International Cardiovascular Research Partnership Awards – ICRPA 2025
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), in which the Dutch Heart Foundation (DHF, in Dutch: Hartstichting) has also been involved since 2019.
Since 2024, investigators based in France have been invited to apply as well, as the Lefoulon-Delalande Foundation has joined the programme as a fourth funding partner. The BHF-DHF-DZHK collaboration is now called the International Cardiovascular Research Partnerships Awards, or ICRPA for short.
Each project must be co-led by at least three independent, mid-career Principal Investigators, each based in one of the four participating countries – France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Our aim is to foster international collaboration between mid-career researchers who aspire to become leaders in their field of cardiovascular research. Multidisciplinary approaches are particularly encouraged.
The focus of the funding line is on preclinical research that contributes to the improvement of clinical diagnosis, prevention or treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
After six successful rounds, which resulted in 19 jointly funded collaborative projects, the ICRPA Call 2025 marks the start of a seventh round of the competition. Scientists from Germany who are members of the DZHK are eligible to apply.
Projects can be funded for up to four years and with a total budget of up to €1.9 million. The DZHK will provide a maximum of €400,000 for projects with DZHK participation and for a maximum of three projects.
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 parental leave, 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 for Principal Investigators:
- Expertise in biomedical or non-biomedical discipline(s) as necessary to carry out the proposed work
- 8-15 years of research experience after completion of highest research degree (e.g.
- PhD)1, 2
- Funding as lead applicant supporting own research group
- A recent record of senior author publications
- Their salaries fully covered by other sources for the duration of proposed project
- Protected research time in their posts
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 the publication date of the call 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 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