The German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) invites research teams to apply for funding under the new call “Gender‑Sensitive Cancer Research” as part of the National Decade Against Cancer.

**Who can apply?** The call is open to academic institutions, non‑university research organisations (RTOs), and interdisciplinary consortia that are based in Germany or within the European Economic Area (EWR) and Switzerland. Projects led by universities, research institutes, or collaborative networks of such entities are eligible. Individual projects may also be considered if they meet the scientific criteria.

**What is funded?** The funding targets interdisciplinary consortium projects in medical oncology that explicitly address gender‑sensitive aspects—biological sex differences as well as sociocultural gender influences—in cancer incidence, treatment response, side‑effects, and survival. Projects may cover preclinical mechanistic studies, clinical trials, translational research, or socio‑cultural investigations into patient behaviour and health service utilisation. The aim is to generate evidence that can be translated into precision oncology practices.

**What are the goals?** The call seeks to advance knowledge in three domains: (1) uncover causal molecular mechanisms underlying sex‑specific cancer biology; (2) develop gender‑aware prevention, diagnostics, and therapeutic strategies; and (3) provide actionable insights for health‑system integration of gender‑sensitive oncology care. Successful projects should produce peer‑reviewed publications, data sets that can be incorporated into national health information systems, and clear pathways to clinical implementation.

**Submission deadline** Applications are accepted from the opening date on 20 May 2026 until further notice. Applicants are encouraged to submit early as the review process is competitive and may require additional documentation. The exact closing date will be announced in a subsequent BMFTR communication.

**Eligibility conditions** Projects must be conducted entirely within Germany, the EWR, or Switzerland; results may not be used outside these territories. International partners are welcome only if they collaborate with a German institution that leads the project. Funding is awarded on an expenditure‑basis following the BMFTR guidelines for research grants.

**Funding amount** The maximum grant size and overall budget are not specified in the call text; applicants should refer to the linked framework programme for typical funding ranges.

This call aligns with Germany’s High‑Tech Agenda in health research and supports the national strategy to embed gender considerations into oncology practice.