Applications are now open for funding opportunities dedicated to innovative scientific projects. Submissions will be accepted until January 31, 2025. Detailed information is available in the dedicated section of our website.

Three funding programs are available, targeting both the Italian and international scientific communities engaged in basic and/or clinical research: our classical FFC Ricerca 2025 funding call, the Gianni Mastella Starting Grant (GMSG) and the Gianni Mastella Research Fellowship (GMRF) to foster advanced research endeavors. Some of the main features are summarized below.
FFC Ricerca encourages collaboration with researchers from other countries, who can participate as project leads, funded partners, or external collaborators.

Proposals must be submitted exclusively via the online platform between December 16, 2024, and January 31, 2025, by midnight.

For more information write to call@fibrosicisticaricerca.it.

MAIN FEATURES OF THE 2025 CALLS FOR PROPOSALS

1. Call FFC Ricerca 2025

This year, the classic call introduces a significant enhancement: researchers can now submit projects as international research groups. However, at least one partner or collaborator must be affiliated with an Italian institution. This expansion underscores the Foundation’s commitment to fostering international cooperation in the fight against cystic fibrosis, paving the way toward innovative solutions and a Cure for All.

Project proposals of 12, 24 or 36 months duration can be submitted with a maximum budget available of 70,000 euros, 130,000 euros and 200,000 euros respectively. The lead researcher, along with the coordinator and partners, must hold a permanent position at a recognized research institution. Project leaders may belong to foreign research institutions, provided they include at least one partner or collaborator affiliated with an Italian institution.

2. Gianni Mastella Call for proposals

The Gianni Mastella Call for Applications, established in memory of Gianni Mastella, a pioneer in cystic fibrosis research, is dedicated to young researchers, without a permanent position in the host institution. Its goal is to promote professional development, facilitate the acquisition of advanced scientific skills, and support the scientific independence of emerging talent in the field of CF. The program is divided into two categories:

• Gianni Mastella Research Fellowship (GMRF)
  This fellowship is open to researchers of all genders who are 33 years old or younger (born in or after 1992). A doctorate (PhD) is not a requirement, but applicants must have at least one publication in the field of CF and provide a mentorship letter from a CF expert (a researcher or physician selected by the applicant).
  The fellowship offers funding for a three-year research project with an overall investment of €100,000, allocated as follows: €25,000 per year for the researcher’s grant, €25,000 in total for research expenses.
• Gianni Mastella Starting Grant (GMSG)
  This call is dedicated for male and female researchers already active in the field of cystic fibrosis who aim to establish an independent career in this area of research. Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria: be 40 years old or younger (born in or after 1985); hold a PhD or a medical degree; have at least three first-author scientific publications in the field of cystic fibrosis; provide a mentorship letter from a researcher or physician with expertise in cystic fibrosis (selected by the applicant). The program offers funding of €180,000 for a three-year research project.

These calls, dedicated to young researchers, provide a unique opportunity to support innovative ideas and groundbreaking projects while fostering scientific talent. They play a vital role in advancing cystic fibrosis research and driving progress in the field.

FFC RICERCA AREAS OF STUDY

The 2025 edition aims to promote research focused on the following areas of investigation:

1. Innovative Studies and Therapies to Correct the Underlying Defect: special focus on focus on therapies for novel mutations and mutation-specific therapies; supportive therapies for modulator drugs; exploration of alternative treatments to chloride channel dysfunction; development of DNA and RNA editing therapies; study of comorbidities, including those related to aging in cystic fibrosis.
2. Personalized Therapies: development of in vivo and ex vivo models and assays to predict and monitor therapy effectiveness, including through theratyping, for treatments targeting CFTR gene defects.
3. Therapies for Bronchopulmonary Infection: emphasis on early diagnosis and therapies to combat multidrug-resistant microorganisms.
4. Therapies for Pulmonary Inflammation: focus on understanding the origins and progression of pulmonary inflammatory processes to discover effective treatments.
5. Clinical and epidemiological research: focus on post-marketing studies to improve lung transplant outcomes in CF, innovative diagnostic approaches to predict and monitor disease evolution, study comorbidities including those related to aging, epidemiological studies and systematic reviews, and studies on the correlation between climate change, the environment, and the health of people with CF.

The Foundation maintains a strong interest in projects focused on identifying innovative drug treatments that go beyond the currently available modulator/corrector therapies. In Italy, approximately 30% of individuals with cystic fibrosis still lack access to effective medications.

Since 2002, FFC Research has selected and supported 485 research projects through its calls for applications. These initiatives have involved 984 researchers working across nearly 200 research groups and institutes.