Within the framework of the "Espoirs de la recherche" programme, the Foundation for Medical Research FRM supports the best projects likely to generate significant impact in the health sector. A variety of funding schemes are available to teams, regardless of the theme and nature of their research work.
Read the details of the calls for projects in this article (there is a specific application deadline for each call).
Eligibility criteria for individual grants from the FMR
Individual fellowships
Information and contact
To be eligible for an individual grant from the FRM, the host team must, at the date of the Scientific Council concerned, be recognized as independent by one or more French public research or higher education organizations (Inserm, CNRS, University, etc.), following an evaluation by the Hceres.
Note: ATIP Avenir teams, which are de facto recognised by Inserm and/or the CNRS, are eligible for individual FRM grants.
A host team may only apply once for the same type of individual grant (e.g., completion of a science thesis), regardless of size or different research themes.
The applicant is the future beneficiary of the grant (PhD candidate or post-doctoral fellow). The FRM grant is nominative. If the applicant withdraws after the grant is issued, it cannot be transferred to another applicant and will be cancelled.
The supervisor (tutor or thesis director) must be a member of the host team.
A supervisor who is the main applicant for FRM team funding (former Emergency and Pioneer Research Programs, FRM Team, Start-up of young teams, AAP of priority axes) and who is still being financed at the date of the relevant Scientific Council, cannot participate in an application for individual FRM funding, with the exception of an "End of thesis" application.
A supervisor can only be involved in one application for funding per Scientific Council session, even if involved in different types of grants (e.g. "Postdoctoral fellowship in France" and "Return mobility to France").
A change of supervisor after funding has been approved is impossible.
Individual fellowships
The FRM programme "Espoirs de la Recherche" is open to all areas of biological and health research. In particular, it contributes to the professional development of young researchers by offering different types of individual funding schemes.
The individual fellowships proposed in 2023, for which it is still possible to apply, are as follows:
THESIS POSITION FOR INTERNS AND ASSISTANTS
Criteria
- Applicant: PhD candidate enrolled in the 1st or 2nd year of thesis in science during the academic year 2023-2024
- Applicant profile: The applicant must hold a Master 2 research degree. He/she must also be either an intern or former intern or assistant clinical director (CCA) / university hospital assistant (AHU).
- Compulsory registration for the academic year 2023-2024 either in the 1st or 2nd year of thesis in a French university.
- Host laboratory located in France or abroad.
Funding
- Assistance to cover the cost of the beneficiary's salary (gross salary, employer's charges and related taxes)
- Full-time fixed-term contract (CDD)
- Employer: priority is given to the organisation that managed the doctoral contract (first 3 years of the thesis). If the host laboratory is located abroad, ensure that the employing organization in France accepts the implementation of the contract (CDD).
- Funding period:
- Enrolment in 1st year of thesis: 2 years or 3 years, non-renewable
- Enrolment in the 2nd year of a science thesis: 2 years, non-renewable
- Starting period: between October 1, 2023 and April 1, 2024.
- Amount: €50,000/year for an intern or former intern, €60,000/year for an assistant clinical supervisor (CCA) or a university hospital assistant (AHU), paid to the employing organization. The gross salary is determined according to the grid of the employing organization that establishes the work contract.
- Mission expenses (participation in a conference or short stay in another laboratory): 3,000 € granted in addition to salary expenses, regardless of the duration of the grant (2 or 3 years). These expenses must be incurred at the latest at the end of the contract and cannot be used to cover operating expenses.
N.B.: The certificate of defense / diploma of Master 2 Research must be provided to the FRM one month before the beginning of the CDD.
Application deadline: March 14, 2023, at 4:00 pm
Reminder: for the session of the scientific council of June 22 and 23, 2023,
- A supervisor can only be involved in one application: thesis position for interns and assistants.
- A host team can only submit one application for a thesis position for interns and assistants.
- A candidate cannot apply for a thesis position and a doctoral contract at the same time.
INDIVIDUAL GRANT FOR A 4TH YEAR OF A THESIS DURING THE 2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR
Criteria
- Applicant: PhD candidate enrolled in the 4th year of thesis in science during the academic year 2023-2024
- Applicant profile: any scientific or medical profile (medical doctor, pharmacist, veterinarian, medical or pharmaceutical intern)
- Compulsory registration for the academic year 2023-2024 in the 4th year of thesis at a French university.
- Host laboratory located in France or abroad.
Funding
- Assistance to cover the cost of the beneficiary's salary (gross salary, employer's charges and related taxes)
- Full-time fixed-term contract (CDD)
- Employer: priority is given to the organisation that managed the doctoral contract (first 3 years of the thesis). If the host laboratory is located abroad, ensure that the employing organization in France accepts the implementation of the contract (CDD).
- Funding period: from 6 months minimum to 12 months maximum, non-renewable. The assistance cannot continue after the thesis has been defended.
- Starting period: between October 1, 2023 and April 1, 2024.
- Amount: €38,040/year paid to the employing organization. The gross salary is determined according to the grid of the employing organization that establishes the work contract.
- Mission expenses (participation in a conference or short stay in another laboratory): 2,000 € granted in addition to salary expenses, regardless of the duration of the grant (6 to 12 months). These expenses must be incurred at the latest at the end of the contract and cannot be used to cover operating expenses.
N.B.: The certificate of defense / diploma of Master 2 Research must be provided to the FRM one month before the beginning of the CDD.
Application deadline: January 17, 2023, at 4:00 pm
Return mobility to France
Criteria
- Applicant: Post-doctoral researcher
- Applicant profile: Researcher with a doctorate in sciences awarded in France for a maximum of 6 years at the date of the Scientific Council AND having completed a postdoctoral experience abroad of at least 2 years in the same laboratory
- Host laboratory located in France
NB: The laboratory in France in which the thesis has been completed can be chosen as the host laboratory but mobility is strongly recommended.
Return to France: the applicant may already have returned to France. In this case, it must have been for a maximum of 6 months on the date of the Scientific Council (September 29, 2023)
Integration in the host laboratory
The applicant must join the host laboratory in France within 6 months before or 6 months after the date of the scientific council (September 290, 2023)
Funding
- Funding covering the cost of the beneficiary's salary (gross salary charged, employer's charges and related taxes) - Full-time fixed-term contract
- Employer: institution in charge of managing this type of contract in the host laboratory (CNRS, INSERM, University...) subject to its acceptance, in particular within the framework of the limited accumulation of the number of years on fixed-term contract
- Funding period: 2 or 3 years, non-renewable
- Start of fixed-term contract: at the latest on April 1, 2023, i.e. 6 months after the date of the Scientific Council (September 30, 2022)
- Amount: 68, 000 €/year paid to the employing organization. The gross salary is determined according to the grid of the employing organization that establishes the employment contract.
- If the funding is granted, whatever its duration (2 or 3 years) and therefore its amount, an additional nominative funding will be allocated in addition to the salary costs: 3000 € in order to cover mission expenses incurred at the latest at the end of the CDD fixed-term contract (participation in a congress(s) or a short stay in another laboratory).
Application deadline: May 24, 2023, at 4:00 pm
Post-doctoral fellowship in France
Criteria
- Applicant: Post-doctoral researcher
- Profile of the applicant: researcher holding a doctorate in sciences (awarded in France) or a PhD (awarded abroad) defended no earlier than April 1, 2022 (i.e. for a maximum of 18 months at the date of the Scientific Council) and no later than 31 December 2023.
- Laboratory of origin located in France or abroad
- Host laboratory located in France and different from the laboratory in which the thesis has been completed
- The supervisor in the host laboratory must be different from the thesis director or co-director
N.B. Derogating terms are provided. The following events that occurred after the completion of the Ph.D. may be considered: maternity leave, parental leave, long-term sick leave (more than 90 days). Applications will be reviewed by FRM on a case-by-case.
Funding
- Funding covering the cost of the beneficiary's salary (gross salary charged, employer's charges and related taxes)
- Full-time fixed-term contract
- Employer: institution in charge of managing this type of contract in the French host laboratory (CNRS, INSERM, University...) subject to its acceptance, in particular within the framework of the limited accumulation of the number of years on fixed-term contracts
- Funding period: 2 or 3 years, non-renewable
- Start of fixed-term contract: no later than 6 months after the date of the Scientific Council (September 30, 2022)
- Amount: 52,000 €/year paid to the employing organization. The gross salary is determined according to the grid of the employing organization that establishes the employment contract
- An additional nominative funding will be allocated in addition to the salary costs: 3000 € in order to cover mission expenses incurred at the latest at the end of the CDD fixed-term contract (participation in a congress(s) or a short stay in another laboratory).
Application deadline: May 24, 2023, at 4:00 pm
The textes of both calls for projects (in French)
Information and contact
Find on the dedicated page of the FRM website, the details of the procedures.
The application procedure is carried out on the Evision portal.
The contact person for any questions regarding the calls for projects of the "Espoirs de la Recherche" programme:
Mrs Gaëtane Pollin - Project manager for scientific awards
gaetane.pollin@frm.org [+33 1 44 39 39 75 74]
