Italia on the podium for research funding

At least when it comes to the ERC’s ‘Proof of Concept’ grants, Italia is on the podium. Out of 182 supplementary mini-grants of €150,000 for projects enabling scientists (who have already won a call for proposals) to explore the commercial or social potential of their research findings, as many as 18 went to a host institution in our country. We are tied with France and ahead of Spain (which has secured just 13 grants), but behind Germany and the Netherlands, which have secured 31 and 27 respectively.

In total, the European Research Council has awarded 27.3 million for the latest ‘Proof of Concept’ projects. Given that 554 applications were received – a 15 per cent increase compared with the first round last year – approximately one in three was selected. Of the 182 projects selected, 54% relate to the physical sciences and engineering, 37% to the life sciences and 8% to the social sciences and humanities.

The areas of research are extremely varied. The researchers will develop bio-inspired electronic devices, 3D-printed and made from soft materials; they will create a tool to help doctors preserve speech centres during epilepsy surgery; and they will develop a ‘off-the-shelf’ vaccine against breast cancer, which could be effective for many patients and thus avoid the need for personalised treatments.

Of the 18 initiatives that will be established in our country, three will be hosted by the Politecnico di Milano.

Close behind, with two grants each, are the Politecnico di Milano, San Raffaele (one for the IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and another for the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University) and the University of Milan.