Proposals should address most of the following aspects:

• Contribute to further the understanding on the structural, hormonal, and/or biological distinctions between sexes/genders to improve diagnostics and therapeutics for CVDs.
• Develop sex and/or gender-specific tailored risk models in a view of better prevention, detection and diagnostic, and treatment strategies.
• Identify and/or validate novel or existing sex and/or gender-specific health determinants, risk factors and pathways for cardiovascular disease(s) through the generation, integration and validation of data derived from relevant disciplines (e.g. molecular biology, behavioural science, nutrition, clinical, social and environmental epidemiology; exposure sciences; genetics and epigenetics, etc.).
• Make use of existing health data, including registries or cohorts, and/or assess the necessity to establish new ones, as well as, where relevant, exploit the knowledge gained from population-based biobanks. In case of the generation of new data, it should be managed in line with the FAIR principles, when relevant.

Proposals are encouraged to consider, where relevant, the data, expertise and services offered by European research infrastructures in the health domain.

The use and/or development of new technologies, including digital ones (e.g. (generative) Artificial Intelligence) that support research under this topic is encouraged.

Disease progression and overall health status at different life stages, as well as hormonal influences, genetic factors, etc. and psychosocial, socioeconomic, cultural and behavioural factors should be considered in the proposed research. Other intersecting factors such as racial or ethnic origin, often amplify existing inequalities in health access and outcomes. Proposals should, where relevant, consider these to design effective and inclusive interventions.

In the context of gender-specific research, this topic requires the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.

The participation of start-ups, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is encouraged with the aim of strengthening their scientific and technological foundations, enhancing their innovation potential, and exploring possibilities for commercial exploitation.

All projects funded under this topic are encouraged to participate in networking and joint activities, as appropriate. Proposals should include a budget for the attendance to regular joint meetings and may consider covering the costs of any other potential joint activities without the prerequisite to detail concrete joint activities at this stage. The details of these joint activities will be defined during the grant agreement preparation phase. All projects funded under this topic are also encouraged to explore complementarities and exploit potential synergies with the projects funded under topic HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-10: “Sustainable and healthy diets based on health status and socio-economic risk factors of ageing population”, once information on the funded projects is available.

All projects funded under this topic are encouraged to explore potential synergies with projects to be funded under the EU4Health Work Programme 2026 related to the gender and CVDs.

Applicants envisaging to include clinical studies should provide details of their clinical studies in the dedicated annex using the template provided in the submission system.