International Cardiovascular Research Partnership Awards – ICRPA 2026
Cardiovascular disease is a global problem, which is why the DZHK collaborates with researchers around the world. Since 2018, the DZHK has been running a joint funding programme with the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The Dutch Heart Foundation (DHF, or Hartstichting in Dutch) joined in 2019, followed by the French Lefoulon-Delalande Foundation in 2024.
With the 2026 call for proposals, two new partners have joined the International Cardiovascular Research Awards: the Spanish National Centre for Cardiovascular Research and the Biomedical Research Centre Network for Cardiovascular Diseases.
Each project must be co-led by at least three independent mid-career principal investigators, each based in one of the five participating countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. Our aim is to foster international collaboration between mid-career researchers who aspire to become leaders in cardiovascular research. Multidisciplinary approaches are particularly encouraged.
The funding line focuses on preclinical research that contributes to improving the clinical diagnosis, prevention or treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Following seven successful rounds resulting in 19 jointly funded collaborative projects, the ICRPA Call 2026 marks the beginning of the eighth round of the competition. Scientists from Germany with DZHK status are eligible to apply.
Projects can be funded for up to four years, with a total budget of up to €2.4 million. The DZHK will provide €400,000 for up to three projects with DZHK participation.
How it works
Researchers with DZHK status (> Check status) should email icrpa(at)dzhk.de to confirm their eligibility for funding. Please note that all prospective applicants are required to contact the funders in their respective countries to discuss their eligibility as PIs before submitting an application.
When contacting the head office for an eligibility check, please include the following information/documents in your email:
- CV (incl. information regarding time frame of parental leave/longterm illness, if applicable)
- names of prospective international PIs
- title or topic of the proposal
When all international PIs involved in the proposal are considered eligible, you will receive a link to the BHF grant management system where you can complete and submit the application form online.
Eligibility criteria – Principal Investigators must:
- have 8-15 years of research experience post-PhD (or equivalent)1, 2
- demonstrate emerging leadership through senior author publications and prior success as lead applicant for competitive research funding
- lead their own research group with protected research time
- have their salaries fully covered by other sources for the duration of proposed project
- have complementary expertise in biomedical (clinical or non-clinical) or non-biomedical disciplines that facilitates successful delivery of the proposed research
1 Long-term illness and family leave will be taken into consideration. Men receive 1 year/child and women 2 years/child.
2 Years of research experience will be calculated using 1 January 2026 as limit date.
Who can apply for funds?
Within the scope of the research proposal, only Principal Investigators and co-applicants with DZHK status can apply for funds. Other project participants can participate without allocated funds as collaborators. There are no specific requirements for co-applicants or collaborators regarding research experience, etc.
Detailed information on the call for proposals:
All jointly funded projects at a glance
More information about the projects with DZHK participation
Information on previous funding
ICRPA 2024/2025: Awards made in the sixth round (press release)
BHF-DHF-DZHK cooperation 2023/2024: Awards made in the fifth round press release
BHF-DHF-DZHK cooperation 2022: Awards made in the fourth round press release
BHF-DHF-DZHK cooperation 2021: Awards made in the third round; to the overview on www.bhf.org.uk
BHF-DHF-DZHK cooperation 2019/2020: Awards made in the second round press release
BHF-DZHK cooperation 2018/2019: Awards made in the first round press release