TDCC-LSH Project initiatives
TDCC-LSH has two types of project strands to support collaborative projects in the Life Sciences and Health domain: Bottleneck projects and Challenge projects. These projects are meant to further support the TDCC network and support the digitalization of science as a whole. The TDCC-LSH is building on the working relationships and collaborations it has established with various stakeholders in the health and life sciences domain and aims to utilize the TDCC-LSH network to develop community-driven projects. In most cases, this is not about developing new scientific knowledge, but about finding and disseminating the right knowledge, and agreeing on its joint application. The projects will therefore focus mainly on support and networking.*
*If you are interested in one of these projects, would like to join the initiatives or want to launch a new initiative: please contact the TDCC-LSH through celia.vangelder@health-ri.nl (Network manager), carla.strubbia@health-ri.nl (Community Coordinator Health) or fieke.schoots@health-ri.nl (Training Coordinator).
Bottleneck projects
The bottleneck projects are a one-off investment of €950,000 by NWO to tackle challenges described in the TDCC-LSH roadmap. Two Bottleneck projects that started already in 2025. You will find links to the project websites, where you can access more information about the project lead, public summary, and the responsible institution(s) and department(s).*
● The TDCC-LSH FAIR Fellowship Programme: Building a network of experts for responsible handling of digital research data
● Prep-FAME: Towards Practical FAIR Metadata Use in Life Science Research Infrastructures
Challenge projects
Challenge Projects are mid-sized projects with a duration of 24 months and a budget of €50,000–€400,000 funded by NWO.
To apply, projects ideas must first go through the TDCC-LSH review process and obtain a letter of support. This process is transparent, collaborative, and community-led — designed to prioritise the needs of the LSH field, connect complementary initiatives, and prevent fragmentation of project funding. Successful applicants receive a TDCC-LSH letter of support, which is required to complete the NWO funding application.
2026
The TDCC-LSH Project Call 2026 invites the Life Science & Health research community to submit project ideas that address shared data challenges and strengthen the Dutch LSH research infrastructure. We are looking for collaborative, community-driven projects that create lasting impact.
Applicants can request between €50,000 and €400,000 for projects of up to 24 months. A co-financing contribution of 25% is required (to be confirmed by NWO).
This call has a two-step process. Unlike standard NWO open calls, applicants must first submit their idea to TDCC-LSH and receive a letter of support from the Programme Board before they can submit to NWO. Without this letter, your NWO submission will not be accepted.
As a first step, we invite all LSH research community members to submit a short Expression of Interest (EoI). Once received, the Programme Board will assess each submission against key criteria — including domain relevance, roadmap alignment, and collaboration potential — and may suggest potential partners or flag synergies with other submitted ideas.
You will be notified whether your EoI has been rejected, held for a future call, or approved to proceed.
Approved? You and your team are ready to write your full proposal, following the NWO template and guidelines on the NWO call page.
More information on the full TDCC-LSH Project Call 2026 process and timeline can be found here.
📅 All key dates and deadlines can be found in the TDCC-LSH Project Call calendar 2026.
Approved Challenge Projects 2023-2025
Find below the list of Challenge Projects approved between 2023 and 2025 by the TDCC‑LSH Programme Board and NWO. All projects started in 2025. You will also find links to the project websites, where you can access more information about the project lead, public summary, and the responsible institution(s) and department(s).*
● FAIR tool framework: A FAIR tool framework for bioinformatics services, tools and workflows in digital Life Sciences and Health (LSH) research
● LEARN-FAIR: Life Science & Health Educational Alignment for Research and Networking in FAIR Data Management
● FAIR-Aware: Training the next generation of FAIR-aware and AI-savvy data scientists for the LSH domain
● COHORTS: Prospective harmonization of variables through Common Data Elements – towards a core cohort dataset for cohort studies in the Netherlands
● FAIRify: FAIRify your metabolomics data: achieving convergence on standards for reuse-ready data and workflows
*If you are interested in one of these projects, would like to join the initiatives or want to launch a new initiative: please contact the TDCC-LSH through celia.vangelder@health-ri.nl (Network manager), carla.strubbia@health-ri.nl (Community Coordinator Health) or fieke.schoots@health-ri.nl (Training Coordinator).