Application start: 3 December 2025

Application deadline: 28 February 2026

Please note that the candidate should be registered to the congress.

The winner will be announced in March 2026.

Eligibility criteria

• Have completed their terminal degree (MD or PhD) within the past 10 years.
• Have a passion for research that is focused on autoimmunity diagnostics and methods for clinical utility, including diagnosis, prognosis and treatment response.
• Contribute significantly to the advancement of autoimmunity research through outstanding, creative and independent research.
• Candidate should submit the abstract for AUTO26 Congress (It can be submitted outside the regular submission period, along with the application).

Evaluation criteria

• A motivation (half a page) why you/your nominee should be a candidate for the Award.
• The prospective research project quality and its expected impact on the scientific and medical field of autoimmunity and how the research will impact the quality of life for patients with autoimmune diseases.
• Quality and impact of scientific publications (= H index)
• Is the research in the forefront of international efforts?
• The level of independence of the research.

[Note: Criteria for determining winner should not include any personal benefits to the research grant recipient.]

GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATION / NOMINATION

You can either apply for yourself or nominate somebody with his/her consent regarding the nomination and submission of personal data as described below. The candidate should not yet be an established scientist (not a head of department or professor).

Your application / nomination must include the following personal details:

• ​​Full name
• Copy of the official MD or PhD degree completion document
• Institute/Hospital
• Department
• Full address
• Phone
• Fax
• Mobile phone
• E-mail
• Present official title/profession/position
• Degree

You will also be asked for the following:

• A motivational cover letter (half a page) why you / nominee should be a candidate for the Award.
• A list of all the candidates’ publications, divided into originals and reviews.
• Highlight 3–5 of his/her most important articles.
• A description of the Research Project including estimated detailed budget:

• Introduction with background on the relevance of the research
• Project objectives
• Descriptions of methods
• Milestones, expected timeline and use of budget
• Expected impact on the scientific and medical field of autoimmunity and how the research will impact patients with autoimmune diseases quality of life
• Ethical approval
• References

The application needs to be endorsed by the Institution which will be the recipient of the Award payment.

Add the Institution name, contact details and bank account details of the Institution that will receive and administer the Award money.

The Award is granted under the conditions:

• Winner and his/her Institute/Hospital enters into a Research Grant Agreement with the supporting company
• Winner reports about use of the Award funding
• Unused funding is returned or used for other approved Research Grants.
• The winner is required to register and attend the Autoimmunity 2026 Congress, and present their research during a Plenary Session. Congress attendance is not covered by the grant. No additional funding will be provided for travel, expenses, or congress registration.