Call for Support of Research in Women’s Mental Health

In Sweden as well as globally, the increase in mental ill-health represents one of the most challenging societal problems of our time. Women, particularly young women, are disproportionately affected, reporting the highest levels of mental health problems and experiencing the greatest rates of sickness absence in Sweden.

WOMHER is a unique interdisciplinary initiative dedicated to improving women’s mental health. Our mission is to advance research, foster collaboration across disciplines, and create platforms for knowledge exchange. Mental ill-health and women’s vulnerability represent a profound societal challenge - one that demands interdisciplinary perspectives and innovative solutions. WOMHER invites researchers from medicine and pharmacy, science and technology, as well as humanities and social sciences, to contribute their expertise in developing approaches that lead to meaningful impact.

Research within WOMHER’s scope encompasses women’s mental health across the entire life cycle - from adolescence and the reproductive period to later adulthood. Mental ill-health among women often presents with specific patterns and risk factors, such as higher prevalence of anxiety, depression, postpartum depression, self-harm behaviours, and stress-related disorders. Serious conditions such as bipolar disorder and psychosis also require attention, as gender differences in symptom presentation, treatment, and care experiences can have significant consequences. Hormonal changes and reproductive decisions may also affect mental health and call for deeper knowledge.

Beyond biological and psychological factors, women’s mental health is influenced by structural conditions and social norms. Unequal working conditions, the double burden of paid and unpaid work, gender roles, and gender-based violence constitute major risk factors, alongside healthcare norms that influence how women are perceived, treated, and supported. These complex interconnections underscore the need for research that examines the social and structural determinants of women’s mental health.

In an increasingly digitalised world, technological innovations are creating new opportunities to understand, prevent, and address mental ill-health. Digital tools, including AI-based support and interactive platforms, can enable early detection, personalised interventions, and broader access to care and support. Developing and evaluating these tools from a user-centred perspective is a crucial step in advancing women’s mental health.

The purpose of this call is to support research that advances understanding of women’s mental health and fosters the development of innovative methods and interdisciplinary collaborations to address urgent research needs. The funding is intended to support projects that shed light on various aspects of women’s mental ill-health, for example, its causes, specific manifestations, and risk patterns, as well as the development of preventive strategies and personalised interventions. This includes research on biological, psychological, social, and structural factors and norms that influence women’s mental health, along with studies examining gender-sensitive approaches in healthcare and treatment. The call also encourages projects that explore digital solutions and tools for early detection, intervention, and support.

By encouraging interdisciplinary approaches, WOMHER aims to foster strong research initiatives that can lead to competitive applications for external funding and contribute to the long-term development of knowledge in the field.

The funding is open to researchers who intend to plan and write applications for external funding, complete and follow up on ongoing research, and/or further develop ideas in the field of women’s mental health, while contributing to WOMHER’s interdisciplinary research environment.

• Applicants must hold a doctoral degree at the start of the project.
• The research must have a clear connection to women’s mental health and WOMHER’s overarching goals.
• The scientific objectives of the project must be clearly defined, and a plan for submitting an application to an external funder or otherwise further developing the research by the end of the funding period is encouraged.

The funding is primarily intended to cover salary costs equivalent to three months of full-time research, and secondarily to support clearly specified project-related expenses. If the research is part of a project that already has funding, the application must clearly describe how the funding complements the existing project. Funding may not be used for costs already covered by other sources. The application should specify which parts of the project are funded by other sources and which are covered by this grant. Researchers are required to report if external funding is awarded for the project during the grant period.

Each applicant may submit only one application to this call. The application shall be written in English and must include the following documents compiled into a single PDF of max. 6 pages (Arial, 11 pt, 2.5 cm margins):

• Project description (max. 3 pages)
  Main objectives, background, clearly specified problem, main method, theoretical and/or practical impact, and future potential of the project.
  
• Workplan (max. 1 page)
  A detailed workplan, including allocation of tasks among researchers, time plan and specified research-related outputs (e.g., publication, research application, report, and/or data materials with a plan for use).
  
• Ethical considerations, when applicable
  Short description of relevant ethical considerations and how they will be addressed.
  
• Curriculum Vitae (max. 1 page)
  Short CV of the candidate, including a selection of the three most relevant publications.
  
• Budget
  Specification of salary costs including payroll overheads (LKP) and overheads (OH) for the applicant and any participating researchers. A description previous and current available funding as well as applications submitted to external funders.

In addition to the 6-page PDF, the following must be submitted as a separate file:

• Approval from the Head of Department or Unit. The approval must certify that the Department or Unit will act as the host for the project, that it is responsible for the distribution and administration of funds.

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION HERE

General principles for funding are:

• Applicants must hold a doctoral degree at the start of the project.
• Applicants must be employed (permanently or on a fixed-term contract) or affiliated with a department or unit at Uppsala University at the start of the project. The administering department must confirm that the project can be carried out in accordance with the application.
• Each project should correspond to approximately three months of full-time research (that is, funding of approximately SEK 260,000). Applicants should specify how the research time will be distributed over the funding period.
• The funding is primarily intended to cover salaries and salary-related direct and indirect costs (including payroll overheads, LKP). Where necessary, clearly specified project-related costs may also be supported. Funding will only be granted for costs directly related to data collection, analysis, and/or publication, and must be justified in the application.
• Funds will be transferred to the applicant’s department upon approval.
• Funds must be used within a year from approval. Any unused funds must be returned to WOMHER.
• The applicant is responsible for reporting and financial accounting to WOMHER at the time of the final report.
• One application per Disciplinary Domain will be approved.

Researchers awarded funding commit to the following:

1. To submit a final report of the project, including the report(s) and/or publication(s) specified in the application, and to report to WOMHER any additional publications or funding resulting from the project.
2. To state affiliation with WOMHER for all publications and other research outputs wholly or partly funded by this grant. In addition, it must be indicated in publications, presentations and reports that the research has been supported by WOMHER.
3. To contribute to WOMHER’s objectives by presenting the project, inviting guests, or otherwise developing and disseminating knowledge based on the research, and by engaging in dialogue with other researchers and/or audiences. A end‑of‑project workshop will be organised, in which funded researchers are expected to present the research activities and outcomes of the project. WOMHER will provide support to facilitate these activities.

The grant must be accounted for through a short scientific and financial report. In addition, a brief popular-science summary describing the project’s main results must be submitted. This text will be published on WOMHER’s website. Any remaining funds at the end of the grant period must be returned to WOMHER. The final report and the popular-science summary must be submitted to womher@uu.se no later than two months after the end of the funding period.

Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Scientific quality and relevance: The project’s objectives/ research question must be clearly formulated, well motivated and grounded in relevant previous research. The proposed study design, empirical material, and analytical methods must be appropriate and rigorously justified in relation to the project’s aims.
• Strategic significance: The project should demonstrate relevance to WOMHER’s overall objective of strengthening women’s mental health and developing evidence that can support strategic decision-making in working life and society.
• Impact and potential: The project should show potential to advance the field through new knowledge, innovative methods, theoretical development, and/or novel data that can provide a basis for future applications to external funders.
• Interdisciplinary approach: Projects that demonstrate collaboration across disciplines and integration of perspectives from different fields will receive a higher scores on this criterion.
• Feasibility: The research plan must be realistic and well structured, with clearly described activities, timelines, and expected outcomes.

• 3 February 2026 – Call opens
• 3 March 2026 – Application deadline
• 8 April 2026 – Funding decision (Due to the high level of interest in this call and the large number of applications received, the funding decision has been postponed from March 31 to April 8)
• 1 April 2027 – Deadline for final scientific and financial report

Application guidelines are found above. See "Application guidelines".

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION HERE