Apply for research grants in open competition
Our research grants are open competition grants given to support the best dermatology research projects worldwide.
We welcome applications for research projects that improve the understanding of the underlying medicinal, biological, chemical, or pharmacological mechanisms of dermatological diseases and their symptoms.
We also welcome applications for projects that address clinical issues among people who are at risk of developing, or have developed, a skin disease, including how it impacts their quality of life and the societal costs involved.

Application deadlines
Calls are announced on an ongoing basis. Submission period will open four weeks prior to each deadline.
Grant | Opens | Deadline | ||
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LEO Foundation Award – Region Americas |
08 Jan 2021 | 05 Feb 2021 | Apply now | |
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 recognises promising young talents and hopefully provides a boost to their future careers. DEADLINE: 5 Feb 2021 (midnight CET) |
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Research grants in open competition – round 1 |
05 Feb 2021 | 05 Mar 2021 | Not open | |
To support the best dermatology research projects worldwide. |
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LEO Foundation Award – Region EMEA |
21 May 2021 | 18 Jun 2021 | 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 recognises promising young talents and hopefully provides a boost to their future careers. |
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Research grants in open competition – round 2 |
02 Jun 2021 | 30 Jun 2021 | Not open | |
To support the best dermatology research projects worldwide. |
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Research grants in open competition – round 3 |
10 Aug 2021 | 07 Sep 2021 | Not open | |
To support the best dermatology research projects worldwide. |
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LEO Foundation Award – Region Asia-Pacific |
13 Aug 2021 | 10 Sep 2021 | 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 recognises promising young talents and hopefully provides a boost to their future careers. |
Application process and guidance
The LEO Foundation’s Board of Trustees has established a formal evaluation process with a panel of national and international external experts to assist the Board in ensuring that our grants are given to the best projects and the most qualified applicants.
When the application deadline is reached, your application will be screened for mandatory requirements and if accepted, assigned for review by the LEO Foundation Scientific Evaluation Committee using the criteria and scoring guide shown in the application guide.
Based on the evaluations by the Scientific Evaluation Committee the Board approves all grants.
It will normally take approx. three months from application deadline to grant decision.
If and when your application is approved, you will be notified and assigned a dedicated contact person who will contact you for next steps.
All applicants receive an answer to their application by e-mail. The Foundation does not provide arguments as to why an application has been rejected but provides a few statistics about the application review and the round in general.
Guidance
The typical grant amount applied for is DKK 2 – 4 million for a period of 1-3 years.
A maximum of 5% of the grant amount may be used for overhead expenses.
Recipients of a LEO Foundation Strategic Grant can apply for the open competition research grants.
Please download the application guide to get detailed instructions on how to apply.
Scientific Evaluation Committee (SEC)
The LEO Foundation has appointed an independent Scientific Evaluation Committee (SEC) for evaluation of applications received in open competition.
Committee member | Titles |
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Alan Irvine |
Professor, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin (Ireland) |
Amanda MacLeod |
Associate Professor, MD, Associate Residency Program Director for Research, Department of Dermatology, Duke University School of Medicine (USA) |
Carsten Bindslev-Jensen |
Professor, MD, DMSc, PhD, Department of Clinical Allergology, Odense University Hospital Svendborg (Denmark) |
David Roblin |
Professor, MD, FRCP, FFPM, FMedSc, President of R and D, Summit Therapeutics Chair of Scientific Translation, The Francis Crick Institute (United Kingdom) |
Liv Eidsmo |
Associate Professor, MD PhD, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) |
Luigi Naldi |
Director, MD, Centro Studi GISED (Italy) |
Piet H. van der Graaf |
Professor, PharmD, PhD, Senior Vice President Certara (United Kingdom) and Department of Systems Pharmacology Leiden University (The Netherlands) |
Rune Hartmann |
Professor, PhD, Department Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University (Denmark) |
Samir Mitragotri |
Professor, PhD, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard (USA) |
We do not support
Applications that are not submitted online, or applications that are not in compliance with our application requirements and guidance are not eligible for support.
Moreover, we do not support:
- Graduate students and/or academic fees except PhD-tuition fees
- Administration or overhead costs exceeding 5%
- Participation in domestic meetings or courses
- Passive attendance at conferences
- Travel by several persons from the same research unit or department
- Expenses incurred prior to making an application or obtaining a grant
- Research projects about skin cancer
- Research projects involving commercial companies
- Research projects involving commercial drug testing
- Clinical trials and register-based studies testing medical compounds
- Applications from other foundations or associations, including patient organisations
Please contact the grant team for further information
Ida is responsible for the LEO Foundation’s grants and awards and for the Foundation’s grant strategy.
Ida’s background includes both R&D, project management and strategy work at LEO Pharma. Before joining LEO Pharma, Ida worked at the Carlsberg Laboratory.
Ida holds an MSc in chemical engineering and a PhD in organic chemistry, both from the Technical University of Denmark.
Joined the Foundation in 2017.
+45 25 66 40 67
ida.brams@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn
Lars is responsible for coordinating the Foundation’s grants and handles scientific and administrative matters relating to the Foundation’s donations. He also works on further developing the philanthropic area.
Lars has a scientific background having worked in academic research for 16 years on projects ranging from molecular mechanisms in migraine over COPD to sleep disorders and osteoporosis.
Lars holds an MSc in human biology and a PhD in neuroscience, both from University of Copenhagen.
Joined the Foundation in 2017.
+45 30 46 42 91
lars.kruse@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn