MICROBES-4-CLIMATE launches the 2nd Transnational Access (TNA) Call

The Horizon Europe project MICROBES-4-CLIMATE (M4C), coordinated by MIRRI-ERIC, announced the opening of the 2nd Transnational Access (TNA) Call, launched on 9 December 2025. This new call invites researchers from eligible countries to apply for funded access to advanced research services and facilities, with applications open until 8 March 2026.

The M4C TNA programme plays a key role in facilitating access to cutting-edge research infrastructures across multiple countries, breaking down geographical barriers that often limit scientific progress. Through the TNA programme, researchers are offered the opportunity to work directly with state-of-the-art facilities, expert staff, and high-quality biological and technological resources. This access is designed to accelerate discovery, enable multidimensional investigations, and foster stronger scientific collaboration across Europe and beyond. By providing researchers with the ability to leverage specialised instrumentation, advanced analytical tools, and valuable data resources, the TNA programme supports innovation and encourages exploration driven by scientific curiosity.

As part of this collaborative framework, MIRRI-ERIC contributes substantially to the TNA effort by offering services from eight of its partner organisations, each bringing longstanding expertise in microbial resource management, characterisation, and utilisation. MIRRI-ERIC partners collectively cover eight of the nine service categories featured in the M4C catalogue (with the only exception being plant and soil characterisation, which is delivered by other infrastructures in the consortium). To help applicants identify the services relevant to their research, MIRRI-ERIC contributes to the following M4C TNA service categories:

• Supply of biological resources
• Preservation of biological resources
• Isolation of microbial resources from soil and plant samples
• Identification and characterisation of microbial resources
• On-site access to facilities for microbial discovery
• On-site access to controlled plant cultivation and phenotyping facilities
• Big Data & Machine Learning tools and infrastructure
• Remote consultancy

This second call introduces important updates. Adjustments have been made to the eligibility criteria for applicants, and further refinements have been implemented in the service catalogue, particularly in the section dedicated to the isolation of microbial resources from soil and plant samples. These updates ensure that the TNA programme continues to meet the evolving needs of the scientific community while maintaining high-quality standards for access and service delivery. In addition, the call continues to support Ukrainian researchers from government-controlled territories through a dedicated fast-track access mechanism, reflecting the commitment of the M4C consortium to ensuring inclusive participation in European research.

 

Results from the 1st call coming soon

The success of the programme is already evident. The first TNA call attracted proposals from researchers representing 20 different nationalities, including applicants from 10 EU countries and 10 countries outside Europe. This diverse participation highlights the programme's effectiveness in expanding access to research infrastructures on a global scale. Evaluations of the first call are in progress, and results will be communicated soon.

As one of the four major European research infrastructures underpinning M4C (alongside AnaEE-ERIC, LifeWatch ERIC, and Emphasis), MIRRI-ERIC remains committed to advancing the preservation, characterisation and sustainable use of microbial resources. Through its extensive expertise, distributed facilities, and commitment to open scientific collaboration, MIRRI-ERIC continues to support research that addresses urgent societal challenges, particularly those related to climate resilience, environmental health, and sustainable biotechnology.

Researchers interested in joining the 2nd TNA Call can explore the full service catalogue and submit their proposals via the Community Web Environment (CWE) portal. MIRRI-ERIC encourages all eligible researchers to take advantage of this opportunity to collaborate, innovate and contribute to improving our understanding of microbial systems and their role in climate and ecosystem dynamics.

For further information, visit the M4C website or contact the Access Office at [email protected].