Fredrik Bäckhed and his research team have received a major grant from the European Research Council, ERC. This consolidator grant is one of Europe’s most prestigious research grants.
”This gives our team a stamp of quality and we are delighted. The grant is 17 million Swedish crowns over five years, enabling us to continue developing our research at Göteborg university”, says Fredrik Bäckhed, a professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy Department of Medicine.
Competition for this grant is fierce and this year the Council received 3 673 applications. Last autumn Fredrik Bäckhed travelled to Brussels for an interview at which 14 international researchers in the jury questioned him. Last Friday the good news came from the ERC that his application has been granted. This also brings him the vice-chancellor’s joint financing, a further 750 000 crowns a year from 2014 to 2018.
”Over and above the honour itself, this means we can go on concentrating on our research for another five years at full speed. And what’s more it shows that the EU Research Council values our work, and this makes us proud”.
Fredrik Bäckhed’ research team is investigating how intestinal flora in humans affect their metabolism. Among other things the team are identifying bacteria that are risk factors for heart-lung disorders.
By: MONICA HAVSTRÖM
