The BAILLET LATOUR BIOMEDICAL AWARD will dedicate 1 million euros each year to biomedical research in Belgium.

Read the press release to learn more... (only in French)

On the initiative of the Fund Generet, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, the call of the prestigious Generet Award for Rare Diseases will be opened in 2021 for the fourth time to support a research project in the field of rare diseases.

Generet Award for Rare Diseases 2021

• Amount: 1.000.000 € over 4 years. A first instalment of 500.000 € will be credited for 2 years. The second instalment of 500.000 € will be subjected to the positive evaluation of a mid-term scientific, financial and communication report
• Rare diseases are considered to be life threatening or chronic conditions which affect no more than 1 person out of 2.000 ​
• Rare cancers and rare adverse drug events research projects are not eligible​

Generet Award for Rare Diseases 2021

• The research project must be conducted in Belgium in the field of rare diseases ​
• The research project should aim at a better understanding of the processes underpinning rare diseases and translating fundamental discoveries into better prevention, diagnosis or treatment for patients. Research can encompass all stages from bench to bedside ​
• Translational approach, multidisciplinarity and international collaboration are considered as valuable assets for a successful research project ​
• In case of international collaboration, the researcher working in the Belgian Institution must remain the coordinator of the project

Eligible expenses

• Eligible expenses encompass personnel costs, running costs and equipment
• Up to 30% of the Award's amount can be outsourced for supporting international expenses (personnel and running costs)

Eligible candidates

• ​Candidates must be internationally established investigators, with outstanding scientific achievements and multiple seminal contributions to our understanding of health and disease ​
• The Award is open to scientists with or without a track record in the field or rare diseases, but the research project must be in the field of rare diseases ​
• Candidates must hold a PhD or have at least 4 years of equivalent research experience in a relevant field ​
• Candidates must be affiliated to a Belgian University, a Belgian University Hospital or an eligible Research Institute ​
• Candidates must be affiliated to their institution until December 31st, 2025 ​
• Candidates must not reach the retirement limit during the project timeframe

How to apply

• Applications, written in English, must be submitted via the online application systemavailable on www.generetaward.be on May 3rd, 2021 at the latest.
• A PDF version of the application form is available here. This document only aims at providing an overview of the different sections. It should not be used to submit an application.
• The complete regulations of the Generet Award 2021 are available here.

The Hubert Curien Tournesol partnership develops scientific and technological cooperation between higher education and research establishments and public bodies in Wallonia-Brussels and France in the field of fundamental research.

The means granted by way of subsidies are a lump sum for transport and accommodation costs. The missions financed are of short duration, of the order of one to two weeks per year and per project.

The duration of projects is a maximum of two years. Renewal of support for a second year is subject to a request made by the project leader and the submission of a joint balance sheet by both partners, accompanied by a motivation note to support the request for renewal.

All information relating to this call is available on the website of Wallonie-Bruxelles International: https://www.wbi.be/tournesol.

The deadline for submission of applications (to WBI) is April 14, 2021.

Projects will start as of January 1, 2022.

The Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique - FNRS (F.R.S.-FNRS), in partnership with the "Japan Society for the Promotion of Science - JSPS" (Japan), is pleased to announce the result of the call launched on July 1, 2020 within the framework of the instrument called "PINT-BILAT-M" (bilateral research mobility projects).

Five applications were submitted to evaluation procedures by the F.R.S.-FNRS and the "JSPS" (Japan) and the agencies jointly selected one project for funding, the details of which are listed below.

The Belgian team financed by the F.R.S.-FNRS will receive a maximum amount of 15.000 € over a period of two years in order to finance, in particular, travels, scientific workshops/congresses and, possibly, operating costs. The project will be carried out in collaboration with a Japanese team which will be financed by the "JSPS" (Japan).

On January 25, 2021, Pierre Vanderhaeghen was awarded the Generet 2020 Award for research on rare diseases. The Prize rewards his research work devoted to brain development and its abnormalities.

The Generet Fund wishes to give a strong impetus to research on rare diseases and contribute to making our country a center of expertise on these diseases. Since 2018, the Fund has been awarding a €1 million scientific prize each year to finance a 4-year research programme.

Professor at the KU Leuven and ULB, Pierre Vanderhaeghen is a former FNRS researcher, having spent his entire career there until 2012. Congratulations to him for this prestigious award!