Forte’s annual call for project grants covers all three of our main areas: health, working life, and welfare. These areas are further divided into several subfields, each with associated review panels responsible for assessing applications.
Read about our areas; health, working life and welfare
It is important to note that Forte does not fund clinical (medical) therapy studies or biomedical (preclinical) research. Analyses of environmental exposures that cannot be clearly linked to health effects or working life are neither included in Forte’s research areas.
The review panels consist of researchers with broad expertise in the areas managed by the group, many of whom are from other Nordic countries. Each panel also includes community representatives, such as individuals from government agencies and interest organisations, who assess the societal relevance of the research.
The panels are chaired by an external chairperson and supported by a senior research officer from Forte.
Choose review panel in Prisma
Applicants has to choose review panels for their application in Prisma. It is possible to choose up to three panels. Forte reserve the right to allocate the application to another panel.
The following review panels can be selected:
Public health
The field includes studies of health, morbidity, and mortality in the population as a whole, how health and ill health vary among different groups, and how health status changes throughout the human life course It also encompasses risk factors and interventions that impact public health through social and societal structures, individuals’ conditions, opportunities, and actions, and the interplay between these factors.
Chairpersons
- Charli Eriksson, Karolinska institutet, Sweden
- Mikaela von Bonsdorff, Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Members
- Elin Ekblom Bak, The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH), Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Maria Emmelin, Lund University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Marte Kjøllesdal, Norwegian University of Life Science, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Agneta Yngve, Uppsala University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Johan Håkon Bjørngaard, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Emilie Friberg, Karolinska institutet, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Stefan Fors, Karolinska institutet, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Laust Hvas Mortensen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Scientific reviewer
- Kristian Heggebø, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Marie Eriksson, Umeå University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Birger Forsberg, Karolinska institutet, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Torbjørn Stenstvedt Torsheim, University of Bergen, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Koustuv Dalal, Mid Sweden University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Sigurd Lauridsen, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark, Scientific reviewer
- Ársæll Már Arnarsson, University of Iceland, Iceland, Scientific reviewer
- Masoud Vaezghasemi, Umeå University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Oddrun Samdal, University of Bergen, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Mika Gissler, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland, Scientific reviewer
- Nina Lindqvist, The Public Health Agency of Sweden, Sweden, Community representative
- Hanna Lind, Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, Sweden, Community representative
- Monika Käll Guldbrand, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden, Community representative
- Karin Röding, Swedish Council for Higher Education (retired), Sweden, Community representative
Healthcare and healthcare organisation
This area covers practice-oriented research in healthcare and social care, evaluating the effects of various interventions on health and quality of life grounded in healthcare science. It also includes mapping healthcare needs, access, and utilisation, as well as digital healthcare solutions (e-health).
Studying the governance, organisation, and management of healthcare systems, and how services and organisations can be improved—both in terms of the healthcare system as a whole and specific care processes—are also part of this field.
Chairpersons
- Katarina Steen Carlsson, Lund University, Sweden
- Johan Berlin, University West, Sweden
Members
- Karin Blomberg, Örebro University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Ing-Marie Carlsson, Halmstad University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Maria Kristiansen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Scientific reviewer
- Sebastian Meijer, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Stefan Nilsson, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Yana Litinska, Lund University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Kavot Zillén, Stockholm University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Lilas Ali, Gothenburg University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Henrik Bøggild, Aalborg University, Denmark, Scientific reviewer
- Johan Sanmartin Berglund, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Maren Kristine Raknes Sogstad, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Frode Jacobsen, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Albert Westergren, Lund University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Jeanette Westman, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Anita Tørmoen, University of Oslo, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Sven Oredsson, Södra sjukvårdsregionen, Sweden, Community representative
- Marie Lawrence, Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, Sweden, Community representative
- Sineva Ribeiro, The Swedish Association of Health Professionals, Sweden, Community representative
Health promotion and behaviour
This area includes research aimed at designing, monitoring, and evaluating disease prevention and health promotion interventions to increase individuals’ knowledge, motivation, and capacity to adopt healthier behavioural habits.
Chairperson
- Anni-Maria Pulkki Brännström, Umeå University, Sweden
Members
- Anton Lager, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Anna K. Forsman, Åbo Akademi University, Finland, Scientific reviewer
- Dan Grabowski, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospitals, Denmark, Scientific reviewer
- Bente Wold, University of Bergen, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Gisela Nyberg, The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Katarina Sjögren Forss, Malmö University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Preben Bendtsen, Linköping University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Agneta Fröjdman, Elevhälsan Värmland, Sweden, Community representative
- Matti Leijon, Generation Pep, Sweden, Community representative
Labour market
This area covers how the labour market functions and is regulated. It includes labour market relationships, matching education and employment, entry and exit on the labour market, unemployment and precarious employment conditions, work capacity, and interventions to facilitate labour market participation. The area also encompasses research on segregation and professionalisation in working life, as well as wage formation, wage differences, and pensions.
Chairperson
- Maritta Soininen, Stockholm University, Sweden
Members
- Edvard Johansson, Åbo Akademi University, Finland, Scientific reviewer
- Liza Reisel, Institute for Social Research, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Carin Håkansta, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Jørgen Modalsli, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Stine Rasmussen, Aalborg University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Niklas Selberg, Lund University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Anna Sjögren, Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU), Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Shoresh Ibrahim, The City of Stockholm, Sweden, Community representative
- Niklas Blomqvist, The Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO), Sweden, Community representative
Work organisation
This area includes research on organisations, their leaders and employees, and how work is organised and conducted. It also covers questions of motivation, influence and control, as well as power dynamics in the workplace related to gender, age, gender identity, and/or ethnicity.
Chairperson
- Susanne Tafvelin, Umeå University, Sweden
Members
- Solmaz Filiz Karabag, Linköping University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Annika Zika Viktorsson, Vinnova, Sweden, Community representative
- Karin Sjöberg Forsberg, The Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise, Sweden, Community representative
- Louise Bringselius, Center for Resilient Health, HHS, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Anette Hallin, Mälardalen University, Sweden and Åbo Akademi University, Finland, Scientific reviewer
- Roger A. Søraa, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Johan Fredrik Rye, University of Oslo, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Bertil Rolandsson, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Andrea Eriksson, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
Work and work-related health
This area covers research about the significance of working conditions and the work environment for exclusion and health problems among different groups.
It also includes organisational and social work environments, as well as the interplay between work and family life. The field also encompasses the impact of physical, chemical, and biological risk factors in the work environment.
The area involves research aimed at designing, monitoring and evaluating preventive and remedial interventions for work and health, including the role of health services for employees.
Chairperson
- Maria Stanfors, Lund University, Sweden
Members
- Nils Fallentin, National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Denmark, Scientific reviewer
- Karin Broberg, Karolinska institutet, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Erna Zelmin, Former director of The Swedish Work Environment Authority, Sweden, Community representative
- Hanne Berthelsen, Malmö University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Marcus Persson, Linköping University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Erik Grönqvist, Uppsala University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Steffen Torp, University of South-Eastern Norway, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Siw Tone Innstrand, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Artur Tenenbaum, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, Community representative
- Zara Ann Stokholm, Aarhus University, Denmark, Scientific reviewer
- Lisa Björk, Institute of Stress Medicine, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
Social policy, social change and living conditions
This area covers research on the organisation of welfare systems and their significance for individuals’ conditions and development. It includes research on inequality-generating processes, societal changes and their consequences, and the conditions and opportunities individuals face in society. Studies on population and migration are also included.
Chairperson
- Clary Krekula, Linnaeus University, Sweden
Members
- Astri Muren, Stockholm University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Ivan Harsløf, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Lars Plantin, Malmö University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Anders Kassman, Marie Cederschiöld University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Malin Eriksson, Umeå University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Magnus Bygren, Stockholm University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Bent Greve, Roskilde University, Denmark, Scientific reviewer
- Torun Österberg, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Malin Junestav, The Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Sweden, Community representative
- Sanna Detlefsen, Östergötlands stadsmission, Sweden, Community representative
Social care and social work
This area includes research on social care and social work, both within welfare state organisations and civil society.
It includes research on the interventions and activities of social services, their organisation, method development and collaboration with other organisations. Research can address both interventions and preventive measures.
Social work in healthcare, schools, and other sectors, as well as issues of informal care and the role of family caregivers, are also included.
Research on the interactions between citizens and representatives of various institutions, such as individual and family care, elderly care, and childcare, also fits within this area.
Chairperson
- Rickard Ulmestig, Linnaeus University, Sweden
Members
- Lars Brännström, Stockholm University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Camilla Nordberg, Åbo Academy University, Finland, Scientific reviewer
- Frida Peterson, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Alexandru Panican, Örebro University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Elisabeth Sundström Graversen, Strokeförbundet, Sweden, Community representative
- Emmanuel Galaup, The Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise, Sweden, Community representative
- Stina Fernqvist, Uppsala University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Torkel Richert, Malmö University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Katarina Andersson, Umeå University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Camilla Nordberg, Åbo Akademi University, Finland, Scientific reviewer
Social relations and social issues
This field includes research about how individuals and groups interact and relate to each other. The field covers identity and socialisation, marginalisation, migration and integration, life course and living conditions, gender, body, and sexuality, as well as crime, violence, and abuse.
Chairperson
- Anders Kottorp, Malmö University, Sweden
Members
- Morten Sager, Gothenburg University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Ottar Ness, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Mette Louise Berg, University College London, United Kingdom, Scientific reviewer
- Mikko Aaltonen, Law School, University of Eastern Finland, Finland, Scientific reviewer
- Lena Näre, University of Helsinki, Finland, Scientific reviewer
- Marie Evertsson, Stockholm University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Marit Haldar, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway, Scientific reviewer
- Susanne Strand, Örebro University, Sweden, Scientific reviewer
- Maria Schillaci, Rädda Barnen, Sweden, Community representative
- Jenny Rehnman, The Gothenburg Region, Sweden, Community representative
Please note that the information about the review panels is a translation of the original Swedish version. In case of ambiguity in the translation, the Swedish versions take precedence.
Last published: 12 May 2025