# Clinical Research Units

**Funder:** DFG
**Consortium:** Required — collaborative research group within a clinical institution
**Eligible countries:** DE
**Official call:** https://www.dfg.de/en/research-funding/funding-opportunities/programmes/coordinated-programmes/clinical-research-units
**Last verified:** 22 June 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Funds disease- or patient-oriented (translational) clinical research collaborations at German university hospitals. Eligible: researchers holding a doctorate at German research institutions. Aims to strengthen research-oriented structures, training, and cooperation between clinicians and basic scientists. Includes measures for early-career researchers and equity/diversity.

## Summary

The DFG Clinical Research Units programme funds collaborative disease- or patient-oriented research teams embedded in German university hospitals, requiring a structured consortium of clinicians and basic scientists. Eligible researchers hold a doctorate and are based at German research institutions; the call emphasises translational research bridging bench and bedside. The programme also supports early-career researcher development and strengthens institutional research capacity.

## Who should apply

- Researchers with a doctorate at German academic or hospital institutions
- Clinician-scientist groups with aligned research interests
- Teams spanning clinical medicine and basic science disciplines
- Institutions with commitment to co-locate and integrate researchers across traditional silos
- Collaborative groups prioritising disease- or patient-centred translational questions

## Key dates

- Verify exact deadline on the DFG portal; first listing on Grantsby is 21 June 2026
- Consortium-based application; check DFG guidelines for pre-proposal and full-proposal stages

## Tips for applicants

- Consortium structure is mandatory and reviewed carefully, clearly map roles, milestones, and synergies between clinical and basic-science partners; vague co-investigator arrangements will score poorly.
- Frame the research question in terms of patient benefit or disease mechanism; DFG panels emphasise translational relevance and concrete clinical grounding.
- Include explicit plans for early-career researcher mentoring and training within the unit; the call reward institutional capacity-building beyond the science itself.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does the DFG Clinical Research Units call require a consortium?

Yes, applicants must form a structured collaborative research group spanning clinicians and basic scientists within a clinical institution.

### Who is eligible for DFG Clinical Research Units?

Researchers holding a doctorate and based at German research institutions; the call is open to German nationals and residents meeting institutional eligibility.

### What types of research does the DFG Clinical Research Units call fund?

Disease- and patient-oriented translational clinical research that strengthens collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists at university hospitals.

### Does the DFG Clinical Research Units call support early-career researchers?

Yes, the programme includes dedicated measures for early-career researcher development and integration within the collaborative unit.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/dfg-clinical-research-units-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.