Novel Interventions Targeting Placental and Gut Inflammation to Improve Fetal Growth
This global Grand Challenges call for proposals seeks to accelerate the development of innovative interventions targeting placental and maternal gut inflammation and oxidative stress to improve fetal growth outcomes.
Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR) remains a major contributor to neonatal mortality and long-term health complications, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This call aims to support scalable, science-driven solutions that can generate decision-grade evidence and advance toward clinical application.
The programme focuses on interventions that modulate inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways within the maternal gut–placenta axis, with strong emphasis on translational potential and applicability in Global South contexts.
Type of Projects to be Funded
Projects must fall within one of the following three tracks:
Track 1: Mechanism and Target Discovery
Supports identification and validation of biological pathways linked to placental or gut inflammation and fetal growth.
Track 2: Candidate Validation and Translational Advancement
Supports preclinical and translational validation of a defined intervention candidate, including biomarker-linked evidence.
Track 3: Early Clinical Proof-of-Concept (POC)
Supports early-stage human studies demonstrating safety, feasibility, and biological activity.
Sectors / Domain
Maternal and Child Health
Global Health
Biomedical Research
Immunology
Nutrition and Microbiome Science
Eligibility – Countries
Global open call.
Applicants from all countries are eligible, with strong encouragement for collaboration with institutions in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Eligibility – Type of Organisations
• Universities and academic institutions
• Research organisations and laboratories
• Non-profit organisations
• Private sector companies (including biotech and health innovators)
• International organisations
• Consortia and multi-partner collaborations
Funding Information
• Track 1: Up to USD 400,000 (up to 18 months)
• Track 2: Up to USD 750,000 (up to 24 months)
• Track 3: Up to USD 1,000,000 (up to 30 months)
Funding must be aligned with clearly defined deliverables and measurable outcomes.
Key Requirements
• Strong scientific rationale linking inflammation or oxidative stress to fetal growth outcomes
• Clear mechanistic hypothesis and validation approach
• Defined biomarkers and measurable success criteria
• Feasible plan to generate decision-grade evidence within the project duration
• Demonstrated pathway toward translational or clinical application
What is Out of Scope
• Purely observational studies without intervention
• Interventions requiring highly specialised infrastructure not scalable in LMICs
• Nutritional approaches without clear linkage to inflammation or oxidative stress mechanisms
Key Dates
• Call Opens: 17 March 2026
• Deadline: 28 April 2026
Click HERE to visit the official website.