Researchers receive over £12m in grants from the European Research Council

Nine Imperial academics awarded prestigious grants

Tuesday 11 October 2011
by Colin Smith

Nine Imperial College London researchers are beginning new projects this autumn, after winning more than €12 million in grants from the European Research Council (ERC).

The Imperial researchers have received ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grants, which aim to support up-and-coming research leaders who are about to establish or consolidate a research team and to start conducting independent research. Competition for the awards is fierce, with only around 400 granted annually across all the member states of the European Union.

Professor Sir Keith O’Nions, FRS, Rector of Imperial College London, says:

“I know I speak on behalf of the heads of each faculty and the College generally when I say congratulations to all our ERC grant recipients on a job well done. These grants are really important because they give academics the flexibility to further develop their own research direction. Glancing back at the early stages of my career, I know what an important boost funds like this can do for your research. We look forward to watching how you progress with your research in the coming years.”

This year’s recipients span the College’s Faculties of Engineering, Medicine and Natural Sciences. They are Drs Thomas Anthopoulos, Department of Physics ; Joshua Edel, Department of Chemistry ; Darrel Francis, National Heart and Lung Institute ; Pier Luigi Dragotti, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering ; Andre Neves, Department of Mathematics ; Robert Endres, Division of Molecular Biosciences ; Natasa Przujl, Department of Computing ; and Natalie Stingelin, Department of Materials.

Scroll through the slideshow (below) to view a selection of this year’s ERC grant recipients and about their projects.