Apply for advancing AMR diagnostics for lower respiratory tract infections

By Maha DAVID, project officer 

The Novo Nordisk Foundation is launching a new call in the framework of its 2027 Challenge Programme dedicated to AMR diagnostics for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). Indeed, LRTIs cause significant hospitalisation and death worldwide, with 20–30% linked to antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Current diagnostic and antimicrobial susceptibility testing tools are often too slow or inaccurate, driving inappropriate antibiotic use, particularly in low-resource settings. 

To address this gap, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is funding early-stage proof-of-concept research aimed at developing rapid, minimally invasive, and affordable point-of-care LRTI diagnostics for global use.  

Eligible research areas include: 

• Novel technologies (e.g. microfluidics, biosensing) to improve sample collection and pathogen detection. 

• Validation of minimally invasive approaches and identification of biomarkers in proxy samples (e.g. breath, blood, urine) for rapid diagnosis. 

• Discovery of host or pathogen analytes to distinguish commensal from disease-causing organisms. 

• Optimisation of genotype-phenotype correlations to advance antimicrobial susceptibility gene testing prediction. 

Proposals should: 

• Clearly demonstrate how project outputs will improve upon existing LRTI diagnostics (e.g. faster results, feasibility in low-resource settings). 

• Reflect a commitment to diversity and consider the populations most affected by the disease. 

  
  

Proposals focused on surveillance, infrastructure development, and clinical trials are out of

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scope, as well as for-profit projects. 

You might be main- or co-applicant but you must include in the consortium a Danish institution.  

• Application deadline: 7 October 2026.  

• Funding and duration: EUR 4-10 million for 6 years.  

• Link to the full call for proposals.  

An informational webinar will be held on 9 June 2026. You can sign up here for the webinar and share your contact information to find potential collaborators.  

If interested, don’t hesitate to contact us at GOinternational[at]pasteur.fr, we will be happy to help.  

More funding opportunities are available on the Grants Finder tool.