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International Networks of Excellence

Fondation Leducq

The Leducq Foundation announces a call for applications typically in June of each year. The International Networks of Excellence Program award is $9,500,000 over five years. The INE program is open to investigators worldwide. Network coordinators must be from different continents. All Leducq networks should demonstrate the added value of international collaboration for their research program.

How to Apply: Letter of Intent (LOI)

APPLICATION INFORMATION FOR THE 2026-2027 INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

Applicants are advised to read the International Networks of Excellence Program Description for important information about the application process and Leducq Foundation policies. Detailed instructions about the application submission are available on the Fluxx website and should be consulted in preparing the application.

Applicants to the International Networks Program must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) through the online application service managed by Fluxx, which will be accessible beginning on June 15, 2026. A link to the website is provided here. The application should be assembled as outlined below, and uploaded as one single word of pdf file, not to exceed 10Mb. (Disclosure forms and CVs are uploaded separately.). Letters of Intent must be submitted before the end of the day, 11:59 p.m. Central European Time (5:59 pm US Eastern Time) on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.

The Applicant designated to submit the application through Fluxx should be one of the two coordinators who lead each Leducq network. The final submission must come from the coordinator who is registered on the Fluxx site.

Click here to see items required for submission of the LOI:

For the text of the submission, please use 12-point type, and either Times New Roman or Arial as the font. One page of supplementary figures may be added (words on this page will not count towards the 1500 limit in the project description). Letters of Intent found not to be in compliance with the format guidelines risk disqualification. The submission of supplementary materials, including introductory letters, is discouraged; they will not be considered, nor will they be returned.

To start the application process, the first step is click on the “Create an account Now” button and provide information on your organization. You will not be able to edit your profile after submission, so please ensure you have entered accurate information (including your email address) when completing the registration form. You will then receive an email notification from the foundation with login information, which will give you access to the portal and application forms.

For purposes of the Leducq Foundation application, only, “Institution Information” is required. There is no need to add a biosketch at this point. Rather, the biosketches for all network members will be uploaded in a single application PDF file as described below. When creating a new institution, you need only include the required information indicated by the red asterisk, although you can enter additional information if you choose. Once you have entered the required information, and the foundation has registered your institution, you can proceed to the “Apply for Funding” tab on the upper left menu and create a new proposal.

At this point, you will be able to download the complete instructions for the Leducq Foundation application. Please follow the guidelines in the instructions and on the Fluxx website to prepare and submit the application.

Full applications

The Leducq Foundation will notify applicants about the status of their applications following the fall meeting of the Scientiﬁc Advisory Committee (SAC), which will take place at the end of October. At that meeting, the SAC will select 8-14 network applicants to submit a full application, information about which will be provided at the time of notiﬁcation. It is the express intention of the members of the SAC to limit requests for full applications to those proposals with a signiﬁcant chance of success in the ﬁnal round. Full applications are due in the foundation oﬃce in February 2027 and the ﬁnal recommendation of the SAC, to select up to four networks for support, will be made at a meeting in May 2027. The Leducq Foundation Board of Directors will consider the SAC’s recommendation in early June 2027.

Please note that it is the policy of the Scientiﬁc Advisory Committee not to provide comments or feedback about unsuccessful LOI applications.

Questions about the electronic submission process, application, or Leducq Foundation policy should be directed to the Leducq Foundation office at contact@flcq.org or viewed on our website at: www.flcq.org.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Outstanding international collaborative network (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

This is the defining characteristic of Fondation Leducq funding.

Competitive applications should demonstrate:

A true international research network
Coordinators from different continents
Complementary expertise across institutions
Strong scientific integration
Long-term collaborative relationships

The Foundation explicitly expects applicants to show the added value of collaboration—what the network can accomplish together that individual laboratories could not.

2. Direct relevance to cardiovascular or neurovascular disease (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals should focus on:

Cardiovascular disease

Heart failure
Coronary artery disease
Atherosclerosis
Arrhythmias
Cardiomyopathy
Valve disease
Vascular biology
Regenerative cardiology

Neurovascular disease

Stroke
Cerebrovascular disease
Vascular cognitive impairment
Brain–vascular interactions
Neurovascular inflammation

Projects outside these research areas are generally not competitive.

3. Scientific excellence and significance (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals demonstrate:

Major unanswered scientific questions
High scientific quality
Strong biological or clinical rationale
Original hypotheses
Potential to substantially advance cardiovascular or stroke research

Scientific excellence is central to the Foundation's review process.

4. Clear added value of collaboration (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

A unique evaluation criterion for Fondation Leducq is demonstrating that the collaboration itself creates value.

Competitive applications explain:

Why multiple institutions are essential
How expertise is complementary
Shared resources and technologies
Joint experimental strategies
Synergy beyond individual projects

Applications that merely combine independent projects without true integration are less competitive.

5. Innovation and transformative science (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive projects often investigate:

Novel disease mechanisms
Precision cardiovascular medicine
Gene editing
Advanced imaging
AI and computational biology
Regenerative medicine
Translational therapeutics
New diagnostic technologies

Projects should have the potential to transform understanding or treatment of cardiovascular or neurovascular disease.

6. Strong translational potential (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Foundation seeks research that can improve patient care.

Competitive proposals often include:

Biomarker discovery
Therapeutic development
Precision medicine
Translational biology
Cardiovascular technologies
Stroke prevention strategies

Projects should describe how discoveries could ultimately improve diagnosis or treatment.

7. Outstanding investigators and complementary expertise (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Reviewers evaluate:

International scientific reputation
Publication record
Leadership experience
Complementary expertise
Prior collaborative experience

Networks should include investigators with the expertise required to deliver the proposed research.

8. Development of early-career investigators (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

A distinctive feature of Fondation Leducq is its commitment to training the next generation of scientists.

Competitive networks include plans to:

Mentor early-career investigators
Promote researcher exchanges
Support trainee participation in network activities
Foster international career development

The Foundation's best-practice guidance encourages active involvement of early-career researchers throughout the network.

9. Strong network management and implementation (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

Because awards support large international consortia, successful proposals include:

Effective governance
Communication plans
Regular network meetings
Project coordination
Risk management
Administrative support

A well-organized management structure is essential for successful delivery.

10. Long-term scientific impact and sustainability (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

Competitive proposals demonstrate potential to:

Establish enduring collaborations
Generate high-impact publications
Produce shared resources
Secure future international funding
Influence cardiovascular or stroke research worldwide

The Foundation aims to create lasting international research partnerships beyond the grant period.

Specialties

Cardiovascular Diseases

Neurosciences

Clinical Trials

Eligibility Requirements

Participants in a Leducq Foundation International Network of Excellence Program (INEP) must have expertise in cardiovascular or neurovascular disease, or a related field, and must be affiliated with an academic research center. The two Network Coordinators must be from different continents. In the consideration of continent boundaries, conventional geographic definitions will obtain. The INEP is open to investigators worldwide, with the exception of the coordinator role, as described above. Participation in a Leducq International Network is contingent upon the commitment of the participant’s affiliated academic institution to abide by the financial and intellectual property provisions. Participants sign a customary research agreement which outlines the conditions of support, the powers of the coordinators to modify the program, and the responsibilities and accountability of network members.

International Network grants are not renewable. Members of concluding networks who wish to reapply with a team that consists of largely of the same participants, and with a theme similar to that of the existing network, are urged to present a new and original direction for research. All applications are considered on a de novo basis.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Fondation Leducq

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 265 Franklin Street, Suite 1902 Boston, Massachusetts 02110

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