PRESS RELEASE

BRFAA welcomes European Research Council President Professor Maria Leptin
Frontier research funding and strengthening Greece’s participation in the ERC at the heart of the event

The Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA) welcomed Professor Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council (ERC), on October 20th 2026, for a visit and a high level meeting dedicated to scientific excellence, research funding opportunities and prospects for strengthening Greece’s participation in the ERC.

During her visit, Professor Leptin toured BRFAA’s premises and research facilities, met researchers, including ERC grantees, and learned about their scientific research. She then met with Professor Lucas Papademos, President of BRFAA’s Board of Director, and Dr Constantin Tamvakopoulos, President of BRFAA’s Scientific Board.

The event opened with welcome remarks by Professor - Academician Lucas Papademos, Dr Constantin Tamvakopoulos and Professor Themis Alissafi, ERC Ambassador to Greece. Professor Leptin delivered the keynote address, followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

Dr Elisavet Karaiskou, National Expert of Greece to the ERC Programme Committee, General Secretariat for Research and Innovation, presented Greece’s current ERC performance and participation statistics. The ERC National Contact Points in Greece, PRAXI Network, outlined forthcoming changes looking ahead to 2027, including new eligibility windows and support services available to prospective applicants.

Professor Themis Alissafi, ERC Ambassador to Greece, and Professor Phoebe Koundouri, ERC Ambassador to Cyprus, discussed the role of ERC Ambassadors in engaging with the research community and encouraging prospective applicants. The discussion focused on the Ambassadors’ contribution to informing and encouraging the research community.

A round table discussion on how ERC funding shapes scientific careers brought together Dr Alceste Bonanos, Dr Panayiota Poirazi, Professor Nikolaos Chronis and Professor Themis Alissafi. Drawing on their experiences as ERC grantees, the speakers discussed the contribution of ERC funding to the development of their research and scientific careers.

The event concluded with a discussion on concrete actions to strengthen Greece’s performance in ERC funding calls. Participants included Professor Maria Leptin, Professor Phoebe Koundouri and Dr Georges Kotrotsios, National Representative to the ERC Programme Committee, Chair of the Sectorial Scientific Committee for Scientific Diaspora and Technology Diplomacy, and Member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences.

The visit and event at BRFAA provided an opportunity for direct dialogue between the Greek research community and the ERC President, connecting the experience of established grantees with information and support for the next generation of applicants.