Each scientist received a grant of about 2M €
The European Research Council (ERC) distinguished six Portuguese researchers with the award of grants of around 2 million euros each. The objective is to support scientists in the consolidation of their scientific career and in carrying out cutting edge research in Portugal.
ERC grants are among the most competitive and prestigious grants, distinguishing, annually, the researchers who stand out the most in terms of the degree of innovation of the projects and their scientific excellence. The Portuguese scientists awarded this year will develop their research work in institutions located in Braga, Porto, Coimbra and Lisbon.
Among the winners is the researcher from the Instituto Gulbenkian Ciência, Maria João Amorim, whose project could pave the way for new antiviral strategies. Ricardo Henriques, from the same institution, was also awarded and will develop a new technology capable of following the behavior of cells infected by viruses. Still from the Gulbenkian Science Institute, scientist Raquel Oliveira will study cell division and the transcription of genetic information on chromosomes. At the Research Center on Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, researcher Miguel Carneiro will decipher the genetic and cellular basis of the structural color of birds. Further north, at the University of Minho, Ana João Rodrigues’ project seeks to understand how the brain perceives and encodes pleasure and aversion. Patrícia Vieira, from the Center for Social Studies of Coimbra,
In total, 2506 applications were submitted to the ERC, of which 327 were approved (success rate of around 13%), rewarding researchers from 39 nationalities who will develop their projects in higher education institutions, research centers and companies from 23 countries Europeans. Also noteworthy is the growth in the percentage of grants awarded to women, which rose to 37%, marking the highest figure ever. In Portugal, 127 ERC grants have been awarded to date.
