The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU), through the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), has made public the provisional resolutions of eleven calls for the Strategic Health Action (AES), the main instrument for supporting biomedical and health research in Spain. This package allocates 45.3 million euros to finance 242 research personnel contracts and 96 grants for R&D&I projects in the health sector.
The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, has emphasized that "since 2018, the Spanish Government's commitment to health research has led to an almost 40% increase in AES investment." These contracts and grants, which are awarded annually to research centers and the scientific community, will contribute to further strengthening knowledge generation in biomedicine within the National Health System (SNS).
Detail of the calls and fund distribution
This resolution includes 3.6 million euros for 38 Sara Borrell contracts; 4.9 million for 76 Río Hortega contracts; 7.7 million for 25 Miguel Servet contracts; 6.1 million for 25 Juan Rodés contracts; and 3.4 million for 67 contracts for the Intensification of research activity in the SNS. Likewise, 240,000 euros are reserved for four bioinformatics technician contracts and 560,000 euros for seven health research management contracts in IIS.
The call also includes 110,000 euros for eight M-BAE mobility grants and 960,000 euros for 52 M-AES mobility grants. In addition, 13.8 million euros are allocated to 16 Independent Clinical Research projects and 3.8 million for 20 Technological Development in Health projects, aimed at reinforcing innovation applied to the healthcare system.
Upcoming resolutions and investment forecast until 2026
During the second half of the year, other calls for the Strategic Health Action (AES) of the ISCIII are scheduled to be resolved, including predoctoral training contracts in health research, new grants for R&D&I projects in health, and various international collaboration initiatives.
Overall, the AES-ISCIII plans for 2026 an investment of over 152 million euros in state public funds to strengthen R&D&I in health in Spain, an amount that could be increased by up to an additional 40 million euros.