European Research Council (ERC) decided to support Dr Winiarska’s project entitled “Searching for novel strategies improving cancer immunotherapy (STIMUNO)”. The main goal of this project is to perform a fundamental exploration of new pathways involved in the regulation of antitumor immune response. Since the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment constitutes a key barrier to effective immunotherapy, Dr Winiarska’s team is specifically interested in characterization of novel, hitherto unknown metabolic changes that can help tumor cells escape from the immune surveillance and survive.
The European Research Council forms a part of the first pillar - 'Excellent Science' of the new EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation “Horizon 2020”. ERC provides funding to enable talented and creative individual researchers and their teams to open up new research paths in all fields of science. Receiving an ERC grant indicates primarily tremendous scientific prestige. Awarded financial resources are earmarked for research at the highest level, employment of young scientists, including scientists with experience gained in international research centers.
From among those awarded with ERC grants, 6 persons received the Nobel Prize, 4 Fields medal, 5 Wolf award.
Over the years, Polish scientists have obtained, respectively:
- in the 7th Framework Program, a total of 29 grants: 15 in Polish host institutions and 14 in foreign;
- in the Horizon 2020 Program, a total of 27 grants: 11 in Polish host institutions and 18 in foreign.
We do believe that the grant awarded to Dr. Winiarska will significantly contribute to new discoveries in the field of cancer immunotherapy, and to the development of this fascinating field of research at the Medical University of Warsaw.
Full list of laureates is available at: https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document/file/erc_2018_stg_results_all_domains.pdf