between exposure and incidence of disease by taking advantage of well-designed longitudinal studies (considering exposure duration and differences in exposure composition, geographical location and sources), rigorously controlled epidemiologic studies and/or clinical, real-world and/or cohort data (building on existing national and international cohorts when available);
- Generate evidence on the potential association between the accumulated long-term exposure of workers and consumers to pollutants (including low-level exposure) and neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. The development of neurodevelopmental disorders in children following parental exposure could also be evaluated.
Gender and sex-related differences should be addressed, where appropriate.
Applicants are encouraged to consider the use of experimental methods not using live animals, where relevant and allowing to obtain data of comparable validity.
Proposals should adhere to the FAIR data principles and adopt wherever relevant, data standards and data sharing/access good practices.
The effect of nutrition on mental health should not be the main focus since this area will be covered by topic HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-12: “Nutrition and Mental Health”.
Applicants should be acquainted with the activities being developed under the Environment, climate and health research portfolio, the EFSA activities under Environmental Neurotoxicants and Developmental neurotoxicity and the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals - PARC.
This topic requires the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.
Proposals should take advantage of and connect to European research infrastructures and services in the area of environmental exposure assessment.
Proposals should ensure that chemical monitoring including human biomonitoring data are shared in the Information Platform for Chemical Monitoring (IPCHEM) through involvement with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), and/or in the future Common Data Platform for Chemicals, through involvement with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) or other relevant decentralised EU agency (such as the European Environment Agency - EEA) responsible for the specific domain. In that respect, the JRC, ECHA or other relevant decentralised EU agency(ies) should collaborate with any successful proposal and this collaboration, when relevant, should be established after the proposal’s approval.
In order to maximise synergies and increase the impact of the projects, all proposals selected for funding from this topic will form a cluster and be required to participate in common networking and joint activities. Without the prerequisite to detail concrete joint activities, proposals should allocate a sufficient budget for the attendance of regular joint meetings and to cover the costs of any other potential common networking and joint activities. Guidance on the potential activities to be developed can be obtained by consulting the clusters of projects ongoing under the Environment, climate and health research portfolio.
Applicants invited to the second stage should provide details of their clinical studies in the dedicated annex using the template provided in the submission system. As proposals under this topic are expected to include clinical studies, the use of the template is strongly encouraged.
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Expected results
Proposals under this topic should aim to deliver results that are directed, tailored and contributing to most of the following expected outcomes:
- Global and EU policies preventing and reducing the health impacts of pollution are supported with up-to-date scientific evidence, tools and methodologies;
- Citizens are more protected by having a better insight into exposure to pollution and its impacts on brain health and adopting health enhancing behaviours;
- Public authorities, health stakeholders, the scientific community and the society at large have access to FAIR data on the link between pollution and brain health, particular windows of susceptibility to exposure and the impacts of pollution on the general population and vulnerable groups;
- Public authorities develop adequate evidence-based measures and guidelines to prevent and reduce the negative impacts of pollution in the development of brain disease.
Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Canada, Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), New Zealand (Aotearoa), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна), United Kingdom
eligible entities
EU Body, Education and training institution, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
- countries associated to Horizon Europe - see list of particpating countries
Only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.
In recognition of the opening of the US National Institutes of Health’s programmes to European researchers, any legal entity established in the United States of America is eligible to receive Union funding.
ECHA or other relevant decentralised EU agency (such as the European Environment Agency - EEA) involved in the future Common Data Platform for Chemicals, may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding. Applicants may include in their proposals the possible contribution of the decentralised EU agency(ies) but the decentralised EU agency(ies) will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Applicants will indicate the contribution that the decentralised EU agency(ies) could bring to the project based on the scope of the topic text. After the evaluation process, the decentralised EU agency(ies) and the consortium selected for funding may come to an agreement on the specific terms of the participation of the decentralised EU agency(ies). If an agreement is found, the decentralised EU agency(ies) may participate in the grant agreement without any funding.
Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call topic.
A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
other eligibility criteria
Specific cases:
- Affiliated entities (i.e. entities with a legal or capital link to a beneficiary which participate in the action with similar rights and obligations to the beneficiaries, but which do not sign the grant agreement and therefore do not become beneficiaries themselves) are allowed, if they are eligible for participation and funding.
- Associated partners (i.e. entities which participate in the action without signing the grant agreement, and without the right to charge costs or claim contributions) are allowed, subject to any conditions regarding associated partners set out in the specific call conditions.
- Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees to protect the EU’s financial interests equivalent to those offered by legal persons.
- Legal entities created under EU law (EU bodies) including decentralised agencies may be part of the consortium, unless provided for otherwise in their basic act.
- International European research organisations are eligible to receive funding. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are eligible to receive funding for ‘Training and mobility’ actions or when provided for in the specific call/topic conditions. Other international organisations are not eligible to receive funding, unless provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.
- Joint Research Centre (JRC)— Where provided for in the specific call conditions, applicants may include in their proposals the possible contribution of the JRC but the JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Applicants will indicate the contribution that the JRC could bring to the project based on the scope of the topic text. After the evaluation process, the JRC and the consortium selected for funding may come to an agreement on the specific terms of the participation of the JRC. If an agreement is found, the JRC may accede to the grant agreement as beneficiary requesting zero funding or participate as an associated partner, and would accede to the consortium as a member.
- Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members (e.g. European research infrastructure consortia (ERICs)) may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. However, if the action is in practice implemented by the individual members, those members should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible.
- EU restrictive measures — Entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) as well as Article 75 TFEU, are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any).
- Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine — Given the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the involvement of Belarus, there is currently no appropriate context allowing the implementation of the actions foreseen in this programme with legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine. Therefore, even where such entities are not subject to EU restrictive measures, such legal entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity. This includes participation as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any). Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for justified reasons.
With specific regard to measures addressed to Russia, following the adoption of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1745 of 24 June 2024 (amending Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, legal entities established outside Russia but whose proprietary rights are directly or indirectly owned for more than 50% by a legal person, entity or body established in Russia are also not eligible to participate in any capacity. - Measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary — Following the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506, as of 16 December 2022, no legal commitments can be entered into with Hungarian public interest trusts established under the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain. Affected entities may continue to apply to calls for proposals and can participate without receiving EU funding, as associated partners, if allowed by the call conditions. However, as long as the Council measures are not lifted, such entities are not eligible to participate in any funded role (beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors, recipients of financial support to third parties, etc.).In case of multi-beneficiary grant calls, applicants will be invited to remove or replace that entity in any funded role and/or to change its status into associated partner. Tasks and budget may be redistributed accordingly.
Additional information
Topics
Relevance for EU Macro-Region
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
Additional Information
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funders & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.
Applications must be submitted using the forms provided inside the electronic submission system (not the templates available on the topic page, which are only for information). The structure and presentation must correspond to the instructions given in the forms.
Applications must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents.
The application form will have two parts:
- Part A (to be filled in directly online) contains administrative information about the applicant organisations (future coordinator and beneficiaries and affiliated entities), the summarised budget for the proposal and call-specific questions;
- Part B (to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system) contains the technical description of the project.
Annexes and supporting documents will be directly available in the submission system and must be uploaded as PDF files (or other formats allowed by the system).
The page limit for the Part B for the first stage of the 2-stage call is 10 pages.
This topic is part of the blind evaluation pilot under which first stage proposals will be evaluated blindly. Applicants submitting a proposal under the blind evaluation pilot must not disclose their organisation names, acronyms, logos nor names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B of their first-stage application.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). It is mandatory to submit a detailed budget table using the template available in the Submission system.
Call documents
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 1 - HealthHorizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 1 - Health(1200kB)
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