14/04/2023

The two researchers will receive a total of 5.5M€ to support their research projects over the next five years.

The project led by Mariana Gomes de Pinho (who has already won two previous ERC grants) will address the problematic of multidrug-resistant bacteria. This study aims to uncover links between major cell cycle events such as DNA replication and cell wall construction. This knowledge will be key to identify bacterial vulnerabilities that can be exploited in the context of more effective antibiotic treatments.

Isabel Gordo will focus her study on how the diversity of bacteria in the gut is shaped by natural selection, more concretely in the context of diseases such as obesity and inflammatory bowel diseases. This research aims to unveil how the human and animal microbiomes can eventually be modulated to improve health and reduce the impact of several diseases in society.

This year, 544M€ from the ERC Advanced Grant program have been attributed to 218 researchers. The four researchers awarded in Portugal (including Maria Mota from IMM and Henrique Veiga-Fernandes from Champalimaud Foundation) are working in Life Sciences in the Lisbon area and will receive a total of 11.5M€, setting a new record for the country in terms of ERC funding.