In partnership with ESPE (European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology) and ESE (European Society of Endocrinology), the International Fund Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (IFCAH) is pleased to open its 2026 call for projects.

Academic groups working directly or indirectly on Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) are invited to submit a project if the results of their studies could help to increase knowledge on physiopathology of the disease or allow a better therapeutic approach.

Key Dates

• 15 January 2026: Deadline for Letter of Intent
  Please ensure you receive a confirmation email after submitting your letter of intent. If you do not receive confirmation, contact IFCAH at cfp@ifcah.org.
• February 2026: Letter of intent (LoI) decision meeting
• April 2026: Full application due date (for accepted LOIs)
• June 2026: Audition of proposals
• July 2026: Award notification

Further Information

Background:
IFCAH is a private fundraising organisation aiming to promote academic research on CAH. Created in 2010 by parents of children affected by CAH, IFCAH aims at giving a strong support to research dedicated to improve patients life’s quality.

In 2024, IFCAH launched its call for proposals, in association with ESPE and ESE. A total amount of €350.000 is associated to this program. Participation is open worldwide and will, if possible, include teams based in Europe.

Specific goals:

• Proposition of new therapeutic targets and protocols
  Pharmacotherapy, development of gene or/and cellular therapy models, improvement of current treatment monitoring.
• Increasing knowledge on pathophysiology of CAH
  The projects should be relevant to CAH. The projects could include research on adrenal development, differentiation and homeostasis, but in any case, relevance to CAH should be emphasized. Research on adrenal tumours and cancer is excluded from this call.
• Prevention, diagnostic and treatment of natural or iatrogenic complications
  Impact on foetal development, growth, puberty, effects on metabolic and cardiovascular systems, male and female fertility, bone density, immunity, infection, neuro cognition.

Funding:
Selected research projects will be supported up to EUR 150k (total). The funding period will have to start at the latest 6 months after notification of the award and will not exceed three years. Funds will have to be used for expenses directly linked to the project, including specific equipment, operating costs or salaries of coworkers (with the exception of salaries of senior permanent staff of academic and governmental agencies which are not eligible). Indirect costs or managements fees are not eligible and must be covered by another source. The funding is open to co-funding opportunities in order to support larger projects.

Eligibility:
Applicants must hold an M.D., Ph.D., or equivalent academic degree and have a faculty position or equivalent at a college, university, medical school, or comparable institution. Only one project from a research team will be considered. Applications for the renewal of an IFCAH’s support are accepted but applications for a different project, from a team previously supported by IFCAH, will not be considered, up to the end of its former grant.

Selection procedures:
The information given on LOI will enable the scientific board of IFCAH, ESPE and ESE to access the priority of the projects and to determine whether the proposed research merits a full application. Applicants will have to inform on project positioning versus international competitors. Full applications will be requested from selected LOIs and submitted to peer-review. Final selection will take place after an oral project’s presentation (on site in Paris or through video-conference) to the IFCAH, ESPE and ESE board. An email confirming that the IFCAH team has received your application will be addressed to you. Please contact IFCAH at cfp@ifcah.org if you do not receive this confirmation.

Details about IFCAH and this call are available on the IFCAH website or by emailing cfp@ifcah.org.

Specific forms for letters of intent can also be requested via cfp@ifcah.org.