Welcome to the Generet Award Call 2024

Rare diseases, even concerning over 300 million people around the globe, are highly mis-understood, under-identified and under-treated. This leaves not only patients but also families, health care providers, researchers and developers of therapies with numerous questions and needs.

Trying to understand and treat rare diseases is extremely challenging, but also very valuable and rewarding as unanswered needs are always met and research in rare diseases often provides a model for more common conditions. Conversely, research in common diseases can also bring valuable insights to the field of rare conditions.

The Fund Generet aims to boost research in rare diseases by releasing an amount of 1 million euros each year. This should give a top researcher the opportunity to realize pioneering work in rare diseases and thus meet the many needs and questions in this field.  

The Fund Generet invites established researchers to develop a high-level project in the field of rare diseases to better understand the processes (causes and mechanisms) underpinning rare diseases and translating fundamental discoveries into better prevention, diagnosis or treatment for patients.

The call is aimed to two categories of researchers: confirmed researchers in rare diseases and confirmed researchers with a track record in more common pathologies who can demonstrate that their research will have a substantial added value for rare diseases and can accelerate research in this particular field.  

Rare diseases are considered to be life-threatening or chronically debilitating diseases affecting no more than 5 in 10,000 people.

Potential research domains are, for example (non-exhaustive list): metabolic disorders, neuromuscular disorders, cardiovascular disorders, bone diseases, connective tissue and musculoskeletal disorders, lung diseases, neurological disorders, skin disorders, primary immune deficiencies, auto-inflammatory and auto-immune diseases…

Are excluded for this call:  research on rare cancers; research on rare adverse drug events.

The research project may include all stages, from "bench to bedside". 

The Generet Award will be awarded to independent investigators of any nationality working in Belgium to support a research project in the field of rare diseases in Belgium.

• Funding:

The Award amounts to 1.000.000 € over 4 years. However a first instalment of 500.000 € will be credited for 2 years. The second instalment of 500.000 € will be subject to the positive evaluation of a mid-term scientific, financial and communication report. The laureate is also requested to submit a final report at the end of the project.

• Eligible expenses:

Eligible expenses encompass personnel costs, running costs and equipment. Up to 30% of the Grant’s amount could be outsourced for supporting international or intranational expenses (personnel costs and running costs) including the private sector if they charge at cost price.

• Overheads:

A max. of 10% overheads may be applicable to this amount but this will need to be negotiated with the Generet Fund and be mentioned in the agreement between the Generet Fund and the beneficiary.

• Portability of the Award:

The Award beneficiaries could keep the benefit of the Award if they transfer their research activities to another eligible Belgian institution. The Award cannot follow the beneficiaries if they transfer their research activity to a private company or abroad.