Babraham researcher awarded €1.5M grant from the European Research Council

24 October 2011

Dr Marc Veldhoen, a Group Leader at the Babraham Institute, has been awarded a prestigious grant by the European Research Council (ERC). His €1.5M award from the ERC will enable further investigation into understanding how cells of the immune system interact with microbes in the gut to influence immunity, metabolism and potentially safeguard the gut from inflammatory disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The ERC is supporting around 480 early-career researchers over the coming five years with grants worth up to €2 million each. In this fourth 'ERC Starting Grant' competition, just over €670 million has been allocated to top talent to carry out their pioneering research in any domain throughout Europe.

Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn commented, "ERC grants are now highly coveted in the research community, not least among younger researchers who often struggle to find funding. I am committed to ensuring that the ERC can continue funding the "cream of the crop". This helps make Europe more competitive on the world stage and contributes to making the Innovation Union a reality."

The Babraham Institute, which receives strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), undertakes world-leading life sciences research to generate new knowledge of biological mechanisms underpinning ageing, development and the maintenance of health. Professor Michael Wakelam, Babraham's Director said, "We are delighted that Marc's research has been recognised by the ERC. It will enable further work to be conducted into the mechanisms behind intestinal inflammation, which is of direct relevance to promoting a healthier lifespan, supporting BBSRC's mission to drive advances in fundamental bioscience for better health and wellbeing."

With a success rate of only 12% the number of applicants increased by 42% to over 4000 in 2011. ERC President Prof. Helga Nowotny said, "The marked increase in applications does not come as a surprise. It confirms that demand for ERC funding continues unabatedly and I can confirm that the scientific quality remains extremely high. We need to continue to invest in our brightest talent, notably in these times of economic crisis, as they are key to Europe's future prosperity. So far, the ERC has supported over 2200 frontier researchers and their ground-breaking work in Europe, and many of these projects are starting to bear fruit. The focus of our next efforts will be on attracting more top talent from overseas."

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