Bringing international medical research excellence to Finland – one researcher at a time!

The Brain Gain programme fills an important gap in the field of research funding and provides an opportunity for top researchers to return to Finland from abroad. Finland currently has no competitive resources to enable research funding to maintain excellence and the salary of an experienced researcher for the required period.

The foundations’ new financing instrument, the Brain Gain programme, is the answer to this need and has been designed to strengthen Finnish research and to promote scientific excellence in Finland. Cooperation between three foundations allows for greater effectiveness. The foundations also aim to increase understanding of the challenges of and solutions for funding top-level research.

Information about the grant

The grant available under the Brain Gain programme is €2.5 million for a period of five years in Finland. The grant includes all the researcher’s personal salary costs and partly also the research group’s salary costs and research costs. 

Who can apply?

A grant under the Brain Gain Programme is intended for a person who has carried out significant research abroad for at least four years and is now returning to their home country to bring their expertise and experience to Finnish research. We are looking for researchers who are able to boost Finnish medical research. 

You are eligible to apply if you have publicly defended your doctoral thesis in Finland or are a Finnish citizen who has publicly defended their doctoral thesis abroad and after your post-doc period have continued a research career outside of Finland. The grant is awarded to an independent medical researcher who does not have their own researcher post or employment relationship in Finland.

We require active research work and strong evidence of significant, original research results achieved outside of Finland over the past 10 years. Besides this, we require a plan to launch a new project in the field of medical research in Finland. 

The grant application time is 6 December 2023 – 31 January 2024. During week 2 in January 2024, we will hold a virtual application event on the Brain Gain programme and on how to apply for grants.

The Brain Gain Programme is made in cooperation with The Finnish Medical Foundation, the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.

More information:
https://www.aivotuonti.fi/en/home/
Jouni Lounasmaa
Executive Director of The Finnish Medical Foundation

Tel. +358 50 371 9590 jouni.lounasmaa[at]laaketieteensaatio.fi