Apply for the LEO Foundation Awards. A boost to young talents.
The LEO Foundation Awards – worth USD 100,000 – recognize outstanding young researchers and scientists from around the world whose work represents an extraordinary contribution to skin research and has the potential to pave the way for new and improved treatments for skin diseases.
The 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.
The award is well aligned with the Foundation’s goal of continually promoting and advancing skin research.
Since the first LEO Foundation Award in 2008, more than 30 scientists have received the award.

Award self-nomination deadlines
The award is applied for in open competition.
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.
Submission period will open at least four weeks prior to each deadline.
Grant | Opens | Deadline | ||
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All 2023 calls for applications are now closed. New calls for 2024 to be announced. |
01 Jan 2024 | 31 Dec 2024 | Not open | |
See more info on all LEO Foundation grant opportunities here. |
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Serendipity grants 2023 |
02 Jun 2023 | 24 Aug 2023 | Closed | |
For novel and unexpected, also known as serendipitous, discoveries made by current LEO Foundation Grants of up to DKK 4 million are awarded for a five-year period. The application guide can be found here. DEADLINE: 24 August 2023 (16:00 CEST) |
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Dr Abildgaard Fellowships 2023 |
16 May 2023 | 17 Aug 2023 | Closed | |
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. The application guide can be found here. DEADLINE: 17 August 2023 (16:00 CEST) |
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Research grants in open competition 2023 – round 1 |
01 Feb 2023 | 28 Feb 2023 | 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. The application guide can be found here. DEADLINE: 28 February 2023 (16:00 CET) |
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Research grants in open competition 2023 – round 2 |
22 May 2023 | 23 Jun 2023 | 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. The application guide can be found here. DEADLINE: 23 June 2023 (16:00 CEST) |
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Research grants in open competition 2023 – round 3 |
01 Aug 2023 | 31 Aug 2023 | 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. The application guide can be found here. DEADLINE: 31 August 2023 (16:00 CEST) |
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Education and awareness grants 2023 – round 2 |
29 May 2023 | 04 Jul 2023 | 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. The application guide can be found here. |
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Education and awareness grants 2023 – round 3 |
15 Aug 2023 | 14 Sep 2023 | 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. The application guide can be found here. |
Guidance
The applicant:
- Is an active scientist within skin-related research.
- Is able to demonstrate scientific merits in the form of at least 5 peer-reviewed first author or co-first author publications within skin-related research.
- Has his/her primary workplace within the relevant region at the time of being selected as awardee.
- Is between 30 and 40 years of age at the time of being selected as awardee. Natural and reasonable career breaks such as paternity/maternity leave, military service or the like may be deducted.
Please read the application guide thoroughly and complete your application accordingly.
Application guide (PDF download)
Applicants can not:
- Have commercial or cosmetic/aesthetic research as his/her primary focus.
- Have personal or financial ties to LEO Pharma, including involvement in e.g. sponsored studies or clinical trials at PI level.
- Be an earlier recipient of a LEO Foundation Award.
- Be an earlier recipient of another prize or award (personal or for research) exceeding a value of USD 50,000. Regular research grants are exempt from this requirement.
Application process
The LEO Foundation will ensure an independent and unbiased evaluation process in which all applications will be evaluated based on the same criteria and towards the same scientific level.
It will normally take approx. three months from application deadline to award decision.
If you are selected as awardee, you become a LEO Foundation Alumni and you will be requested to participate and contribute at two events within three years following your receipt of the award.
The LEO Foundation will agree on events and contributions with all awardees.
Evaluation process
Once the call deadline has expired, the Foundation’s secretariat screens your application for formal requirements and if approved, sends it to an independent expert committee for evaluation. The evaluation process follows the path illustrated below.
The Foundation generally uses committees consisting of internationally recognized, independent experts to evaluate the applications for grants and awards that are submitted in open competition.

Global Review Panel
All panel members represent their respective society in region Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.
American Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID):
Committee member | Titles |
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Aimee S. Payne |
Professor, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (USA) |
Lynn A. Cornelius |
Professor, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis (USA) |
My Mahoney |
Professor, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia (USA) |
European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR):
Committee member | Titles |
---|---|
Christoph Schlapbach |
Professor, Inselspital, Bern (Switzerland) |
Andrea Szegedi |
Professor, University of Debrecen, Debrecen (Hungary) |
Kaisa Tasanen-Maatta |
Professor, University of Oulu, Oulu (Finland) |
Taiwanese Society for Investigative Dermatology (TSID) Korean Society for Investigative Dermatology (KSID) Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology (JSID):
Committee member | Titles |
---|---|
Cheng-Che Eric Lan |
Professor, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung (Taiwan) |
Hei Sung Kim |
Professor, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul (Republic of Korea) |
Tatsuyoshi Kawamura |
Professor, University of Yamanashi, Kofu (Japan) |
Awardees
2023

Region Americas
2022

Region Americas
2021

Region Americas

Region EMEA
2020

Region Americas

Region EMEA

Region Asia-Pacific
2019

Region Americas

Region EMEA

Region Asia-Pacific