Dr hab. Kinga Kamieniarz-Gdula from UAM in Poznań has received a Proof of Concept Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). She will use the €150,000 grant to conduct a study in molecular biology.
The names of the Proof of Concept ERC grant winners were announced on Thursday. Dr hab. Kamieniarz-Gdula is the only one from Poland among the 134 laureates.
The researcher will carry out a project in the area of molecular biology in cancer therapy. As she explains, current cancer therapies often focus only on a few specific molecular targets, which allows pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs more quickly and effectively.
“However, this method is not always suitable for the complexity of the disease—cancer cells can change their nature over time and become resistant to the drugs administered,” Kamieniarz-Gdula explained to PAP.
photo by Adrian Wykrota
She added that cancers have their weak points, too. “It was recently discovered that the Achilles’ heel of cancer cells is the final stage of transcribing genetic information from a gene (DNA molecule) to RNA. Most human genes have several alternative ends, and choosing the right one can affect the final product, which is the protein. To use this knowledge in potential cancer therapy, I developed an innovative method with Dr. Martyna Plens-Gałąska to search for new drugs that direct the choice of where a gene ends,” she informed.
The strategy designed by the researchers is unique because it allows for high-throughput and direct monitoring of this process. As part of the new Proof of Concept grant, Kinga Kamieniarz-Gdula and her team plan to test thousands of potential drugs and further develop the method they created. This strategy is expected to lead to finding new and more effective therapies for cancer patients in the future.
The ERC Proof of Concept is a grant intended for researchers who have already carried out a research grant from the European Research Council (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, or Synergy). The Proof of Concept grant involves the commercialization of research results achieved in a previous project or their societal potential use. The aim of the grant is, among others, to verify a research concept and engage external partners. The funding amount is €150,000, and the grant is awarded for a period of 18 months.
In the final round of the 2024 European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept grant competition, 134 projects will receive support, bringing the total number of grants awarded under the 2024 work programme to 245 worth €36.75 million. Each grant is worth €150,000 and helps ERC grantees to bridge the gap between the results of their pioneering research and the early phases of its commercialisation. The grant scheme is part of the EU’s research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe.
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