Research Without Animal Testing - Swedish Fund for Research Without Animal Experiments

Benefit

You will receive a research grant to carry out a project in which animal testing is replaced by modern methods based on human biology. You can apply for funding of 1, 2 or 3 years, which is paid out once a year in December. There is no fixed grant amount. In your application, you should state the total amount you require, and the foundation generally prefers to award fewer but larger grants. ‘Forska utan djurförsök’ is a Swedish foundation that has been supporting this field since 1964. The research areas supported include medical research, toxicology, biological production, basic research and education. Funding is also provided for AI models, computer simulations and predictive systems that replace animal testing, for example in drug development and risk assessment.

Eligibility

• Who you are: You are leading the project yourself and are applying to be the person in charge of it.
• Degree: You hold a PhD.
• Where you work: You work at a university, a college, a research institute or a company that carries out research. You need a work email address, as personal email accounts are not accepted.
• Your project: It has the clear aim of replacing animal testing, either directly or indirectly, and the results can be used and shared in research.
• Ethical rules: Your project must not use foetal bovine serum (FBS) or any other products derived from animals using invasive, lethal or harmful methods. Antibodies produced using modern recombinant techniques are permitted.
• Nationality: Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply. In practice, however, you will need a Swedish connection, as the application system requires you to log in using Swedish BankID.

How to apply

The call for applications opens every year in March, and the deadline for applications is 15 September. Applications must be submitted via the Profundo online portal, where you must register before submitting your application. An academic committee reviews all applications between mid-September and the end of October, and the Executive Board makes its decision on 20 November.

How realistic are your chances?

This grant is narrowly targeted. You must hold a PhD, lead the project yourself, and have a clear plan to replace animal testing, so the applicant pool is small and specialised. For the 2026 round the foundation received 51 applications. If your research clearly fits this focus and follows the strict ethical rules, your prospects are reasonable. Because the foundation now favours fewer but larger grants, a strong, well-defined project matters more than a broad one.