La Mutua Madrileña Foundation has launched a new edition of its Medical Research Grants, a consolidated call that once again injects 2,3 millones de euros in scientific projects developed in public and private hospitals throughout Spain. This initiative, which has been held continuously for more than two decades, has become a benchmark for many clinical teams seeking stable funding for their research.
With the XXIII Call for Proposals for Medical Research GrantsThe organization reinforces its commitment to advancing health knowledge and improving patient care, focusing on areas of particular clinical and social relevance such as transplants, cancer, traumatic sequelae, rare childhood diseases, and the mental health of children and adolescentsThe proposal maintains a focus closely tied to clinical practice, with the aim that the results will ultimately impact the quality of life of thousands of people.
A call for proposals with 2,3 million euros in funding for projects in Spanish hospitals
The new edition of these grants has a total budget of 2,3 millones de euros, which will be used to finance new scientific projects in Spanish hospitals across various medical specialties. As usual, the foundation prioritizes initiatives with a strong clinical component, stemming from real needs identified in the daily practice of hospital services.
The projects must be developed in Accredited Health Research Institutes (IIS)This ensures a work environment with high standards of quality, ethical oversight, and the capacity to translate research into clinical practice. This requirement, which remains in place for another year, aims to concentrate resources in centers with a proven track record and established research structures.
The application period is now open and interested teams can submit their proposals through the Mutua Madrileña Foundation websiteThe call for applications sets the deadline as... March 4 at 13:00 p.m.Therefore, researchers have several weeks to outline their projects, finalize collaborations, and complete the documentation required in the guidelines.
The initiative is designed to support multicenter and high-impact projects, but it also opens the door to more specific lines within each specialty, provided they have a solid design, clear objectives and the potential to generate clinically relevant results within a reasonable timeframe.
The evaluation of the proposals The selection process will be overseen by the Scientific Committee of the Mutua Madrileña Foundation, comprised of renowned professionals in various medical fields. This body analyzes the methodological quality, feasibility, originality, and potential benefit to patients before deciding which projects will receive funding.
Five major areas: transplants, cancer, traumatology, rare diseases and mental health
This year, the foundation is maintaining a work plan based on five major areas of researchThese therapies were selected for their clinical relevance, social impact, and the unmet needs in many Spanish hospitals. Each one incorporates specific nuances, both in the type of patients and the therapeutic objectives.
In the field of transplantsThe call focuses on projects related to the organ donation and preservation, graft immunotolerance, and the development of bioartificial organsThe aim is to promote studies that will improve organ viability, reduce complications, optimize conservation protocols, and advance new technologies that, in the medium term, can alleviate the shortage of donors.
La oncology This is another priority. In this edition, the foundation is focusing specifically on the breast cancerBreast cancer, one of the most common tumors in Spain and with a significant impact on the female population. The call for proposals is open to clinical trials, translational studies, or projects that address everything from new treatments to improved early detection, risk stratification, or personalized therapies.
In the field of traumatology and its consequencesIncluding those of neurological origin, the grants aim to support research studying both the acute phase of injuries and their long-term consequences. This includes, for example, spinal cord injuries, head injuries or severe musculoskeletal damage that may result in disability. Projects can include everything from innovative surgical techniques to rehabilitation and functional recovery strategies.
Another key line is the rare diseases with clinical manifestation in childhoodGiven that most of these disorders have a genetic origin and a significant impact on children's development, the foundation aims to contribute to generating more knowledge, improving early diagnosis, and exploring new therapeutic options. This is an area where funding is often limited, so this support is especially valued by pediatric teams.
The fifth area focuses on the child and adolescent mental health, with special attention to the Prevention and treatment of suicide and other behavioral disorders in children and adolescentsThe progressive deterioration of emotional well-being in the young population and the increase in consultations for problems of anxiety, depression or self-harming behaviors have led the foundation to reinforce its commitment to this field, both in the area of research and in the design of intervention programs.
Network research and special support categories
In addition to the general call for applications, the Mutua Madrileña Foundation maintains special categories These initiatives are designed to foster collaboration between centers and to support the work of professionals affiliated with their insurance group. The aim is to promote more coordinated research with the capacity to generate results applicable to different healthcare settings.
One of these categories is designed for projects of network researchwhich must involve groups of at least four different autonomous communitiesThe goal is for teams to share data, protocols, and experiences, generating studies with larger sample sizes and a more representative view of the Spanish healthcare system. This format is particularly useful in areas such as rare diseases or mental health, where the geographical dispersion of patients is common.
Alongside this collaborative approach, the foundation reserves another specific line for projects led by specialists from the Adeslas medical teamThe health insurer, part of the Mutua Group and owned by Caixabank, aims to leverage the accumulated knowledge of professionals who work daily with patients, enabling them to translate their clinical concerns into structured studies.
All projects, both those submitted to the general call and those submitted to the special categories, are subject to a rigorous evaluation by the Scientific CommitteeThis body is chaired by Dr. rafael matesanz It includes the participation of specialists such as Doctors Ana Lluch, Enriqueta Ochoa, Miguel Caínzos, Antonio Torres, and Fernando Marco, among others. Their role is to assess the scientific quality and select those proposals with the greatest potential to generate a real impact.
The structure of additional categories, added to the main line of aid, allows projects that are very diverse in size and focus to find a fit in the call, provided they meet the criteria of excellence and clinical relevance established by the foundation.
Twenty-three years of support for medical research in Spain
The launch of this 23rd Call for Proposals is not an isolated gesture, but the continuation of a trajectory that extends throughout twenty-three years of uninterrupted support for medical researchSince the start of this program, the Mutua Madrileña Foundation has helped to promote more than 1.400 projects in hospitals in different autonomous communities.
Overall, the organization has already allocated more than 72 millones de euros to these aid programs, reinforcing a line of work that places the health and science among its strategic priorities. Only in the last call were they supported 23 new projects developed in 18 hospitals spread over nine autonomous communities, a demonstration of the reach that these initiatives have achieved within the Spanish healthcare system.
Since its creation in 2003, the foundation has incorporated the medical research and improved care as one of its central pillars, along with other areas of action such as social action, support for children and young people, cultural dissemination, and the promotion of road safety. This combination allows it to address the well-being of the population from different angles, without losing sight of the key role that science plays in improving health.
The accumulated experience has allowed for the consolidation of a network of research teams that apply repeatedly, while new groups join, seeing these grants as an opportunity to consolidate or launch their lines of research. For many hospitals, to have this external funding This means having an additional boost that complements public resources.
Alongside research grants, the foundation also develops specific programs for people with health problems, funding rehabilitation therapies such as physiotherapy, speech therapy or occupational therapy aimed at children and adults with rare diseases, as well as minors diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)These initiatives complete the circle between research, treatment, and direct support for families.
Special attention to the mental health of children and adolescents
One of the areas that has been gaining importance within the activities of the Mutua Madrileña Foundation is the child and adolescent mental healthIn recent years, the increase in emotional problems, anxiety disorders, depression, and self-harming behaviors among young people has become evident, leading the organization to redouble its efforts in this area.
Within the framework of research grants, the foundation funds projects focused on the adolescent suicide prevention and in the approach to behavioral disorders that affect children and adolescents. The idea is to generate scientific evidence that will allow the development of more effective tools, protocols, and care programs in hospital, school, and community settings.
Beyond supporting clinical trials, the foundation also promotes specific assistance programsand Clinical Liaison Program for Mental Health in Schools in the Community of MadridThese types of initiatives directly connect mental health resources with schools and institutes, facilitating the early detection of risk situations and professional support.
The combination of research and direct action allows the knowledge generated in hospitals to be translated into concrete measures on the groundThis is especially important when dealing with minors, where response times are crucial to preventing future complications. Aware of this challenge, the foundation maintains youth mental health as one of its cross-cutting priorities.
Within this approach, attention is paid not only to the most severe cases, but also to factors such as emotional well-being, bullying prevention, screen time or conflict management, aspects that often appear as a backdrop in many of the disorders treated by child psychiatry and psychology services.
With the opening of the new call for applications, the Mutua Madrileña Foundation is once again putting at the center the collaboration with Spanish hospitals To advance in critical areas such as transplants, oncology, traumatology, rare childhood diseases, and the mental health of young people. The financial boost, the commitment to collaborative research, and the experience accumulated over more than two decades paint a picture in which the organization consolidates its position as a key player in promoting medical research in Spain, with a focus on both generating knowledge and tangibly improving healthcare.
