Current Calls for Proposals

Call for Expressions of Interest and Call for Regional Project Incubation through ExposUM.

Upcoming selection committee meetings: mid-June 2026; submissions accepted through June 8.

The next selections will take place in 2027

Support for the visibility, communication, and dissemination of science-society initiatives by the I-SITE research community and its partners

To promote transdisciplinary projects¹ with a local impact and to foster networking among researchers and civil society actors, the ExposUM Institute is offering a new support program for research teams within the I-Site community and their nonprofit partners, to highlight their research on topics related tothe exposome,environmental health, orglobal healthas they pertain to regional issues at the science-society interface. This support is intended for initiatives in the design phase (funding for exploratory activities to pave the way for a future action research project), those currently underway (funding for internships, surveys, or outreach events to finalize a research project), or those that have been completed (promotion of the initiative through media, communication, and/or scientific dissemination).

Events must include at least one outreach activity (conference, event, film or documentary screening) to highlight the initiative at the science-society interface and facilitate the sharing of transdisciplinary experiences across the I-SITE.

For further information, please feel free to contactAurélie Binot, head of the Science-Society Interfaces research area, orMariline Poupaud, scientific support officer for the research area.

Support Options

This call for expressions of interest, launched in April 2024 by the ExposUM Institute, will remain open until the end of 2026 (and, in principle, every year through 2028). Funding awarded for each project may be up to8,000€ (excluding tax).

Proposals may be submitted on a rolling basisthrough the end of December 2028. An evaluation process will be conducted twice a year by an ad hoc selection committee. For the year 2026, the next selection committee meeting will take place in mid-June 2026; proposals will be accepted until June 8. The next committee meetings will be held in 2027.

Where appropriate, methodological and operational support will be provided through MSH SUD’s action-research initiatives, which the UM relies on as part of ExposUM’s “Science-Society Interfaces” research track (scientific support, communication, audiovisual support, advice on organizing events, support for network coordination, and access to MSH SUD workspaces).

Background and Objectives

The ExposUM Institute² is an initiative of the University of Montpellier and its partners³ centered on the concept of the exposome⁴ aiming to establish a leading, cross-disciplinary, off-campus institute for the study, training, and science-society interaction regarding the environmental determinants of human health. The Institute aims to provide an innovative conceptual framework for studying multiple environmental risks and their combined effects on human health through three areas of focus: generating knowledge, applying knowledge, and disseminating knowledge. As part of the effort to apply knowledge,a research focus on “Science-Society” interfacessupports andstrengthenscollaborations between researchers within the I-SITE network and other civil society actors (local governments, associations and cooperatives, citizen groups, government agencies such as the Regional Health Agency, etc.) on research issues related to multiple environmental risks.

Eligibility Criteria

This call for proposals applies to any event—including the formation of research networks, seminars, study days, workshops, symposia, conferences, exhibitions, field surveys, and scientific events—on topics related to the exposome⁵, based on transdisciplinary approaches and involving scientific research in collaboration with civil society (public institutions, associations, private actors, etc.).

The event should aim to apply knowledge related to the exposome (any environmental determinant of human health in the broadest sense), that is, to define comprehensive mitigation strategies tailored to the local context and to encourage innovation by creating a “Science-Society” interface to promote the results. Events at the Science/Policy interface will be particularly welcome.

Events must include at least oneoutreach activity(such as a conference, event, or screening of a film or documentary) to promote the initiative.

Funding awarded by the ExposUM Institute will be paid directly to the winning research unit, or possibly to a nonprofit organization through the provision of services (to be determined on a case-by-case basis—please feel free to contact exposum-aap@umontpellier.fr with any questions).

Funding Disbursement Procedures and Eligible Expenses

Funding awarded by the ExposUM Institute will be paid directly to the winning research units or nonprofit organizations (through service contracts). Co-funding from partner organizations, while not mandatory, will be appreciated. Fees for participation in the outreach initiative (if applicable) will be set at a level that makes the event accessible to a broad audience, including students.

Eligibility of Expenses:

• Eligible expenses: operating expenses directly related to the implementation of the survey (small equipment, operating costs, business travel), internship stipends, services rendered, and the organization of an event (excluding high-profile events such as gala dinners and promotional items)
  • Ineligible expenses: capital expenditures, management fees, indirect costs, salaries

Selection Criteria and Procedure

The selection will be made by a dedicated committee composed of the executive committee and the president of ExposUM’s COSS⁶ and three members of the I-Site with experience in transdisciplinary research. The committee will meet at least once every three months, at the end of each quarter. The following criteria will be considered:

• A proposal that must involve a research team from the I-Site and civil society actors focused on the concept of the exposome.
• Relevance in light of the ExposUM Institute’s strategic priorities: establishing new partnerships, regional issues, the One Health approach, Global Health and Southern Health, and promoting the involvement of the humanities and social sciences.
• Ability to engage both experienced researchers and early-career researchers
• Efforts Toward Gender-Balanced Representation
• Credibility, Amount, and Relevance of the Financial Request

Submission Guidelines and Schedule

• Proposals may be submitted on an ongoing basis through the end of December 2028 to thisemail address, with [AMI Axis 2 ExposUM] in the subject line.
• Proposals must be written in French or English using theproposal form, following the instructions provided therein. You can also download the form in PDF format.

• The selection committee will evaluate proposals twice a year. Decisions will be communicated to the applicants following the selection committee meeting. Next selection committee meeting: mid-June 2026; submissions accepted until June 8. Future committee meetings will be held in 2027.
• The initiative must take place within 12 months of notification of the award.

Obligations of the Bearer

Project leaders agree to:

• Include the logos of the University of Montpellier, France 2030, the ExposUM Institute, and the Occitanie Region in all documents and materials related to the initiative
• Submit a qualitative and quantitative report no later than 3 months after the end of the initiative
• Provide the ExposUM Institute with access to the initiative’s deliverables (e.g., meeting minutes, video recordings, internship reports, survey results)
• Participate in outreach events organized by the University of Montpellier, such as: Sud de sciences (the science film festival of Montpellier and its metropolitan area, held in December) / Fête de la science / Bar des Sciences / Ecran de savoirs (YouTube channel)
• For events, please provide the ExposUM Institute with a brief description (1/2 page) at least one month in advance, which may be used in the University of Montpellier’s promotional materials.

Footnotes

1. A transdisciplinary approach is based on conducting research and generating knowledge with society rather than for society, by engaging stakeholders in shared challenges (Seidl et al. 2013, Utrecht University Transdisciplinary Field Guide)↩︎
2. Winner of the ExcellenceS (PIA4) call for proposals and supported by the Occitanie Region ↩︎
3. CIRAD, CNRS, Ifremer, INRAE, INRIA, Inserm, IRD, ENSCM, Institut Agro, Montpellier University Hospital, ICM, Occitanie Region↩︎
4. The exposome refers to the totality of lifelong exposures to environmental and social factors whose specific effects, combined with individuals’ intrinsic characteristics, underlie health as well as 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. ↩︎
5. For example, environmental pollution, the link between water and health, vector-borne infectious diseases, air quality, preventive care, vaccination, public awareness… ↩︎
6. https://www.umontpellier.fr/universite/projets-emblematiques/exposum↩︎

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