Funding
06.05.2026
Young Talents in Clinical Research: Apply by 30 June
Read more CloseWith the Young Talents in Clinical Research program, the Gottfried and Julia Bangerter-Rhyner Foundation and the SAMS wish to encourage young medical doctors to start out in clinical research. Dementia Research Switzerland – Synapsis Foundation is now supporting the program with additional funding in the field of neurodegeneration. In 2026, up to CHF 1.2 million is made available to finance protected research time and small research projects for junior researchers. The submission deadline is 30 June 2026.
The YTCR program comprises two funding instruments: Beginner Grants and consecutive Project Grants. Its target audience are residents who wish to be freed from clinical duty to gain a first experience in clinical research. Applications must be written in English and registered online. More information on the participation criteria, submission and evaluation procedure can be found in the program regulations, on our website, and in the FAQ.
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Academy
05.05.2026
Invitation to the Meet & Greet of the Biomedical Libraries
Read more CloseThe «Biomedical Libraries» Commission, hosted by the SAMS, is holding a Meet & Greet. This year’s event will take place on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, in Bern. Registrations are requested until 9 August 2026.
Under the title «AI tools at your fingertips», the Meet & Greet 2026 is dedicated to current developments and practical experiences in the implementation of artificial intelligence in health and medical libraries. The aim is to exchange perspectives, identify challenges, and develop concrete approaches for practical implementation. Details can be found in the program (English) and on our website (French or German).
Download the program (PDF)
Agenda
30.04.2026
Symposium on choices for our healthcare system: registration now open
Read more CloseAre you concerned about how our society should respond to the anticipated shortage of resources in the healthcare system? Join us for a discussion at the symposium on 24 September 2026 at the Eventforum in Bern. Under the title «What choices for the Swiss healthcare system?», the symposium offers a varied program featuring presentations, interactive workshops and opportunities for discussion.
Rising healthcare costs reflect a fundamental tension at the heart of the system: healthcare needs are potentially unlimited, while human, financial and environmental resources are finite. This situation is likely to require difficult choices in the near future. The symposium will explore different perspectives on these necessary trade-offs. Further information can be found in the program.
Program, French version (PDF)
Academy
28.04.2026
Access to the Cochrane Library secured for three more years
Read more CloseThe Cochrane Library is an international database specializing in medical information and grounded in robust scientific evidence. Thanks to the efforts of the Consortium of Swiss University Libraries, the national license has been renewed for the period 2026–2028.
The Cochrane Library’s content is produced by an independent network known for its strict standards and high scientific quality. Thanks to the national license, its data will remain freely accessible to everyone in Switzerland. Healthcare professionals, researchers, students and the general public can rely on this information to make informed decisions on health-related issues. Explore the wide range of topics covered by the Cochrane Library online.
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Funding
28.04.2026
Research in Migration and Health: Online Q&A session on the call
Read more CloseThe call for proposals for the funding program «Research in Migration and Health» is still open until 1st June 2026. An online Q&A session on the preparation of applications has taken place on 27 April 2026. The slides are available on our website.
For this new funding program, the Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation is providing CHF 2.7 million over a three-year period. Details on the eligibility criteria, application process and evaluation procedure can be found on our website. The slides from the online information session are also available there.
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SPHN
23.04.2026
Improved Discoverability of Health Research Datasets
Read more CloseThe Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) and the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) have launched a collaboration to improve the discoverability and interoperability of health datasets in Switzerland. Records from the SPHN Metadata Catalog are now fully integrated to I14Y, Switzerland’s national metadata catalog. In doing so, SPHN contributes to building a coordinated and transparent national health data infrastructure.
The newly established integration allows metadata describing clinical datasets to be accessed through Switzerland’s central interoperability platform I14Y operated by the FSO. By increasing the visibility of these resources at the national level, the collaboration helps researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders identify relevant datasets and gain a clearer overview of the Swiss health research landscape. More information about the interaction between the two platforms, as well as data privacy and security, can be found in today’s SAMS Newsletter.
Further information
Publications
14.04.2026
The SAMS Annual Report 2025 is online
Read more CloseIn 2025, the SAMS continued its proven work in its three core areas – funding, ethics, and SPHN – and set new priorities in intersecting issues. These included interprofessional collaboration, the involvement of patients and the public, and key questions regarding the future of the healthcare system.
Our retrospective provides a concise overview of our activities over the past year. Take another look back at 2025. A printable PDF version of the report is also available (in French or German).
Download the report, in French (PDF)
Publications
01.04.2026
SPHN: From initiative to sustainable data infrastructure for research
Read more CloseSince 2017, the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) has been establishing a nationwide data infrastructure that makes clinical data from hospitals and other health data findable, interoperable, and securely accessible. In the main article of the current SAMS Bulletin, Prof. Matthias Baumgartner, SPHN Chair and member of the SAMS Executive Board, reflects on the two funding phases up to 2024 and provides an outlook through the end of 2028.
In the Bulletin 1/2026, the Ethics Committee for Animal Experimentation (ECAE) looks back as well – at the commitment of its President, Hanno Würbel – and ahead to possible reforms of the authorisation procedures for animal experiments. You can also read about the topics the Central Ethics Committee (CEC) is addressing in the field of digitalization and how two former Young Talents in Clinical Research experienced their research year. In addition, the issue includes information about a visit from Korea and on the MD-PhD Fellowships Program.
SAMS Bulletin 1/2026, French version (PDF)