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Horizon Europe Cluster 3 — Civil Security & Disaster Resilience

Horizon Civil Security: Bioterrorism Prevention

Funds a €3M project that reviews how synthetic biology could be misused for bioterrorism and pinpoints where monitoring and regulation fall short.

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Horizon Civil Security: Bioterrorism Prevention is a European Commission call that funds a review of how synthetic biology could be misused for bioterrorism, pinpointing where monitoring and regulation fall short. Synthetic biology used to need a well-funded lab. Now gene-editing and sequencing tools are cheaper, DIY biohacking spaces and community labs are spreading, and public genetic databases …

Reviewing the bioterrorism risk created by synthetic biology's growing accessibility — cheaper lab equipment, DIY biohacking and community labs, gene-editing and sequencing tools, and public genetic databases — to work out what needs monitoring, what needs regulating, and how. Proposals bring together a consortium spanning policy makers, researchers, biotech companies and security practitioners, both to do that analysis and to raise awareness inside the scientific community of how synthetic biology research can be misused. Funded projects also set out how they'll engage the Europol Innovation Lab, and the EU Drugs Agency if the work touches drug-related issues. Activities are expected to reach TRL 4-5 by the end of the project.

CycleiHow often this grant runs - e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.One-off
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.5 Nov 2026
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.22 weeks
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.-
Award typeiThe form of funding - grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Grant
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.0%
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.€3M

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