call for proposals
2026/2027

Applications concerning one or more of the following thematic areas will be considered for the upcoming year:

Disaster management in Italy: developing evidence-based practices to improve local resilience and advance cross-sectoral collaboration

This thematic area invites proposals aimed at advancing disaster management practices in Italy through evidence-based approaches. Submissions may explore ways to improve cross-sectoral collaboration and resilience, addressing health systems, Civil Protection, third-sector organisations, and any other relevant response bodies, with the aim of enhancing preparedness, response, or recovery capacities. Research anchored in territorial realities is encouraged, in order to strengthen on-the-ground practices and processes, drawing on lessons learned and operational tools that are transferable to other contexts.

Capacity building for primary care professionals in the health response to disasters

This thematic area seeks applications aimed at generating evidence and developing practical solutions to promote capacity building for primary care professionals (nurses, medical doctors, social workers) in disaster preparedness and response in Italy. Particular emphasis will be placed on enhancing their ability to address the needs of patients experiencing health and social vulnerabilities. Proposals may focus on training models, interprofessional primary care collaboration, community-based interventions, or strategies to improve equitable access and continuity of care during disasters. 

Technology and MCI management: enhancing education and training 

This thematic area invites applications exploring innovative technologies to enhance MCI management.  The focus includes both education and training for healthcare providers, as well as operational support  through advanced tools for situational awareness, resource allocation, decision-making, and real-time  coordination. 

Access to care in humanitarian emergencies: ensuring health in times of crisis 

This thematic area invites applications focused on ensuring access to health services in humanitarian  settings. The emphasis is on strategies to maintain continuity of care, particularly for vulnerable groups, in  fragile and/or crisis-affected contexts. 

Integration of Epidemiological Surveillance Systems for Acute Respiratory Infections with Pandemic Potential: Evaluation, Limitations, and Perspectives from a One Health Approach

The project aims to analyze the objectives and attributes of current epidemiological surveillance systems  dedicated to monitoring acute respiratory syndromes caused by pathogens with pandemic potential. It will  explore the methods used to evaluate these systems, with particular attention to the benefits and  challenges associated with their integration. The project will also examine potential future developments  driven by technological advances, proposing integration models with other surveillance systems through an interdisciplinary and intersectoral lens in line with the One Health approach. 

Strengthening the Health Emergency Workforce through Integrated Approaches addressing coordination, public health functions, and clinical care

This thematic area seeks applications aimed at generating qualitative and quantitative evidence and developing innovative, operational, and scalable solutions to strengthen the health emergency workforce through integrated Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), public health functions, and Emergency Medical Team (EMT). The focus is on improving preparedness, coordination, alert and response, mobilization of surge capacities, and continuity of emergency health services in fragile, crisis-affected, and resource-constrained settings, including among displaced populations, migrants, refugees, and communities affected by outbreaks, disasters, and conflicts. 

Building Care Models for HIV and Tuberculosis in Fragile Populations

This thematic area seeks applications aimed at generating qualitative and quantitative evidence and developing innovative and practical solutions for integrated care of HIV and tuberculosis in fragile populations such as displaced persons, migrants, prisoners. The topics that may be included are the continuity of care (from early diagnosis to the management of complications) and retention in care in non-healthcare settings.

Disaster mobility: managing migration in disaster-affected areas

This thematic area invites applications that seek to better understand mobility dynamics in the context of disasters and to develop strategies for their management. Research may address the out-migration of people leaving disaster-affected areas as well as in-migration of people involved in reconstruction and recovery efforts, and the consequences of these movements for the local context.

The impact of digitalisation on healthcare access

This thematic area invites applications exploring how, in the context of disasters, digitalisation may reduce or exacerbate existing inequalities in access to healthcare as well as create new forms of exclusion, with the aim of identifying strategies to minimise adverse effects and maximise potential benefits. Research may consider the diverse range of actors involved, including patients, healthcare professionals, and ICT experts.

Translational nutritional strategies for maternal-child health in humanitarian emergencies

The thematic area addresses maternal and infant nutritional vulnerability, the prevention of metabolic and immune-related disorders, and equitable access to maternal-child health strategies. The project aims to explore how knowledge derived from human milk may contribute to the development of sustainable and nutritionally optimized interventions for emergency settings in which maternal and infant nutrition are compromised.

Research proposals in other topics might be accepted if adhering to the area of disaster medicine, humanitarian aid and global health and in line with the current research lines at CRIMEDIM.