Since 1978 the federal government promotes Health Research through updating of the Health Research Framework Programme. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) together with the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) takes responsibility for the programme which is financed with funds from the BMBF. The aim of health research is to provide improved medical treatment in order to enhance people's quality of life. BMBF-funded health research has contributed to many medical breakthroughs in the past.

In life sciences research funding is supported under the framework programme "Biotechnology - Using and Shaping its Opportunities", which ended 2010 and followed since 2011 under the framework programme "Health Research - Research for People" focusing on studying the most common diseases.

It is characterised by a comprehensive approach that encompass research of the causes of disease, health care needs and structural changes in the research landscape to better cooperation between industry and science. The Health Research Framework Programme is implemented by defined funding measures in the framework of project funding as well as by means of the institutional funding of non-university research institutions.

Project funding serves as a flexible strategic management instrument of the Federal Government; in particular at short-term to medium-range research goals within the scope of clearly defined funding priorities. One priority here is to accelerate the transfer of research findings into practice by improving net working between university and non-university research and the private sector. Strategic funding goals and the corresponding instruments for a given funding focus are defined and published in announcements of funding guidelines. The guidelines define the subject of the funding, potential funding beneficiaries and the funding criteria.

Scientists of the HZI participate in the following funding initiatives: