LEO Foundation Awards - for outstanding young skin researchers

LEO Foundation Dr Abildgaard Fellowships - for emerging research leaders

Research Grants in open competition - to support the best skin research projects worldwide

Education and Awareness Grants - to strengthen the pipeline of future researchers

Serendipity Grants - for novel and unexpected discoveries

Research Networking Grants - to enable knowledge-sharing and networking

LEO Foundation Visiting Researchers - fostering collaborations and exchange

Standalone grants - to strengthen excellent skin research

Application deadlines

Application deadlines for all of our grant programs are listed below. Calls are announced on an ongoing basis.

All calls close at 16:00 (CET/CEST).

Grant Opens Deadline

Research Grants in open competition (round 1)

13 Nov 2024 08 Jan 2025 Closed

To support the best dermatology research projects worldwide.

It is important that the applicant carefully reads the application guide before initiating the application process, as this document contains the complete call as well as detailed instructions for the application process.

DEADLINE: 8 January 2025 (16:00 CET)

Application guide

Online application

LEO Foundation Award – Region Americas

14 Nov 2024 09 Jan 2025 Closed

The LEO Foundation Award was born out of the aim of advancing the understanding and treatment of skin diseases and strengthening the pipeline of excellent dermatology researchers. It recognizes promising young talents and hopefully provides a boost to their future careers.

Three awards are made each year, one in each of the regions: Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and Asia-Pacific. Each award is worth USD 100,000.

DEADLINE for self-nomination: 9 January 2025 (16:00 CET)

NB: The content of the application guide may be subject to change. Changes relevant for a given call will be implemented prior to opening of that call.

Application guide

Online application

Education and Awareness Grants (round 1)

27 Nov 2024 22 Jan 2025 Closed

To strengthen the pipeline of future researchers within the fields of medicine, chemistry, and pharmacy, and to raise awareness about science, including skin and skin diseases.

It is important that the applicant carefully reads the application guide before initiating the application process, as this document contains the complete call as well as detailed instructions for the application process.

DEADLINE: 22 January 2025 (16:00 CET)

Application guide

Apply by mail here

LEO Foundation Dr Abildgaard Fellowships

16 Jan 2025 02 Apr 2025 Apply now

For talented, emerging research leaders with ambitions to establish or expand an independent research group at a Danish institution, and to pursue novel and important research questions within skin and skin diseases.

Grants of DKK 12 million are awarded for a five-year period.

DEADLINE: 2 April 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide

Online application

Research Grants in open competition (round 2)

05 Feb 2025 02 Apr 2025 Not open

To support the best dermatology research projects worldwide.

It is important that the applicant carefully reads the application guide before initiating the application process, as this document contains the complete call as well as detailed instructions for the application process.

DEADLINE: 2 April 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide

Online application

LEO Foundation Award – Region EMEA

06 Feb 2025 03 Apr 2025 Not open

The LEO Foundation Award was born out of the aim of advancing the understanding and treatment of skin diseases and strengthening the pipeline of excellent dermatology researchers. It recognizes promising young talents and hopefully provides a boost to their future careers.

Three awards are made each year, one in each of the regions: Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and Asia-Pacific. Each award is worth USD 100,000.

DEADLINE for self-nomination: 3 April 2025 (16:00 CEST)

NB: The content of the application guide may be subject to change. Changes relevant for a given call will be implemented prior to opening of that call.

Application guide

Online application

Education and Awareness Grants (round 2)

10 Feb 2025 07 Apr 2025 Not open

To strengthen the pipeline of future researchers within the fields of medicine, chemistry, and pharmacy, and to raise awareness about science, including skin and skin diseases.

It is important that the applicant carefully reads the application guide before initiating the application process, as this document contains the complete call as well as detailed instructions for the application process.

DEADLINE: 7 April 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide

Apply by mail here

LEO Foundation Visiting Researchers (round 1)

11 Feb 2025 08 Apr 2025 Not open

To stimulate a cohesive and agile skin research ecosystem by supporting temporary embedment of skin researchers in a foreign research environment with the aim of fostering genuine international collaborations and strengthening the exchange of knowledge, ideas, methodology, and technology between Danish and international skin research communities.

DEADLINE: 8 April 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide (NB: the 2025 application guide will be published before the call opens)

Online application

Research Networking Grants (round 1)

11 Feb 2025 08 Apr 2025 Not open

Through our Research Networking Grants, we seek to enable knowledge-sharing and facilitate networking and collaborations within the skin research community by providing researchers and students with opportunities to present and discuss the newest research within their field. 

DEADLINE: 8 April 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide (NB: the 2025 application guide will be published before the call opens)

Online application

Serendipity Grants

29 Apr 2025 24 Jun 2025 Not open

For novel and unexpected, also known as serendipitous, discoveries made by current LEO Foundation
grantees.

Grants of up to DKK 4 million are awarded for a two-year period.

DEADLINE: 24 June 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide (NB: the 2025 application guide will be published before the call opens)

Online application

LEO Foundation Award – Region Asia-Pacific

01 May 2025 26 Jun 2025 Not open

The LEO Foundation Award was born out of the aim of advancing the understanding and treatment of skin diseases and strengthening the pipeline of excellent dermatology researchers. It recognizes promising young talents and hopefully provides a boost to their future careers.

Three awards are made each year, one in each of the regions: Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and Asia-Pacific. Each award is worth USD 100,000.

DEADLINE for self-nomination: 26 June 2025 (16:00 CEST)

NB: The content of the application guide may be subject to change. Changes relevant for a given call will be implemented prior to opening of that call.

Application guide

Online application

Research Grants in open competition (round 3)

31 Jul 2025 11 Sep 2025 Not open

To support the best dermatology research projects worldwide.

It is important that the applicant carefully reads the application guide before initiating the application process, as this document contains the complete call as well as detailed instructions for the application process.

DEADLINE: 11 September 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide

Online application

Education and Awareness Grants (round 3)

04 Aug 2025 30 Sep 2025 Not open

To strengthen the pipeline of future researchers within the fields of medicine, chemistry, and pharmacy, and to raise awareness about science, including skin and skin diseases.

It is important that the applicant carefully reads the application guide before initiating the application process, as this document contains the complete call as well as detailed instructions for the application process.

DEADLINE: 30 September 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide

Apply by mail here

LEO Foundation Visiting Researchers (round 2)

05 Aug 2025 01 Oct 2025 Not open

To stimulate a cohesive and agile skin research ecosystem by supporting temporary embedment of skin researchers in a foreign research environment with the aim of fostering genuine international collaborations and strengthening the exchange of knowledge, ideas, methodology, and technology between Danish and international skin research communities.

DEADLINE: 1 October 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide (NB: the 2025 application guide will be published before the call opens)

Online application

Research Networking Grants (round 2)

05 Aug 2025 01 Oct 2025 Not open

Through our Research Networking Grants, we seek to enable knowledge-sharing and facilitate networking and collaborations within the skin research community by providing researchers and students with opportunities to present and discuss the newest research within their field. 

DEADLINE: 1 October 2025 (16:00 CEST)

Application guide (NB: the 2025 application guide will be published before the call opens)

Online application

The skin is the largest organ of the body

We pave the way for curing skin diseases by catalyzing outstanding research that pioneers new discoveries and transforms our understanding of the skin and its diseases.

Covering two square meters and performing many functions, the skin is a vital organ of the body, providing a defense against everything from infections to sun and cold. But what happens in the skin when, for example, eczema or psoriasis occurs? Skin diseases are among the most common health problems worldwide, affecting around one in three people. We have become significantly better at treating the 3,000 or so known skin diseases, but many patients still lack effective treatments

Much more research is required to provide better diagnoses, treatments and perhaps even cures for the millions of people living with skin diseases.

At the LEO Foundation, we support free and independent skin research of the highest quality that can pioneer discoveries and transform our understanding of the skin and its diseases. We also provide grants for education and awareness activities that strengthen the talent base for the next generation of researchers, and promote and communicate science to the public.

We support research and activities that improve our understanding of the skin, including the medicinal, biological, chemical, and pharmacological mechanisms involved in skin diseases.

We also support research and activities addressing clinical issues among people who are in risk of developing, or have developed, a skin disease, including how it impacts their quality of life and the societal costs involved.

Finally, we support education and awareness activities in Denmark, within the fields of medicine, chemistry and pharmacy.

»To me skin is an endlessly intriguing field«

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»I dream of making knowledge about skin accessible to everyone«

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»To me skin is an endlessly intriguing field«

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»I dream of making knowledge about skin accessible to everyone«

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15 pioneering skin research projects receive LEO Foundation grants

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Nearly DKK 3 million to spark public and youth interest in science

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Japanese skin scientist receives the LEO Foundation Award in Region Asia-Pacific

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