ERA Chair Life Sciences Program to EmpoweR moleculAr aNd struCtural biology initiativEs at UPAT

ongoing

UPAT is the third largest university in Greece and widely recognized as an excellent knowledge and research hub. The UPAT Departments of Medicine and Pharmacy reached their high standards by combining efforts of their cell biology, biophysics and structural biology research teams. In fact, their broad set of state-of-the-art equipment was recently combined into a national research infrastructure, also operating -albeit at modest level- in European biomedical and structural biology initiatives. Thus far, the huge research and innovation potential of these UPAT groups are not yet fully exploited. The ESPERANCE project therefore aspires to expand and intensify their concerted actions by adding a part-time ERA Chair holder. This new group for ‘integrative molecular biophysics and structural biology’ will glue together the current research and education environment by boosting collaborative science and providing synergy. He will participate in training and be instrumental in developing UPAT’s national and international visibility by boosting translational research and open access opportunities for the UPAT research facilities. To achieve such ambitious goals, a very talented, respected, internationally operating Greek biophysicist, structural biologist and research facility architect from The Netherlands Cancer Institute has been attracted. Supported by his skilled local staff, he will participate in many activities to optimize local strategies for the UPAT research groups and infrastructure towards future sustainability. ESPERANCE incorporates elaborate programs for training early career scientists, for attracting funding and talent, for collaborative actions with industry and for institutional restructuring. The development and enhanced capacity for the UPAT equipment will form an example for other local and nation-wide research infrastructures, and extent UPAT’s excellence, visibility, and competitiveness to benefit Greek research in the European Research Area.