Director

Mónica Bettencourt-Dias is the director of the CRG since May 2026, becoming the first female and first foreign director of the institute. She is also a Group Leader in the Quantitative Cell Biology Programme. An internationally recognised cell biologist, her research investigates the organising principles of living systems through the study of centrosomes and cilia, exploring how their assembly and regulation intersect with development, disease, and evolution.

Bettencourt-Dias obtained her PhD in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from University College London in 2001, where she studied cell cycle regulation during heart regeneration in salamanders. She subsequently carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge, focusing on centrosome biology and cell division, while also completing a diploma in science communication at Birkbeck College. In 2006, she established her independent laboratory at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC) in Portugal, where she built a pioneering research programme on centriole biogenesis, elimination, and the evolution of cell division mechanisms. Prior to joining CRG, she was a Senior Group Leader at the Gulbenkian Institute of Molecular Medicine (GIMM).

Her work has defined fundamental principles of centriole and centrosome biology. Notably, her discovery of PLK4 as the master regulator of centriole formation catalysed a new field of research, with hundreds of subsequent studies and the development of PLK4 inhibitors now in clinical trials for cancer treatment. Her contributions, including conceptual advances such as de novo centriole assembly and regulated centrosome elimination, have reshaped understanding of organelle homeostasis and opened new avenues for therapeutic intervention. She has secured sustained competitive funding, including European Research Council grants and international consortium support.

In addition to her scientific achievements, Bettencourt-Dias has an extensive track record in institutional leadership and science policy. As Director of the IGC from 2018 to 2023, she led a major strategic transformation, strengthening the institute’s international profile, advancing quantitative and “One Health” biology, and deepening engagement with society. During her tenure, she significantly increased the number of ERC grant holders and EMBO members and established key national and international partnerships. At the European level, she has contributed to shaping research policy through roles such as Chair of EU-LIFE and Chair of the EMBO Policy Committee, and through service on multiple scientific advisory, funding, and editorial boards.

As a scientific leader, Bettencourt-Dias is committed to advancing research excellence alongside institutional and societal impact, promoting science that contributes to a healthier, more sustainable, and inclusive future.