Perinatal Stress and Brain Function: Mechanisms, Measurement, and Translational Interventions 7-10 July 2026 (in-person attendance only) Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences University of Coimbra, Portugal Important Dates Opening date for application 8 April 2026 Deadline for applications 17 April 2026You will be informed of the outcome of the application shortly after, in any case 1 May 2026 Location What are Training Schools? Since COST’s priority is enhancing research collaboration where ideas and people can grow without borders, Training Schools aim to facilitate capacity building on a topic relevant to the respective COST Action theme through intensive training on a new emerging subject. Training Schools Grants support intensive training on a new or emerging subject for PhD students and Early Career Researchers (ECRs) from participating Inclusiveness Target Countries’ (ITC)[1]. Training Schools aim to facilitatecapacity building on a topic relevant to the respective COST Action theme through intensive training on a new or emerging subject. Participants will be expected to attend and participate in the Training School during the four days. They will be given the opportunity to present and discuss their work and network with other ECRs, the Training School trainers,mentors, and the members of the TREASURE COST Action. Training Schools serve to help the Action achieve their MoU Objectives and deliver impact with regard to: Capacity Building: Allowing COST Actions to train researchers and innovators in highly specialized topics essential for the Action. They are the tool for transferring know-how among all types of actors and building interdisciplinary expertise. Research Coordination: Training Schools can also be used for reaching specific results (e.g., data collection or analysis, training on methodologies developed by the Action) in support of the objectives of the COST Action. Training Schools benefit to: Trainers: Networking with colleagues and the next generation of researchers working in the same area. Setting the “standard” and/or shaping new and emerging areas of knowledge. Developing and improving their own teaching materials. Trainees: Meeting and networking with peers and leaders of the area, and building the next generation of researchers. Getting critical knowledge and skills to deepen their own research. Creating potential for career opportunities. How to participate Training Schools Grants are open to all participants. Still, priority will be given to PhD students and early career researchers with a primary affiliation in an institution located in an ITC. Clinicians are also welcome. Please make sure to read the evaluation criteria beforehand and then complete the application form below. Evaluation Criteria Trainers Almudena Duque – Pontifical University of Salamanca. Ana Conde – RISE‑Health, Hospital da Luz Vila Real. Ana Ganho Ávila Costa -University of Coimbra – Local. Livio Provenzi – University of Pavia. Monica Sobral – University of Coimbra – Local. Vera Mateus – University of Coimbra – Local. Xue Guo – University Medical Center Göttingen.
First Call for ITC Conference
First Call for ITC CONFERENCE First Call for ITC CONFERENCE of COST Action Maternal Perinatal Stress and Adverse Outcomes in the Offspring: Maximising infants’ development (TREASURE) The call for Applicants will be open from the 28th of April until the 15th of May, 2025 for Conference ending before 1st October 2025 1. WHAT IS AN ITC CONFERENCE GRANT? ITC Conference Grants aim at supporting Young Researchers affiliated in an Inclusiveness Target Country (ITC) or Near Neighbor Country (NNC) to attend and present their work in conferences not organized by the COST. The conference can take place anywhere in the world. This grant supports the objectives of the COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy. WHAT IS TREASURE? TREASURE is a four-year COST ACTION that started on 09/11/2023. The main goal is to address the effect of maternal stress on infant health in the short and long term. The activities in TREASURE are structured in six Working Groups (WGs). Details on the content and goals of each WG are available in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA22114/ 2. FINANCIAL SUPPORT This is the first call for ITC Conference Grants funded by Cost Action CA22114. TREASURE is offering three ITC Conference Grants. Up to a total of EUR 1,000.00 can be awarded to the selected applicants for face-to-face conferences, or EUR 500 for online conferences. The grant is intended to provide a contribution for travelling, accommodation and subsistence, registration fee and general expenses. It may therefore not cover all the costs associated to the mission. Please note that the awarded grant will be paid only after attendance at the conference. 3. WHO CAN APPLY? ITC Conference Grant funds an oral presentation of their own work within the scope of the Action by a Younger Action Participant affiliated to a legal entity located in an Inclusiveness Target Country/Near Neighbor Country in a high-level conference fully organized entirely by a third party, i.e. not organized nor co-organized by the COST Action. IMPORTANT: Conferences must be completed by October 1st, 2025. 4. OBJECTIVES OF ITC CONFERENCE GRANTS Serve COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy. Supports Young Action Participant affiliated to a legal entity located in an Inclusiveness Target Countries/ Near Neighbor Countries to establish a strong network and increase their visibility in the research community through sharing their work and to gain knowledge. Contribute to increasing visibility of the Action. 5. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Applications for ITC Conference Grants are managed through the e-COST management tool (https://e-services.cost.eu/user/login). The applicants will complete the information on the website and upload the following documents: To be filled in e-COST: Title of the presentation Conference title, date (within the active Grant Period, i.e.no overlap across two consecutive Grant Periods) and country. Budget requested. Attendance Type (face to face or online). To be uploaded to e-COST: Application form (template available on e-COST) describing: Relevance of the conference topic to the Action and Motivation describing the potential for impact on the applicant’s career. Copy of the abstract of the accepted oral presentation focused on promoting the scientific achievements and activities being performed by the TREASURE COST Action. If available, the acceptance (or invitation) letter from the conference organizers for the work to be presented. If not available, the evaluation of the application can be processed by uploading a screenshot of the conference website indicating the expected date of notification of abstract acceptance. However, the upload of the acceptance letter will be mandatory for the final attribution of the grant. CV of the applicant This information will be visible to the holders of leadership positions and any evaluation committees in the Action for evaluation purposes. In the application, the applicant must describe the relevance of the conference topic to the Action and the motivation, describing the potential for impact on the applicant’s career. Moreover, applicants for ITC Conference Grants should provide clear evidence of how attending the conference will help them to build a strong network and increase their visibility in the research community through sharing their work and gaining knowledge. We will also aim at achieving a balance of granted ITC Conference Grants among the different Working Groups. Once the ITC Conference Grant has ended, the grantee must submit the following documentations: Report to the Action MC on the outcome of the presentation of the accepted contribution, in terms of grantee’s visibility, including the establishment of new contacts for future collaborations. The certificate of attendance. The programme of the conference or book of abstracts/proceedings indicating the oral presentation of the grantee. Copy of the given oral presentation. The documentation needs to be submitted within 30 days after the end date of the Conference. It is noted that if the applicant does not submit the required report on time, the grant is cancelled. Application Form (Annex 1) More information
