Call for Applications for the 19th Eva Luise Köhler Research Prize for Rare Diseases
Innovative research award for projects on rare diseases with a prize of €50,000. Applications accepted until 12/07/2026.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
Improvement of medical care for people with rare diseases through the recognition of outstanding scientific projects in basic and translational research.
Eligible to apply
- Educational Institutions
- Non-profit Organizations
Funding requirements
- Application submission only by university or non-university institutes or clinics with a non-profit orientation
- Projects must relate to rare diseases
- Not funded: oncology, pure registry projects, biobanks, and patient apps
- Submission possible in German or English
Evaluation criteria
- Innovative content and scientific excellence of the project
- Sustainable and cross-disease approaches
- High patient relevance
- Networking in research
Description
The call for the 19th Eva Luise Köhler Research Award for Rare Diseases honors outstanding scientific initiatives that contribute to improving the medical care of people with rare diseases. Endowed by the Eva Luise and Horst Köhler Foundation for People with Rare Diseases in cooperation with the Alliance of Chronic Rare Diseases (ACHSE) e. V., the award is endowed with €50,000 and is aimed at research projects in basic and translational research. Applicants must belong to a non-profit educational institution or a non-university institute or clinic engaged with rare diseases. Submissions can be made in German or English, with the deadline on July 12, 2026, 24:00.
Projects at all career stages are supported, focusing on innovation, networking character, and sustainable, cross-disease approaches. High patient relevance and scientific excellence are central evaluation criteria. Purely oncological projects as well as projects related to biobanks, patient apps, and purely registries are excluded. The jury, consisting of experts in the field of rare diseases, may award the prize jointly upon recommendation of the Scientific Advisory Board. The call offers a unique opportunity to present groundbreaking research initiatives and sustainably improve the care of the so-called "orphans of medicine."
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