Two New ERC Consolidator Grants at CiQUS

CiQUS, a research centre affiliated with the USC and part of the CIGUS Network —an initiative promoted by the Xunta de Galicia, bringing together centres within the system that have demonstrated scientific excellence— has secured two new projects funded under the ERC Consolidator Grant scheme.

The ERC grants have been awarded to Julián Bergueiro and Sara Abalde-Cela, a recognition that represents an outstanding achievement and significantly advances their scientific careers.

Julián Bergueiro, currently a researcher at CiQUS, will lead ChiroPore, a project proposing an innovative approach to achieving selective molecular transport across membranes. This represents a key challenge in biotechnology and supramolecular chemistry. Inspired by natural molecular recognition mechanisms, the project proposes a “lock-and-key” type system based on helical structures capable of distinguishing molecules with high precision.

This strategy will enable the design of synthetic pores with advanced functionalities, opening new possibilities for controlled drug delivery, the development of biosensors and cell communication.

Meanwhile, Sara Abalde-Cela, who holds a PhD from the University of Vigo and is currently a researcher at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) in Portugal, will carry out her project OBSERVER at CiQUS. The aim is to study cell–cell communication as a dynamic, multilevel process, overcoming the limitations of current techniques. The project will develop an optofluidic platform to co-encapsulate cancer and immune cells at single-cell level, monitor their interactions in real time and subsequently analyse their gene expression. This technology will enable deeper exploration of complex processes related to metastasis and will open new avenues in microfluidics, nanobiosensors and advanced data analysis.

These two projects are among the 349 selected for funding in a call that received more than 3,000 applications. ERC Consolidator Grants are aimed at researchers at the consolidation stage of their careers, with an outstanding scientific track record and highly innovative projects, and represent one of the most competitive funding schemes in Europe.

With these new awards, CiQUS now totals 17 ERC-funded projects, distributed among 12 researchers at the centre who have received support from the programme across its different schemes (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, Synergy and Proof of Concept).