The Leif Lundblad Donation – Funding for Research on Women’s Health

Purpose

The donation is intended to support research in women’s health. For the purposes of this call, women’s health refers to biological processes and diseases unique to women. The focus is on women’s reproductive, gynecological, and hormonal health, including prevention, diagnostics, and biomarkers.

Priority research areas include:

• Endometriosis
• Vulvodynia
• Menstruation-related conditions (e.g., PCOS and PMOS)
• Ovarian cysts
• Gynecological cancers
• Hereditary risk factors
• Menopause
• Contraception
• Fertility, including the impact of environmental toxins
• Pregnancy
• Embryo diagnostics
• Miscarriage
• Birth injuries
• The role of hormones in ADHD-related conditions in girls and women

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are researchers who hold a doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent), are employed by or affiliated with Karolinska Institutet, and conduct research within the areas described above. Both projects focusing on fundamental biological mechanisms and clinical research are welcome.

Research projects that promote collaboration between research groups at KI and/or with other Swedish universities are particularly encouraged.

Funding Amount

A maximum of SEK 3 million may be awarded per applicant.

Funding may be applied for a period of up to three years. Grants may also be awarded for projects shorter than three years, up to SEK 1 million per year.

Applicants cannot be awarded more than the amount requested.

Approved funds are disbursed retrospectively based on actual expenditure within the framework of the approved annual grant allocation.*

Application

Applications must be prepared in accordance with the instructions provided in the Prisma application portal. The applicant’s CV will be retrieved directly from their Prisma profile.

Required attachment:

• A publication list including: 
  • The 10 publications most relevant to this call, and
  • A complete publication list covering the past five years and the current year.

Applications must be submitted electronically.

The application form will be available in KI Prisma during the application period:

24 August 2026, 10:00 AM – 27 September 2026, 2:00 PM (CEST).

Decision

Final funding decisions will be made by the Committee for Research following an evaluation by an external review panel. The Lundblad family will be invited to provide comments; however, the scientific quality of the projects will be the decisive factor.

All applicants will be notified of the decision by email during December.

Reporting

Researchers receiving funding are required to present their research results to the Lundblad family at least once per year.

Contact

For questions regarding the call, please contact:

Cecilia Lövdahl
cecilia.lovdahl@ki.se

For questions regarding Prisma:

fonder@ki.se

* Funds are disbursed retrospectively based on actual expenditure within the framework of the approved annual grant allocation. This arrangement is intended to maximize the return on the donated funds for as long as possible.

By 1 November each year, grant recipients must submit a detailed forecast of expenditures for the current year. Where a demonstrable need exists, funds may be disbursed semi-annually in advance, within the limits of the approved grant amount for each six-month period, based on a liquidity forecast.

Grant payments are not subject to any time limitation and will continue, provided a demonstrable need exists, until the full awarded amount has been disbursed.