Seven Max Planck researchers receive Consolidator Grants

December 15, 2016

Seven scientists from Max Planck institutes have successfully applied for Consolidator Grants from the European Research Council (ERC). They have each been awarded up to 2 million euros in funding.

The Consolidator Grants are awarded by the European Research Council (ERC) on an annual basis. Applications are open to researchers with a minimum of seven and a maximum of 12 years' experience since completion of their PhD, provided they conduct their project at a research organisation located in one of the EU member states. In the fourth call awarded under the pillar of Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation programm, the Max Planck Society, ahead of the institutions of the Helmholtz Association (6 grants) received the most winning proposals in Germany, followed by the University of Heidelberg (five grants), and the Technical University of Munich (2 grants).

Of the seven MPG successful researchers, four are involved in research in the life sciences,  two in the field of physics and technology, and one in social and human sciences. They are as follows:

  • Simon Alberti, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden
  • Thomas Barends, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg
  • Stephan Gruber, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried
  • Naoko Mizuno, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried
  • Steffen Klamt, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Magdeburg
  • Pietro Omodeo, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, who will use the ERC grant to carry out research at the University of Barcelona
  • Glenn van de Ven, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg

This year, the European Research Council approved 314 Consolidator Grants of 2,300 submitted proposals. The funding is awarded solely on the basis of the criteria of scientific excellence.  On  this  occasion,  Carlos  Moedas,  European  Commissioner  for  Research,  Science  and  Innovation,  said: "The  ERC  has been  established  to  find the best  quality  in science, to cherish it and support it, making Europe a centre of international scientific excellence.  The  new  grant  winners  have  been  awarded  this  competitive  funding because they are top-notch scientists with truly ground-breaking ideas - investment in  their success will pay back."

Updated: January 16, 2017

JE

 

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