Cecília Roque at UCiBio@REQUIMTE wins an ERC Starting Grant

Cecília Roque will receive funding for the next five years, of about 1.5 million euros. With this award, the researcher will study how to detect and identify microorganisms in a faster and non-evasive way through the odours released by these microorganisms. “This is possible by using novel materials developed in our lab that can change their proprieties in the presence of odours”, explains Cecília Roque, also professor at the Chemistry Department at FCT / UNL.

“Current methods for microbial detection in clinical settings take about 24 to 36 h, but for slow-growing bacteria, as those causing tuberculosis, it can take more than a week. Consequently, there is a delay on the prescription of the adequate antibiotic. With this new technology it will be possible a rapid identification of the microorganisms responsible for the bacterial infections, namely those with acquired antimicrobial-resistances”, says the researcher.

In practice, with this new technique, it will be possible to save on diagnosis tests, as well as on economic and human costs related to the abusive use of antibiotics. On the other hand, early-detection and confinement of the infected individuals are the only ways to provide adequate therapy and control infection spread. “It is an enormous acknowledgment of our work and ideas. It is an inspiration and motivation to continue my research path”, highlights Cecília Roque.

Set up in 2007 by the EU, the European Research Council is the first pan-European funding organisation for frontier research. It aims to stimulate scientific excellence in Europe by encouraging competition for funding between the very best, creative researchers of any nationality and age. The ERC operates according to an 'investigator-driven', or 'bottom-up', approach, allowing researchers to identify new opportunities in any field of research, without thematic priorities. Since 2007, the ERC has funded over 4,000 projects throughout Europe.

This year, five Starting Grants were awarded to researchers working in Portugal. 

In addition to Cecília Roque, Nuno Alves and Ana Carvalho (both at the IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular), Raquel Oliveira (Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência) and Megan Carey (Champalimaud Foundation) will be given an ERC Starting Grant.