Clinical Research Program (KLIF)

The Clinical Research Program (KLIF) of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) provides a 100% grant of up to €450,000 for temporally and financially clearly defined clinical studies conducted in Austria without immediate commercial interests. Projects in human and veterinary medicine involving patients or healthy volunteers are funded, generating scientific insights through methodically precisely defined studies to optimize diagnostic and therapeutic procedures or to improve clinical practice. Project durations of up to 48 months are possible, with personnel costs and material expenses considered eligible expenditures. Submissions are accepted continuously via the electronic application portal ELANe, requiring a positive ethics vote or fundamental approval by the responsible ethics committee, as well as evidence of study-related preliminary work and the scientific qualifications of the applicants.

Eligible applicants are scientists clinically active in Austria or cooperating with a clinic, as well as educational institutions and private individuals with suitable research infrastructure. The application documents include the Clinical Research Application Guidelines, a checklist, and a template for the publication record of the project leader. Decisions are made by the FWF Board of Trustees based on international peer reviews, with five award deadlines per year and the option of additional matching funds co-financing. The program aims to strengthen excellent clinical research in Austria and sustainably contribute to the evidence base of clinical procedures. Interested project leaders can find all relevant information on funding criteria, deadlines, and documents in the official FWF guidelines.