Image courtesy Department of Chemistry Photography
Dr Gonçalo Bernardes has been awarded a European Research Council starting grant, designed for talented young research leaders.
The grant will help Gonçalo and his research group develop a new approach to the labelling and study of disease-associated proteins that are difficult to access using conventional protein labelling methods. This ‘minimal-tag bioorthogonal labelling approach’ constitutes the first integrated, interdisciplinary approach for the development of protein drug-conjugates and their uptake, traffic and delivery.
ERC starting grants are designed to encourage young talented research leaders to promote their independence and to build their own careers.
Goncalo has received the maximum funding per grant of €1.5 million for five years. The sole evaluation criterion is scientific excellence of the researcher and the research proposal.
The Bernardes research group conducts research into site-selective chemical protein modification and its use to probe biological systems and to develop targeted therapeutics. This research lies at the interface of Chemistry and Biology.