SFOepi grants

The Strategic Research Program in Sweden is supported by governmental funding. The strategic research area in epidemiology at Karolinska Institutet (SFOepi) aims to jointly improve opportunities for epidemiological and biostatistical research.

Apply for SFOepi grants 2023 

SFO Epidemiology Consolidator Grant for junior researchers – three-year grant

The Strategic Research Program in epidemiology (SFOepi) at Karolinska Institutet (KI) will invest in a program for leading junior researchers with particularly outstanding scientific merits and future potential within the strategic research area of epidemiology and biostatistics. To give the most excellent young researchers the opportunity to consolidate their research and broaden their activities, up to three grants will be awarded.

The grant includes three-years of funding (provided that the Faculty Board gives SFOepi its usual funding during these three years) for researchers employed at Karolinska Institutet or at Region Stockholm and affiliated to Karolinska Institutet whose doctoral degree is not more than twelve years old. Particularly meritorious is the ability of the applicant to demonstrate how the planned activities will involve collaboration with other research groups at Karolinska Institutet, Region Stockholm or other national or international universities and health care centers.

Eligibility:

  • Applicants must conduct internationally leading research within their subject area, must have their own research line and have demonstrated the ability to conduct research of very high quality, as well as demonstrate future development opportunities with continued high-quality research and the ability to attract external research funding.
  • Have a research plan according to the above for the next three years within Epidemiology/Biostatistics at KI.
  • A doctorate or equivalent scientific competence should have been obtained on June 1 2011 or later.
  • Applicants who have received a PhD degree earlier than June 1 2011 may be eligible if there are special grounds for deductible time (parental leave, long-term illness, general medical internship, further training/specialist medical internship for clinically active professionals, mandatory service in the total defense forces, positions of trust in trade union organizations). Reasons, dates and extent must be clearly specified in the application and verified with relevant documentation. A maximum of 24 months can be deducted.
  • Employed at Karolinska Institutet or Region Stockholm or at an entity, based in Region Stockholm providing care under agreement with Region Stockholm, and affiliated to Karolinska Institutet
  • The applicant should not hold a position as senior lecturer/adjunct senior lecturer or professor/adjunct professor at the time of the application deadline, or previously have received a Consolidator grant through previous calls by the Board of Research/Faculty board/SFO epidemiology at Karolinska Institutet.
  • Applicants who receive one of KI’s centrally announced grants issued Spring 2023 will not be eligible to receive support also from this SFO epidemiology consolidator grant.

What does the funding entail?

The consolidator grant should be applied for by individual researchers. Up to 1.2 million SEK per year may be awarded for three years (2023 - 2026), starting September 1, 2023. The funding for year 1 must be used up before end of December 31st 2024, the year 2 funding must be used up before end of 2025 and the year 3 funding must be used up before end of 2026. No extensions will be granted. The grant may be used for salary (own or others) or research-related costs including social costs (LPK) and INDI. Researchers who receive a consolidator grant are expected to conduct research in epidemiology and/or biostatistics and act as a team or research group leader at Karolinska Institutet or Region Stockholm. Payment of the consolidator grant will be made to the applicant’s KI department.

Assessment criteria: Applications will be assessed in three stages:

  1. Assessment of eligibility
  2. Prioritisation of the group of applications to be reviewed by external experts
  3. Review by external experts of the competence of the applicant and the scientific quality of the research plan

Application procedure

The application shall comprise the following documents written in English: a personal letter, an application form, a certificate from head of current department of employment or affiliation which shows that the applicant may conduct research at the department, relevant certificates in case deductible time is stated in the application.

Please send your application to janina.mahmoodi@ki.se no later than May 30th, 2023

SFO epidemiology Junior Scholar Grants in Epidemiology or Biostatistics – three year grant

The Strategic Research Program in Epidemiology (SFOepi) at Karolinska Institutet hereby announces funding for up to four strategic Junior Scholar Grants within Epidemiology or Biostatistics to support new leading junior researchers with particularly outstanding scientific merits and future potential within Epidemiology or Biostatistics. These grants, which can be used for salaries (own or graduate student) or other project related costs, will be set at 1 000 000 SEK per year for a period of three (3) years (provided that the Faculty Board gives SFOepi its usual funding during these three years). Funding will be distributed by October 2023, and must be used by December 31, 2026.

Eligibility:

  • Have successfully defended their doctoral thesis at the latest on May 31, 2021, and no earlier than June 1, 2016. This time period can be extended up to two years on account of parental leave, sick leave, military service and internship (pre-registration/allmäntjänstgöring).
  • Have not received a prior junior scholar award or position from SFOepi.
  • Have a research plan for the next three years within Epidemiology or Biostatistics at KI.
  • Are currently employed by Karolinska Institutet or Region Stockholm, but not at the level of senior lecturer or professor.

The selection of the candidates will be based on the competence of the applicant, the scientific value and novelty of their research plan, and the relevance of their research to epidemiology and biostatistics. Collaborations with other research groups either within KI, nationally or internationally are considered meritorious.

The application should include the following documents:

The whole application in PDF, including the following documents, must be submitted in English only:

  1. A full CV including: dissertation date and title of thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, present position, academic awards, engagements in committees of trust, and external grant awards (incl ALF) as PI.
  2. A complete list of publications.
  3. A synopsis of current work (1 page).
  4. A synopsis of proposed activity (max 5 pages, including references and figures, 11 p DM Sans Regular, 1.0-line space). The synopsis should be arranged under the following headings:
    1. Specific aims: an account of the objective(s) of the proposed research activities.
    2. Project description: a summary plan for the activities, including method and execution of the project.
    3. Collaboration: a description of the collaborative activities and their relevance to improving the scientific merits of the project, research field and career development of the applicant.

Please send your application to janina.mahmoodi@ki.se no later than May 30, 2023

For questions about the application please contact janina.mahmoodi@ki.se or johan.askling@ki.se.

Funding for Small Grants from SFO epidemiology – up to 100.000 kr

SFO epidemiology has a “Small grants” funding mechanism to support bottom-up initiatives in the field of Epidemiology or Biostatistics. You can apply for small grants for workshops or other events, courses, retreats or other activities. The conditions are that the activity you plan must be open to – and of interest to – participants from all SFOepi departments (MEB, KEP, IMM, GPH and ARC/NVS).

To apply please fill in the application form and send it to janina.mahmoodi@ki.se