The ERC Advanced Grant is one of the funding instruments of the European Research Council (ERC) and aims to provide established, leading scientists with a proven track-record the opportunity to set up ambitious, curiosity-driven research projects.  

A total of 1829 proposals were submitted in this round, out of which 255 eventually made it across the finish line; a success rate of just under 14%.  

An ERC Advanced Grant amounts to a maximum of €2.5 million, most intended to create research positions. It is estimated that this round will lead to almost 2,500 new jobs for (young) researchers.  

Belgium and the Netherlands saw 9 and 23 proposals honoured, respectively, across the three categories: Physical Sciences and Engineering, Life Sciences and Social Sciences and Humanities.  

Among the laureates from the first two categories are four KNCV members and one NVBMB member: 

NVBMB-member René Bernards, Netherlands Cancer Institute 

project: PARADOX — Paradoxical activation of oncogenic signaling as a cancer treatment strategy  

KNCV-member Roberta Croce, VU Amsterdam 

project: FARED WELL — Photosynthesis in far-red: from cyanobacteria to plants 

KNCV-member Petra de Jongh, Utrecht University  

project: PromSusCat — How a pinch of salt makes all the difference for sustainable fuels and chemicals; The role of promoters to catalyse the production of low carbon fuels 

KNCV-member Albert Heck, Utrecht University 

project: REVAMP — REVisiting Antibody structures and repertoires through advances in Mass spectrometry and Proteomics  

KNCV-member Jan van Hest, Eindhoven University of Technology  

project: PRO-ARTIS — Protein-regulated artificial cell populations and tissues 

Overview of all laureates and facts & figures on the ERC Advanced Grants 2023