Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, April 22, 2025 – In light of the growing restrictions on independent research and scientific freedom in the USA, the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) is launching a new funding program to offer long-term career opportunities in Germany to outstanding medical researchers from the USA. A total of €10 million are being made available for the program, which will also be continued in the coming years.

With its call for proposals for the 2025 Else Kröner Excellence Grants, the EKFS wishes to help medical faculties and universities in Germany to recruit leading international scientists working in the field of medicine in the USA. “We’re currently seeing that it is increasingly difficult to perform excellent research in the USA,” tells Dr. Dieter Schenk, Chairman of the Foundation Board at the EKFS. “This program is our response to a worrying development. In times of growing restrictions on scientific freedom, we want to provide opportunities for outstanding medical researchers to work in a stable scientific environment.”

The funding is intended for various purposes – a €3 million grant could be requested to establish a professorship that becomes tenured after six years, for example. Other models are also possible and welcome, though. “We’re very open when it comes to the proposals and intended use of funding. The main requirement is simply that the funding will contribute decisively to attracting researchers,” explains Prof. Dr. Michael Madeja, Chairman of the Management Board at the EKFS. “We want to send a clear message with this program and to promote Germany as a research location.”

Interested medical faculties and universities are able to submit an informal draft proposal to the EKFS by June 15, 2025 as per the following call for proposals.

Call for proposals
For decades now, advances in medical research in the USA have helped to find cures for diseases and save lives all around the world. Restrictions on scientific freedom and cuts to the funding for certain research areas are increasingly impacting the work of scientists living and researching in the USA, however. In response to this, the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) has launched the Else Kröner Excellence Grants to enable outstanding scientists (m/f/d) to continue their medical research in Germany. Medical faculties and universities wishing to host a US-based scientist at their research facility in Germany are able to apply to the EKFS for funding. The foundation has earmarked a total of €10 million for this initiative in 2025.

Eligibility requirements:

• Concrete plans – and, later on in the selection procedure, also a formal commitment – from the host institution to employ the US-based scientist long term
• Outstanding facilities at the host institution for the candidate’s research area (e.g., a relevant Excellence Cluster or Collaborative Research Center)
• Financing concept, where relevant also detailing any additional financing from the host institution and outlining the research possibilities
• Internationally recognized achievements of the scientist in the field of medicine (e.g., awarding of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, an ERC Advanced Grant, or involvement in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Program)
• Documented willingness of the scientist to relocate, along with a statement on how relocation would benefit their research

The selection procedure involves several steps. Initially, only an informal proposal of max. three pages is required. It should outline the scientist’s international excellence (CV, list of publications, and third-party funding), the significance of his or her research to advancing medicine at the research facility and beyond, the proposed employment model (indicated the funding amount requested), and the host institution’s excellence in the relevant research area (including supporting evidence).

Each medical faculty/university can submit one proposal per round via the university dean/president, where appropriate jointly with the medical director of the affiliated university hospital.

The deadline for this first call for proposals is June 15, 2025.

Examples of potential funding models include a grant of €3 million to establish a professorship (tenured after six years) or funding for a professorship over a period of several years. Other funding models are possible; suggestions are welcome.

The utmost confidentiality will be maintained throughout the entire selection procedure.

Please email all queries and proposals to the Chairman of the Management Board at the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung, Prof. Dr. Michael Madeja: m.madeja@ekfs.de
 

Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) – Advancing research. Helping people.
Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the funding and advancement of medical research and the support of humanitarian projects. To date the foundation has funded around 2,600 projects. With an annual funding volume currently amounting to over 70 million euros it is the largest foundation in Germany that actively funds and supports medicine. You can find more information at: www.ekfs.de/en

Press Contact
Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung 
Bianka Jerke
Public Relations
Email: b.jerke@ekfs.de