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IAL

Pushing back the

boundaries of knowledge OR

At the beginning of January, the ERC’s share in the European
EDITORIAL 01 onlookers flocked to the Fagnes, funding of research in universities
ERC REPORT 2 elegantly draped in its white coat. is almost 50%. In the 14 years it has EDIT

After a difficult year, this wintertime existed, ERC funding has become
THE ERC IN BRIEF 4 poetry in the East of our country an extraordinary tool, working
on behalf of research. Selected
ERC PORTRAITS 12 almost made us forget, our gaze independently by their peers based
Consciousness as learning 12 distracted, another, sadder spectacle: on the sole criterion of scientific
the implementation of Brexit and the
Qualidem: the present of the past 13 estrangement of a European partner. excellence – which distinguishes
them from other European funding
Identifying the social rights of migrants 14 Belgium’s national motto has the levers – the researchers who benefit
From hypothesis to hypothesis 15 merit of being true: unity is strength. from the prestigious ERC grants now
have great freedom which, when all
The same also applies to scientific
The lung’s immune system 16 research. In this regard, there is one is said and done, sometimes has a
Looking for the perfect transporter 17 thing that warms our hearts: the remarkable impact on society.
And there was light! 18 united way in which the various Think, for example, of the
parties in the European scientific
Security without obscurity 19 community have defended the contributions by Professor Uğur
Şahin and Dr Özlem Türeci, the duo
Journey to the Centre of the Earth 20 retention of a significant part of the at the head of BioNTech, the partner
funding of the European Research of Pfizer for the development of a
THE NCP-FNRS 21 Council (ERC) in the new framework vaccine against Covid-19. It is their
FROM ONE HORIZON TO THE OTHER 22 programme 2021-2027. The objective research for a messenger RNA
has been achieved because, thanks
THE ACADEMY’S POINT OF VIEW 26 to the broad-based mobilisation vaccine against cancer, funded
in particular by the ERC, that has
FNRS.AWARDS 28 of opinion and despite the various been applied so successfully in the
threats and difficult negotiations, the
ERC finally represents almost 17% of current health emergency to combat
Coronavirus. This alone is a dazzling
the funding for “Horizon Europe”.
demonstration of the relevance of the
The issue is an important one. In ERC’s gamble of placing its trust in
the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, excellence.
At a time of social distancing and
checkpoints, research institutions
have pulled out all the stops to
continue pushing back the boundaries
of knowledge. The funding provided
by the ERC constitutes a significant
tool in making sure that this future
does actually arrive.

Vincent Blondel,
Belgium’s national President of the F.R.S.-FNRS
motto has the merit
of being true: unity
FNRS.news is published by the Fund for An electronic version of FNRS.news is Contributors to this issue:
Scientific Research – FNRS. available from www.fnrs.news. Colette Barbier, Marie-Françoise Dispa, Henri is strength.
Reproduction of articles published is not Publisher: Véronique Halloin, Secretary Dupuis, Thibault Grandjean, Céline Husson, - FNRS.NEWS 121 - FEBRUARY 2021
permitted without the prior consent of General, rue d’Egmont 5 - 1000 Brussels. Julie Luong, Sylvie Paeleman, Caroline The same also
the Fund for Scientific Research – FNRS, Editor in Chief: Éric Winnen Paquay, Natacha Wittorski, Laurent Zanella.
stating their origin. Editorial secretary: Céline Husson Acknowledgments: The editorial team would applies to scientific
Production: www.chriscom.eu fnrs.news@frs-fnrs.be like to thank all those who contributed to the research.”
production of these articles and illustrations.

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