Four Oxford academics receive ERC Synergy Grants to address complex scientific problems — University of Oxford, Medical Sciences Division

This year, 57 research projects were awarded a Synergy Grant out of 548 submitted proposals, a success rate of approximately 10.4%. The Grants, worth up to 14 million Euros over a 6-year period, support groups of researchers to use innovative approaches to tackle complex scientific problems.

Among the awarded academics, one is from the Medical Science Division:

Professor Elena Seiradake (Department of Biochemistry and Kavli Institute for NanoScience Discovery) will be co-leading a project to uncover the mechanisms driving aggressive cancer cell behaviours in paediatric tumours. This will build on recent research on neuroblastoma cells (a cancer of early nerve cells in children), which found these use a receptor called UNC5 to migrate and form tumours. The project will take an innovative approach by integrating molecular and structural biology technology with targeted, structure-based experiments to precisely investigate different UNC5 interactions. Ultimately, the team aim to provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms behind neuroblastoma and other paediatric cancers, potentially paving the way for novel therapeutic strategies.

Professor Seiradake said: ‘Cutting-edge research requires international collaboration that brings together the best teams for the job. I am thrilled about the opportunity to work with the outstanding students and staff in my team here at Oxford, and with our collaborators in France and Spain, to address this very important research question.’

Congratulations to all the awardees!

Read the full story on the University of Oxford website.