The AXA-Swiss Re Joint Risk Resilience Partnership has announced its third call for proposals, focusing on innovative research projects aimed at enhancing metabolic health and extending human longevity. Launched jointly by the AXA Research Fund and the Swiss Re Institute, this initiative is grounded in their shared commitment to supporting high-impact scientific research addressing systemic risks. The current theme, “Behavioral Shifts for Longevity: Matching Individuals to Scalable Metabolic Health Interventions,” reflects an urgent global need to address rising lifestyle-driven chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and insulin resistance.
This funding call responds to the stagnation in mortality improvements seen in many high-income countries since 2010, largely driven by poor metabolic health. With over one billion people affected by obesity worldwide and 80% of non-communicable diseases linked to metabolic dysfunction, this initiative emphasizes the need for cost-effective, personalized, and scalable solutions. The Partnership seeks proposals that aim to develop predictive frameworks to guide individuals to appropriate metabolic health programs based on biological and behavioral indicators. Projects may explore the use of genomics, metabolomics, digital health tools, behavioral science, and cost-effectiveness modeling in designing interventions.
Eligible applicants must be academic institutions globally. They may apply individually or in consortia, with a single Principal Investigator or Project Coordinator leading the application. Non-academic partners from public and private sectors may participate as associated partners, although they are not eligible as direct funding recipients. Applications must demonstrate scientific originality, potential for impact, and relevance to the theme. Only one proposal per institution is allowed, and successful projects will be expected to follow open-data principles and engage in mid-term and final reporting.
Selected projects can receive up to €150,000 each, with a project duration between 9 and 18 months. Eligible costs include researcher salaries, collaboration expenses, equipment, academic and outreach activities, but exclude overhead costs. Grants will be disbursed in two tranches: 50% upon project initiation and the remaining 50% following submission of a final report.
The application period runs from 24 November 2025 to 30 January 2026, with applications submitted via the European Science Foundation platform. The review process involves independent scientific and industry experts, with funding decisions announced by 31 July 2026. Projects are expected to commence between October 2026 and January 2027. For program-related inquiries, applicants may contact axaresearchfund@axa.com or research_partnership@swissre.com. Technical support is available via esf-panels@esf.org.
Proposals must be innovative, scientifically outstanding, and aligned with systemic risk and resilience goals.
