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Team members

Team membersTeam members

 

Natalia Dave

Head of Strategy and Funding

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Co-coordinate the team and activities
  • Support the CRG Director in the development and implementation of strategic and institutional initiatives
  • Develop new opportunities for funding and collaborations
  • Coordinate science policy activities (research data management, ethics, open science)

Natalia graduated from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) with a PhD in biophysics. She has over 10 years of research experience in biophysics, proteomics and molecular biology. She also has several years-experience in academic (UAB & UPF) and non-academic trainings. Since 2018 she also expert reviewer for European grants and is trainer of grant writing courses at the PRBB. She chairs the research data management committee at the CRG. After more than 6 years working as a scientific project manager, managing projects and writing European coordinated grants at the ISA office, she became Deputy Head of the Strategy and Funding team last February 2022. 

CONTACT


 

 

Jonas Krebs

Project Management Coordinator

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Supervise and coordinate the Projects area and the Scientific Project Managers
  • Manage coordinated European projects and institutional projects/initiatives
  • Support the preparation of new proposals
 

Jonas received his PhD in plant  molecular  biology in  2010  from  the  University of  Potsdam,  Germany. Since then, he worked  in  different  institutions  and  roles  in  the  field  of  project  development,  research  management,  internationalization and professional networking. In 2014 he specialized on European research funding and  received  the  certificate  “EU-Liaison  officer”  of  the  German  Federal  Ministry  of  Education  and  Research. In 2015, Jonas joined CRG as scientific project manager, since 2022 he has the role of the Project Management Coordinator. Jonas is an active member of the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) and co-founder and current Chair of its Research Management Working Group. Since 2021 he also acts as an evaluator of MSCA projects for the European Commission.
 

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Gabriele Picarella

Pre-Award Coordinator

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Coordinate and evaluate the operations of the pre-award activities
  • Promote the planning and execution of the funding strategies of the Institute
  • Adopt and implement grant policies and processes

Gabriele has a post-graduate degree in project planning and management of development projects from the University of Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium). He has several years of experience in management of research and competitive funding, which he gained in Italy, UK and Spain. In 2012, he joined the CRG where he focused on European and International projects, then became Head of Grants Office in 2015 and has been coordinating the pre-award activities at the Strategy and Funding team since June 2022.
 

CONTACT


 

 

Alexandros Nikolaou

Senior Scientific Project Manager

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Manage and implement of  EIC collaborative projects TAONas-LUAD coordinated by Juan Valcárcel and PLAST_CELL coordinated by Verena Ruprecht.
  • Identify and promote new funding opportunities
  • Support team activities (institutional, training, new funding opportunities, etc.)

Alexandros holds a PhD in Bio-engineering from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. His research focused on different fields, from Nanobodies and pharmacology to macrophage immunology. Since 2015, he gained experience in the European funding programmes H2020 and Horizon Europe working as a Pre-award Grants Specialist and Scientific Project Manager at CRG, and as Head of the Project Management Office of the Primary Health Care Research Institute (IDIAP Jordi Gol). He also teaches every year the course 'Project management for scientists' at the PRBB.
 

CONTACT


 

 

David Brena

Scientific Project Manager

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Manage and implement two MSCA collaborative projects: EMERALD coordinated by Jorge Ferrer and ChromDesign coordinated by Luciano Di Croce.
  • Identify and promote new funding opportunities
  • Support team activities (institutional, training, new funding opportunities, etc.)
 

David obtained a BASc in Biotechnology engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey, México and worked in a molecular pathology spin-off company from Hospital Ángeles, Puebla, México before deciding to move to Barcelona to pursue a MSc and PhD in Biomedicine, both from the University of Barcelona, trained in Cerón lab at IDIBELL. He is a scientist by training and passion, and a science communication enthusiast looking for new ways of supporting research and researchers. His scientific background is in modeling human diseases in C. elegans, in vivo optimization of CRISPR-Cas systems, and cancer epigenetics. On the personal side, David is a film buff, and guitar and voice of an indie rock local band.
 

CONTACT


 

 

Sara Guerrero

Scientific Project Manager

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Manage and implement two collaborative projects: IMPaCT T2D coordinated by Jorge Ferrer and CorEuStem coordinated by Laura Batlle
  • Identify and promote new funding opportunities
  • Support ISA activities (institutional, training, etc.)
 

Sara obtained a B.Sc. in Chemistry from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid (UCM). She started working as a Project Manager of Electrochemical Sensors and Biosensors Network of the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry while she was getting a M.Sc.  Chemical Science and Technology in 2017.  Then she continued working as a researcher in the Analytical Chemistry Department of UCM, at the same time she finished a Master in Teacher Training. In 2022, she obtained her PhD in the development of electrochemical biosensors for autoimmune diseases diagnosis and started coordinating IMPaCT T2D and CorEuStem projects in the CRG.
 

CONTACT


 

 

Olga Millán

Scientific Project Manager

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Manage two EC Projects: EASI-Genomics coordinated by Ivo Gut and ORION coordinated by Michela Bertero
  • Support the preparation of new grant proposals
  • Member of the EU-Life Grants Working Group
 

Olga got a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid (UCM) in 2000. After over ten years of research experience in cancer, immunology, and the application of molecular imaging to answer biomedical questions, she got a Master's Degree in Leadership and Management of Science and Innovation and formally moved into research management. Since then, she has worked in different biomedical research institutes from the CERCA network. Her expertise includes preclinical and clinical project management, business development, technology transfer, and academic and non-academic training at the national and international levels. She acts as a reviewer for several Funding Agencies. She became scientific project manager at the Strategy and Funding team last 2021.
 

CONTACT


 

 

Silvia Tognetti

Scientific Project Manager

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Management and implementation of the FET Open project ECaBox coordinated by Pia Cosma.
  • Prepare and manage of collaborative projects coordinated at the CRG
  • Support ISA activities (institutional, training, new funding opportunities, etc.)
 

Silvia obtained a B.Sc. in Health Biotechnology and a M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from the University of Padova (Italy). She worked as researcher at University College London (UK) and received her PhD from Imperial College London (UK). She was then a Postdoctoral Fellow at Universitat Pompeu Fabra and IRB Barcelona (Spain) before moving to ICFO as Outreach Project Manager, where she gained experience on the coordination of multidisciplinary European projects. Silvia joined the Startegy and Funding team at the CRG in 2022 and is currently responsible for the management and implementation of the project ECaBox.
 

CONTACT


 

 

Diego Cougil

Senior Grants Specialist

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Identify research funding sources and opportunities
  • Support the preparation of proposals to different research calls
  • Support the management of the Cost Action CorEuStem coordinated by Laura Batlle

Diego obtained a degree in Political Science and Administration and a Master in Economic Development and Innovation from the University of Santiago de Compostela. For the last fourteen years, he has been involved in R&D management, mostly at the university, performing tasks of research support and Human Resources management. He is part of the Pre-Award area of the Strategy and Funding team, supporting the management of research calls. He is also involved in the management of the Cost Action CorEuStem coordinated at the CRG.
 

CONTACT


 

 

Glòria García Negredo

Grants Specialist

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Support the participation in international proposals
  • Liaise with EU and US funding bodies and policies compliance
  • CRG's spokesperson for EU-Life's Grants Working Group 

Glòria received a B.Sc. in Biology, a M.Sc. in Neuroscience and a PhD in Biomedicine from Universitat de Barcelona. She has over 5 years of experience in research management and funding internationalisation. Prior to CRG, she was responsible of international competitive funding promotion and management at a hospital. She is involved in understanding the strategic roadmap and priority areas of European Commission.
 

CONTACT


 

 

Marta Sallés Aromir

Senior Grants Specialist

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Identify suitable funding sources and opportunities
  • Provide professional guidance and support in preparing fellowships' proposals
  • Avice on the ethical aspects of a research proposal

Marta has a degree in biology and more than ten years of experience  in research management at the CRG, particularly in funding for PhD Students and postdocs. She is currently the Ethical Advisor of the team supporting the researchers in the ethical assessment of the proposals and projects. Every year, she is trainer of the "how to write a postdoctoral fellowship" from the PRBB Intervals Programme.
 

CONTACT


 

 

Arantxa Ferrer

Senior Grants Specialist

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Identify suitable funding sources and opportunities
  • Provide professional guidance and support in preparing National & International proposals

Arantxa obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University Rovira i Virgili. She worked there as European Project Manager since 2003 before moving to Deloitte in 2005, where she gave support to obtain financial aid and tax credits for projects aiming to set up new companies and for R+D+I projects, both in Spain and abroad. Arantxa joined CRG in 2007 and she is currently responsible to provide guidance and support in preparing proposals to National and International competitive calls.
 

CONTACT


 

 

Romina Garrido Enamorado

Corporation Project Manager

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Manage institutional repositories
  • Manage and analyse scientific and institutional indicators
  • Provide advice regarding open access

Romina has a degree in information sciences and documentation and more than fifteen years of experience  in research management at the CRG, giving transversal support to scientists. Romina took this position in late 2022 and is currently responsible for the management and implementation of the iMarina tool. She is currently part of the working group of the FECYT working on the improvement of the CVN (Curriculum Vitae Normalizado).

CONTACT


 

 

Marta Agostinho, PhD

EU-LIFE Coordinator (Collaborator hosted at ISA)

 

Key responsibilities are:

  • Implement EU-LIFE strategy, oversee its projects and activities
  • International science policy
  • Create opportunities to promote excellence at scientific and research governance levels

Marta is a scientist turned into knowledge mediator. She is the Coordinator of EU-LIFE, an alliance of leading European research institutes in the life sciences that aims at promoting excellence and acting as a voice for research institutes in the European policy landscape. Marta has 10 years’ experience in knowledge mediation in international settings. Prior to her appointment as EU-LIFE coordinator, she was Director of  a communication, advanced training and funding unit at a research institute; project manager of a large international policy consortium from academia, governments and NGOs; and coordinator of teaching and training courses in science communication and management.
 

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Publications

Bentires-Alj M, Rajan A, van Harten W, van Luenen HG, Kubicek S, Andersen JB, Saarela J, Cook SJ, Van Minnebruggen G, Roman-Roman S, Maurer C, Erler JT, Bertero MG. Stimulating translational research: several European life science institutions put their heads together. Trends Mol Med. 2015 Sep;21(9):525-7. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2015.07.002. Epub 2015 Aug 5. PMID: 26254816
 
Michela Bertero, Chiara Farinelli, and Susi Poli (2012) From Academia to Management and from Management to Academia: The search for a new professional Route. NCURA Magazine, published by the National Council of University Research Administrator (USA).
 
Anne Katrin Werenskiold, Michela Bertero (2012) Communicating research to the general public – tips for improvement EARMA Link, June 2012 Special Edition, European Association of Research Managers and Administrators.
 
Cambon-Thomsen A, Thorisson GA, Mabile L, Andrieu S, Bertier G, et al; BRIF workshop group. The role of a Bioresource Research Impact Factor as an incentive to share human bioresources. Nat Genet. 2011 Jun;43(6):503-4.
 
Abrahams JP, Apweiler R, Balling R, Bertero MG, Bujnicki JM, Chayen NE, Chène P, Corthals GL, Dyl¹g T, Förster F, Heck AJ, Henderson PJ, Herwig R, Jehenson P, Kokalj SJ, Laue E, Legrain P, Martens L, Migliorini C, Musacchio A, Podobnik M, Schertler GF, Schreiber G, Sixma TK, Smit AB, Stuart D, Svergun DI, Taussig MJ."4D Biology for health and disease" workshop report. N Biotechnol. 2010 Oct 15.
 
Michela Bertero Science attracts Spain EMBO reports (2009) 10, 817 – 819.