Horizon Europe: Opportunities for Digestive Health 

At UEG, we're passionate about advancing research in digestive health and want to support your innovative ideas. Our mission is to engage a greater number of digestive health researchers in Horizon Europe-funded projects. 

Have you found your relevant topic?
Contact us to discuss your project ideas and proposals. UEG is ready to evaluate your project proposal, join a consortium or help in the search for partners.

UEG provides Start-up Grants of up to €10,000 for initiatives focused on forming pan-European project consortiums. 

UEG is also interested in participating in EU-funded projects. To project consortia, the UEG can offer comprehensive partnership, aiding in the development and execution of their project dissemination strategies. UEG would be an excellent choice as a dissemination partner for research projects related to digestive health.

Project proposal coordinators have to contact UEG at least 8 weeks before the submission deadline for single-stage application processes or 4 weeks before the deadline for the second-stage phase of the application procedure. UEG commits to responding to your inquiry within a maximum of two weeks. 

We accept applications on an ongoing basis until UEG's capacity to participate in projects is reached. There is no set deadline. All applications will be treated confidentially and evaluated by experts from various disciplines within the UEG Research Committee specialising in digestive health. 

How to apply: 
To consider your application, we kindly request initial information to be sent via email to . 

Please use the UEG Start-up Grant application template, including the basic information and details outlined in the template necessary for assessing your application, such as: 

• Information on the project management team structure, work package topics, and their leaders. 
• A project description, its innovativeness, and the implementation roadmap from idea to impact. 
• Activities involving UEG and your expectations regarding UEG's active role as a dissemination partner in your project. 
• How your project aligns with UEG's strategic priorities and the priorities of UEG's member societies. 

UEG is actively engaged in advancing research within the digestive health field by participating as a key dissemination partner for various project consortia. Our role focuses on developing and executing effective dissemination strategies that communicate critical project results to the digestive health community, particularly targeting clinicians. As an expert in the field, UEG is ideally positioned to ensure that the impact of these projects is maximised by reaching the right audience.

A strong communication and dissemination strategy is essential for submitting a competitive project proposal, and UEG’s involvement can significantly enhance the chances of success. By planning a clear path to impact from the very early stages of your project, you increase its potential for long-term success. Discover more about the research projects UEG is currently supporting and how we are contributing to the future of digestive health.

Learn more

Here we highlight selected open calls under the Horizon Europe programme that may offer opportunities for researchers in digestive health. We encourage you to explore the list, as these calls can foster progress and breakthroughs in digestive health research.

Calls for proposals are funding opportunities issued by European Union institutions, agencies, and bodies.

All funding information and application procedures are available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, where you can also search for all calls relevant to your research ideas.

Horizon Europe Work Programmes for 2026 – 2027  

The European Commission has published the final Horizon Europe Work Programmes for 2026 – 2027 (adopted December 11, 2025). These documents set out the official calls for research and innovation funding, including all topics, deadlines, and budgets for the next funding cycle of the current Horizon Europe programme. The work programmes provide a clear roadmap for researchers to prepare proposals, form consortia, and align strategic plans with EU priorities. The final work programmes include confirmed calls with fixed opening and closing dates and reflect priorities for health research, digital solutions, and sustainable healthcare systems.  

UEG will continue supporting research consortia in the pre-project phase through the UEG Start-up Grant, helping teams develop strong and competitive proposals for Horizon Europe calls. For the most current and official information, it's advisable to regularly check the Horizon Europe Funding & Tenders Portal and the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) websites.  

You can download the final Horizon Europe Work Programmes, including Cluster 1: Health, as PDFs from the European Commission’s Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026 – 2027 page.  

2027 Horizon Europe “Health” calls for proposals
Opening: February 10, 2027 
Deadline: April 13, 2027  

• HORIZON-HLTH-2027-01-CARE-02: Personalised approaches to reduce risks from adverse drug reactions due to multiple medications.  
• HORIZON-HLTH-2027-01-IND-01: Development of cell-free protein synthesis platforms for discovery and/or production of biologicals.  
• The 2027 single-stage call includes many other disease, environmental health, diagnostics, and therapeutic topics (DISEASE-05, DISEASE-06, DISEASE-07, DISEASE-08, etc.) which may be of interest if aligned with your research themes.

Calls under European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder Challenges 

For the most up-to-date information on upcoming calls, please regularly check the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the EIC Pathfinder website.
 
The EIC Pathfinder supports early-stage, high-risk research and innovation projects with the potential to create breakthrough technologies. It is aimed at researchers, start-ups, SMEs, and consortia developing radical ideas in any field of science or technology. Projects can receive funding to explore novel concepts, proof-of-principle studies, and experimental development, often with a view to future commercialisation.
 
Given that EIC Pathfinder projects often involve multidisciplinary consortia, the UEG Start-up Grant is an ideal resource to support the formation of such teams, particularly in areas where gastrointestinal expertise is valuable.

Calls under the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI)

IHI publishes draft information on future opportunities a few months before the official call launch. This is to provide you with additional time to find or build a consortium and prepare a strong proposal. It is essential to check the final, approved topic texts once the calls are launched at the IHI webpage or EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

As IHI is part of Horizon Europe, UEG will continue supporting research consortia in the pre-project phase for IHI calls through the UEG Start-up Grant, helping teams prepare strong and competitive proposals.

Didn’t find the right call for your project idea? Contribute to shaping future funding opportunities!

If none of the current Horizon Europe or related calls fit your research, there’s still a way to move your idea forward. The Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) invites input from the wider health and research community, including the digestive health field, through their Ideas Incubator.

By submitting a topic suggestion, you can help shape future IHI calls and highlight the research needs of our community. IHI offers clear guidance on what makes a strong idea and how submissions are reviewed.

Submit your idea or learn more on the IHI website