Current Calls for Proposals

Call for Proposals: ExposUM Innovation 2026 – Pre-Proof of Concept (POC)

The deadline for submitting applications is August 28, 2026

Background and Objectives

The ExposUM Institute, in collaboration with the Montpellier University Innovation Hub (PUI) and with the support of the Occitanie Region, is launching an initiative to support innovation in environmental health. This call for projects (AAP) complements the PUI’s existing initiatives, such as Companies & Campus (C&C) for collaborative research and the Booster Innovation Montpellier (BIM) program for the very early pre-maturation phases.

The goal is to fund the early development phases of commercialization projects stemming from research. This program specifically targets the transition to Technology Readiness Levels ( TRL) 3–4 (experimental proof of concept or laboratory validation), in order to prepare projects for a future funding application under the POC Regional program (TRL 5–7).

Financial Support and Duration

The financial support is intended to accelerate the implementation of research findings.

• Eligible expenses: personnel, small equipment, supplies, and services.
• Maximum funding: 80,000 € per project.
• Duration: Up to 18 months from the date of notification.

2026 Campaign Schedule

• Launch of the call for proposals: June 3, 2026
• Deadline for submitting applications: August 28, 2026
• Announcement of results: September 2026
• Project start date: October 2026

Eligibility Criteria

• Principal Investigator: a researcher, a faculty member engaged in research, a tenured or non-tenured faculty member (in the latter case, the employment contract must cover at least the entire duration of the project), or a member of a research unit at I-SITE in Montpellier.
• Theme: Projects addressing environmental health (or the exposome; see definition here).
• Selection:Projects will be evaluated based on scientific quality and relevance, innovation, technical feasibility within 18 months, and potential for future commercialization. Projects will be evaluated by the Innovation Committee (COMIN) of the University Innovation Cluster (PUI). The PUI conducts this evaluation to ensure synergy and strategic coherence among innovation-related initiatives within the France 2030 programs at I-SITE. As such, the PUI reviews proposals for innovative projects, including those supported by France 2030 programs such as ExposUM.

Submission Guidelines

The project must be written in French using thesimplified application form available for download below, following the instructions provided therein.

The principal investigator should submit the application via email to exposum-aap@umontpellier.fr, copying the unit director, and including [Pre-Proof of Concept (POC) 2026_Last Name First Name of Principal Investigator] in the subject line.

The deadline for submitting applications is August 28, 2026

contact

For any information regarding this call for projects, please email exposum-aap[at]umontpellier.fr (email subject line: Pre-Proof of Concept (POC)).

Research institutions that are part of the I-Site consortium

ABSys, AGAP Institute, AIDA, AMAP, Analyses, ART-Dev, ASTRE, BC2M, BCM, BIOLuM, BioWooEB, CBGP, CBS, CDE, CEFE, CEE-M, CEMIPAI, CEPEL, CERCOP, ChimEco, CREAM, CRBM, CSUM, DEFE, DGIMI, DIADE, DIASCOPE, DMEM, ECO&SOLS, ECOTRON, EDPFM, EDSM, ESPACE-DEV, EuroMov DHM, F&S, FHU Evocan 2, FHU Neurexpo, FHU Regenhab 2, FHU TIE, G-EAU, GECO, Génopolys, GM, HortSys, HSM, IATE, IBMM, ICGM, ICS, ICSM, IDEDH, IDESP, IEM, IES, IGF, IGH, IGMM, IHD, IHPE, IMAG, IMAGINE, INM, INNOVATION, INTERTRYP, IPSiM, IRCM, IRIM, IRMB, ISDM, ISEM, ITAP, L2C, LBE, LBN, LDP, LEPSE, LICeM, LIRDEF, LIRMM, LISAH, LMGC, LPHI, LUPM, Maraîchage, MARBEC, MEEB, MISTEA, MIVEGEC, MMDN, MOISA, MRE, MRM, MSH Sud, OREME, PAC Chimie Balard, PCCEI, Pech Rouge, PHIM, PhyMedExp, QualiSud, R&R, SantESiH, SELMET, SENS, SPO, Sys2diag, TETIS, TransVIHMI, VASSAL, VBIC

Call for Proposals: ExposUM Junior Teams 2026 Season – Round 2

The deadline for submitting applications is August 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

Scientific Scope

The exposome refers to the set of environmental and social factors whose individual effects, combined with individuals’ intrinsic characteristics, underlie the onset, progression, and severity of infectious and noncommunicable diseases in humans. In this sense, it is the environmental counterpart to the genome, with which it interacts throughout an individual’s lifetime.

objectives

The training component of the ExposUM Institute aims to:

• Breaking Down Barriers in Education (Interdisciplinarity)
• Contribute to skills development
• Join the exposomics community at the University of Montpellier and its partners.
• Strengthening ties with countries in the Global South

To this end, several initiatives are being organized, including the funding of junior teams, hereinafter referred to as “Junior Teams.”

The goal of the Junior Teams is to enable young researchers to form a small team of 3 to 5 people to work on a scientific project lasting 12 to 18 months, so that they can gain experience in project management and team leadership, including supervising one or more master’s or thesis students working on the topic. The proposed team may consist of several junior researchers and several students who may be affiliated with another UMR.

Financial Support

Each selected PI will be allocated an operating budget of up to 30,000 euros, which may primarily cover internship stipends for master’s students (~600 euros/month/student), as well as temporary research support staff (e.g., clinical research associate, engineer), fieldwork or business trip expenses, or operating costs and laboratory supplies (excluding equipment costing more than 3,000 euros).

The rationale for the supervision of each staff member involved (composition, time allocated) must be justified. Since the objective of this call is to give the PI the opportunity to demonstrate his or her commitment as a supervisor and future leader, particular attention will be paid to the timeline of activities and the expected timeframe for achieving results.

2026 Campaign Schedule

• AAP Junior Teams 2026 Announcement – Round 2: June 12, 2026
• Deadline for submitting proposals: August 24, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
• Earnings Announcement: Fourth Quarter of 2026

Eligibility Criteria

The principal investigator must be a non-tenured faculty member (e.g., postdoctoral fellow, ATER, CCU-AH) affiliated with a UR, UMR, or UMI^[1] that is part of the ExposUM Institute consortium, or a tenured faculty member in one of these same units for ≤ 2 years.

^[1] Research Unit, Joint Research Unit, International Joint Research Unit.

Submission Guidelines

The proposal (~3 pages) must be written in French or English using thesimplified application form available for download below, following the instructions provided therein.

The applicant should submit the application package via email to exposum-formation@umontpellier.fr, copying the unit director, and including [AAP Junior Teams 2026] in the subject line.

Before August 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. CET

Selection Process 

Proposals will be evaluated based on the quality of the scientific project, the proposed supervision, and their alignment with the Institute’s priorities and themes (see Selection Criteria). This evaluation will be conducted by the ExposUM Institute’s Training Evaluation Committee (COEF).

Selection Criteria 

(For informational purposes only)

• student mentoring
• clear identification of the scope of the exposome being studied
• interdisciplinarity
• methodological qualities
• potential impacts (both fundamental and applied),
• feasibility
• relevance in light of the ExposUM Institute’s strategic priorities (establishing new partnerships, the One Health approach, Global Health and Southern Health, promoting the involvement of the humanities and social sciences, and integrating the UM exposomics community and its partners)

contact

For any information regarding this call for projects, please send an email to exposum-formation@umontpellier.fr, including [AAP Junior Teams 2026] in the subject line.

Selection Criteria 

The carriers agree to:

• To adhere, in the design and implementation of the project submitted in response to this call for proposals, the values and principles of scientific integrity intended to ensure the honesty and scientific rigor of all research work, as referred to in Article L.211-2 of the Research Code and set forth in the National Code of Ethics for Research Professions and the University of Montpellier’s Charter on Scientific Integrity.
• Comply with the Nagoya Protocol, if applicable.
• Include the logos of the University of Montpellier, France 2030, the ExposUM Institute, the Occitanie Region, and/or the ERDF in all documents related to the project’s implementation. Specific instructions regarding the project leaders’ communication obligations will be provided to them.
• Please submit an annual report to the Institute (exposum-formation@umontpellier.fr) that may be used in the University’s communications materials, following the provided template. A project guide detailing management procedures and reporting requirements will be sent to the selected project leaders.
• Apply the current UM publication guidelines to all scientific outputs; comply with provisions related to open science and the Law for a Digital Republic (open access publication). The directors of laboratories under UM supervision shall deposit the full text of publications in the open archive (https://hal.umontpellier.fr).
• Take the necessary steps to obtain the required research authorizations and approvals in regulated sectors (genetically modified organisms, the use of animals for scientific purposes, health data, the use of genetic resources and the resulting benefit-sharing, bioethics, etc.).

Research institutions that are part of the I-Site consortium

ABSys, AGAP Institute, AIDA, AMAP, Analyses, ART-Dev, ASTRE, BC2M, BCM, BIOLuM, BioWooEB, CBGP, CBS, CDE, CEFE, CEE-M, CEMIPAI, CEPEL, CERCOP, ChimEco, CREAM, CRBM, CSUM, DEFE, DGIMI, DIADE, DIASCOPE, DMEM, ECO&SOLS, ECOTRON, EDPFM, EDSM, ESPACE-DEV, EuroMov DHM, F&S, FHU Evocan 2, FHU Neurexpo, FHU Regenhab 2, FHU TIE, G-EAU, GECO, Génopolys, GM, HortSys, HSM, IATE, IBMM, ICGM, ICS, ICSM, IDEDH, IDESP, IEM, IES, IGF, IGH, IGMM, IHD, IHPE, IMAG, IMAGINE, INM, INNOVATION, INTERTRYP, IPSiM, IRCM, IRIM, IRMB, ISDM, ISEM, ITAP, L2C, LBE, LBN, LDP, LEPSE, LICeM, LIRDEF, LIRMM, LISAH, LMGC, LPHI, LUPM, Maraîchage, MARBEC, MEEB, MISTEA, MIVEGEC, MMDN, MOISA, MRE, MRM, MSH Sud, OREME, PAC Chimie Balard, PCCEI, Pech Rouge, PHIM, PhyMedExp, QualiSud, R&R, SantESiH, SELMET, SENS, SPO, Sys2diag, TETIS, TransVIHMI, VASSAL, VBIC

UM Abroad Call for Projects – 2026 Campaign – First Round

The deadline for submitting applications is September 27, 2026

Scientific Scope

The exposome refers to the set of environmental and social factors whose individual effects, combined with individuals’ intrinsic characteristics, underlie the onset, progression, and severity of infectious and noncommunicable diseases in humans. In this sense, it is the environmental counterpart to the genome, with which it interacts throughout an individual’s lifetime.

objectives

The objectives of the ExposUM Institute’s Training Division are to:

• Breaking Down Barriers in Education (Interdisciplinarity)
• Contribute to skills development
• Strengthening ties with countries in the Global South

As part of this effort, several initiatives are being implemented, including promoting the courses offered by the ExposUM community abroad.

In line with the goals of an open university and close cooperation with low- and middle-income countries, as well as the individual initiatives of many researchers during their stays abroad, emphasis will be placed on outbound mobility for faculty and researchers so they can participate in training programs at universities in numerous partner locations.

The goal of the UM Abroad Call for Proposals is to fund short training modules that will be offered at partner sites abroad.

These modules should last between one and two weeks at most, with topics and teaching methods (hands-on training, field applications) tailored to the local context. The language of instruction will also be tailored to the local context.

Organizers must commit to offering free registration for students, which will be an eligibility requirement.

For example, the initiatives supported may include:

• inviting UM faculty and international partners (travel and accommodation);
• organizing visits to scientific or technical sites;
• the purchase of educational materials;
• the rental of classroom space;
• the design of digital educational tools for online learning.

Upon completion of the module, students who have taken it will receive a certificate of participation from the ExposUM Institute. If the program is offered again (see “Duration and Renewal”), and provided they submit an application package including the institutional diploma application form—verified by the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Life and approved by the University’s governing bodies—students may be awarded a micro-certification diploma.

Funding Terms

Each project leader whose project is selected will receive funding of up to 20,000 euros.

Framing

Eligible Expenses

This budget allocation may cover, in particular:

• Operating expenses: travel expenses; fees for part-time work (excluding personnel costs); services (including catering, travel, rental of classroom space, audiovisual services, etc.).
• Capital expenditures, that is, small items of equipment or teaching materials for recurring activities (excluding equipment costing more than €3,000).

Term and Renewal

The selected project will receive funding for a period of 12 months.

Subject to a positive evaluation at the end of the first year, funding may be renewed annually, through January 31, 2030 (the deadline for full completion of the initiatives).

Calendar

• AAP UM Abroad Round 1 Announcement: July 17, 2026
• Deadline for applications: September 27, 2026
• Announcement of results: Late October 2026
• Project launch: Starting in the first quarter of 2027

Eligibility Criteria

About the Project Leader

The project leader must be affiliated with a UR, UMR, or UMI that is part of the ExposUM Institute consortium (tenured faculty member or faculty-researcher, contract employee, or holder of a contract covering the funding period). The employment contract must cover the duration of the project.

Stocks

The proposed actions must:

• align with the objectives of the Institute’s Training Division;
• help build the skills of local students;
• offer a language of instruction tailored to the local context;
• ensure that student registration remains free of charge;
• promote, where appropriate, interdisciplinary collaboration and interactions with the exposomics community at the University and among its partners.

Submission Guidelines

The proposal must be written in French or English using the simplified application form (available for download below), in accordance with the instructions provided therein.

The academic advisor should send the application materials via email to exposum-formation@umontpellier.fr, with [AAP UM Abroad 2026] in the subject line.

Before September 27

Selection Process 

Proposals will be evaluated based on the quality of the project, as well as their alignment with the Institute’s priorities and themes. This evaluation will be conducted by the ExposUM Institute’s Training Evaluation Committee (COEF).

Selection Criteria (for reference only)

• a clear definition of the field of environmental health;
• interdisciplinarity;
• adaptation to the local context;
• skills development;
• feasibility;
• relevance in light of the objectives of the Training Division of the ExposUM Institute.

contact

For any information regarding this call for expressions of interest, please send an email to exposum-formation@umontpellier.fr, including [AAP UM Abroad 2026] in the subject line.

COMMITMENT

The selected recipients agree to:

• To comply, in the design and implementation of the project submitted in response to this call for expressions of interest, the values and principles of scientific integrity intended to ensure the honesty and scientific rigor of all research work, as referred to in Article L.211-2 of the Research Code and set forth in the National Code of Ethics for Research Professions and the University of Montpellier’s Charter on Scientific Integrity.
• Comply with the Nagoya Protocol, if applicable.
• Include the logos of the University of Montpellier, France 2030, the ExposUM Institute, and the Occitanie Region in all documents related to the project’s implementation. Specific instructions regarding communication requirements will be provided.
• Please submit an annual report to the Institute (exposum-administration@umontpellier.fr) that may be used in the University’s communications materials, following the provided template. A project guide detailing management procedures and reporting requirements will be provided.
• Apply the current UM Publication Guidelines to all scientific outputs; comply with provisions related to open science and the Law for a Digital Republic (open access publication). The directors of laboratories under UM supervision shall deposit the full text of their publications in the open archive (https://hal.umontpellier.fr).
• Take the necessary steps to obtain the required research authorizations and approvals in regulated sectors (genetically modified organisms, the use of animals for scientific purposes, health data, the use of genetic resources and the resulting benefit-sharing, bioethics, etc.).

Research organizations that are part of the ExposUM Institute consortium

ABSys, AGAP Institute, AIDA, AMAP, Analyses, ART-Dev, ASTRE, BC2M, BCM, BIOLuM, BioWooEB, CBGP, CBS, CDE, CEFE, CEE-M, CEMIPAI, CEPEL, CERCOP, ChimEco, CREAM, CRBM, CSUM, DEFE, DGIMI, DIADE, DIASCOPE, DMEM, ECO&SOLS, ECOTRON, EDPFM, EDSM, ESPACE-DEV, EuroMov DHM, F&S, FHU Evocan 2, FHU Neurexpo, FHU Regenhab 2, FHU TIE, G-EAU, GECO, Génopolys, GM, HortSys, HSM, IATE, IBMM, ICGM, ICS, ICSM, IDEDH, IDESP, IEM, IES, IGF, IGH, IGMM, IHD, IHPE, IMAG, IMAGINE, INM, INNOVATION, INTERTRYP, IPSiM, IRCM, IRIM, IRMB, ISDM, ISEM, ITAP, L2C, LBE, LBN, LDP, LEPSE, LICeM, LIRDEF, LIRMM, LISAH, LMGC, LPHI, LUPM, Maraîchage, MARBEC, MEEB, MISTEA, MIVEGEC, MMDN, MOISA, MRE, MRM, MSH Sud, OREME, PAC Chimie Balard, PCCEI, Pech Rouge, PHIM, PhyMedExp, QualiSud, R&R, SantESiH, SELMET, SENS, SPO, Sys2diag, TETIS, TransVIHMI, VASSAL, VBIC