The European Research Council (ERC) has announced winners of its latest Advanced Grants competition, awarding €721 million to 281 leading researchers across Europe.
Part of the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, this prestigious funding allows senior researchers to pursue ambitious projects that could lead to major scientific breakthroughs.
The work of the awarded researchers will cover a wide range of subjects: from developing a preventive vaccine for hereditary breast cancer and investigating how diet and exercise affect brain cells related to ageing, to creating AI digital twins that mirror and enhance human thought and social skills, and exploring the hidden oceans on Jupiter’s and Saturn’s moons.
“These ERC grants are our commitment to making Europe the world’s hub for excellent research,” said research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva: “By supporting projects that have the potential to redefine whole fields, we are not just investing in science but in the future prosperity and resilience of our continent. In the next competition rounds, scientists moving to Europe will receive even greater support in setting up their labs and research teams here.”
The winning researchers will be based at universities and research centres in 23 EU Member States and associated countries, notably in the UK (56 grants), Germany (35), Italy (25), the Netherlands (24), and France (23). Among the winners are 45 Germans, 37 Italians, 26 Britons and 22 French, as well as researchers of 28 other nationalities.
This competition attracted 2,534 proposals, which were reviewed by panels of internationally renowned researchers. Over eleven percent of proposals were selected for funding. Estimates show that the grants will create approximately 2,700 jobs in the teams of new grantees.
