DBT and DFG re-open joint funding programme for Indo-German fundamental research in the Life Sciences

(14.05.20) The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and DFG wish to inform the Indian and German scientific communities that they are resuming their joint programme in the Life Sciences. Effective immediately, teams of Indian and German researchers can seek synchronised funding for integrated Indo-German fundamental research projects in the academic disciplines covered by the DBT with a duration of up to three years. This resumption of the programme follows a short break caused by changes to the European data protection law.

The two agencies expect that proposals submitted under this funding initiative describe ambitious projects of curiosity-driven research in the life sciences, which do not just benefit from but essentially require international collaboration.

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© DFG

“I am very happy that we can now resume this programme,” Dr. Matthias Kiesselbach, Director of DFG India Office states. “Within this programme, teams of Indian and German researchers can request funds for any fundamental research project in the life sciences. This includes research on pandemics such as the current coronavirus crisis (as long as the proposed research is fundamental, not applied), but also all kinds of other projects. The thematic breadth of this programme follows DFG’s bottom-up funding philosophy, and is something that researchers will surely appreciate.”

DFG India Office emphasizes that joint proposals will be evaluated separately by DBT and DFG. Only if both evaluations issue in a positive verdict can a joint project be funded. Potential applicants who are unsure whether this funding opportunity is the right one for them are advised to contact DFG India Office and / or DBT. The two agencies also wish to emphasize that the Programme is open immediately: applicants need not (and should not) wait until the provisional end of the programme to submit their proposals. As soon as a proposal is received, it will be evaluated.

More information about the funding programme is available under