Team
Meet the team
Strategy and Funding (SaF) is an international team of interdisciplinary and expert professionals in areas ranging from life sciences, chemistry and philosophy to project management and impact. The team is dedicated to supporting the CRG's mission through strategic initiatives, scientific project management, securing funding and fostering research quality. By working closely with the CRG Director, the team is committed to facilitating collaboration and growth, ensuring CRG remains at the forefront of life sciences.
Head
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Main responsibilities:
Natalia is responsible for coordinating the team and its activities. She works closely with the CRG Director to develop and implement strategic and institutional initiatives. Her role also involves identifying and fostering new opportunities for funding and collaborations. Additionally, Natalia oversees science policy activities, including research data management, ethics, and open science.
Profesional experience:
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.
Area Coordinators
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Main responsibilities:
As Coordinator of Strategic Projects, Jonas leads high-impact initiatives at CRG, guides a team of Scientific Project Managers, and develops CRG-led proposals. He ensures that strategic collaborations, funding opportunities, and project workflows align with institutional priorities.
Profesional experience:
With over 14 years of experience managing large-scale, multidisciplinary projects in the life sciences, Jonas brings extensive expertise in strategic initiative development, research management, and international collaboration. He holds a PhD in molecular biology (University of Potsdam, 2010) and has served in various roles at research institutions, universities, and research networks, focusing on EU funding, policy advising, and project execution. A certified EU-Liaison Officer and PMP, Jonas adeptly integrates project management frameworks, AI-driven tools, and design thinking to streamline processes. He has contributed to science policy recommendations at the European Commission level through his engagement in the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) and fostered significant partnerships by engaging in global research management networks.
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Main responsibilities:
He oversees the activities of the Pre-Award area and its progress towards the objectives of the department and the Strategic Plan of the institute. In particular, he promotes the deployment of funding strategies, the analysis of funding needs and performance assessment, as well as the establishment of effective internal processes. Gabriele performs management activities within the context of the ELITE project. He sometimes works as a go-to problem solver, the person everyone turns to when they need a tip, but aren't sure who to ask. Is your question off-topic or way outside his job? Somehow, he might know that too.
Profesional experience:
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.
Besides that, he enjoys travelling, exploring new places and experiencing different cultures. Also, he likes doing and watching sport, especially the Olympics, as he gets amazed by the stories of struggle and strenght of the athletes!
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Main responsibilities:
As Research Quality Area coordinator, Silvia oversees interdisciplinary scientific practices, including open access, ethics, and data management, to develop a framework for impact enhancement. She ensures alignment with the evolving landscape of research assessment while supporting principles of fairness, openness, and sustainability. Her responsibilities as Project Manager comprise supporting strategic proposal preparations and managing collaborative projects, coordinating with relevant stakeholders to deliver impactful results.
Profesional experience:
Silvia obtained a B.Sc. in Health Biotechnology and an M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from the University of Padova, Italy. She worked as a biomedical researcher at University College London and earned her PhD from Imperial College London, UK. Subsequently, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Universitat Pompeu Fabra and IRB Barcelona before joining ICFO as an Outreach Project Manager. Silvia started at CRG in 2022 as a Scientific Project Manager and was appointed Coordinator of the Research Quality Area in 2023. Silvia has extensive experience in managing multidisciplinary and collaborative projects and is committed to promoting impactful research through equity, transparency, and sustainability.
Team members
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Main responsibilities:
Glòria's responsibilities include overseeing, managing, and curating CRG's scientific publications, ensuring compliance with CRG and funding agency policies, and promoting Open Access whenever possible. She addresses queries, enhances visibility, and collects research indicators for funding bodies, internal reports, and various networks, including BIST, SoMMa, and EULife. As an active participant in these communities, she contributes to working groups focused on scientific production and science culture. Additionally, she works to align CRG's research assessment with CoARA principles.
Profesional experience:
Glòria holds a B.Sc. in Biology and an M.Sc. in Neuroscience. She completed her PhD in Biomedicine at the Universitat de Barcelona, supported by EMBO and Boehringer Ingelheim fellowships for electrophysiology training at University College London. With over six years of experience in research management and funding internationalisation, she has liaised with numerous funding agencies and research institutes. She now aims to leverage this expertise to review and optimise CRG's scientific output and production indicators, aligning the institution’s principles with CoARA, and positioning CRG in this field.
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Main responsibilities:
As Impact and Quality manager, Carmen works to strengthen the scientific and social impact of research. She helps write proposals, look for funding, manage projects, and draft CRG´s policies and impact narratives. She is also involved in training activities inside and outside the CRG (for example, PhD courses on Open Science, and on the sex/gender dimension in research).
Additionally, Carmen supports the coordination of the PROTrEIN MSCA Doctoral Network.
Profesional experience:
After obtaining my PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Glasgow, Carmen gained experience in various scientific careers: as a scientific editor for PLOS, a post-doc in Santiago de Compostela, and now in research management at CRG. Thanks to these experiences, she learned the many trappings of scientific publishing; what makes a project interesting in the eyes of reviewers and funders; and how communication and citizen engagement can help a project achieve meaningful social impact. She is a strong supporter of open science, and she loves helping researchers adopt policies for fairer, ethical, inclusive science. In her free time, she mostly reads (Angela Saini is a great favourite for science communication and policy), and swims at the nearby gym.
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Main responsibilities:
David manages international coordinated projects and consortia. He supports biodiversity initiatives in genomics, metagenomics, and transcriptomics at CRG, including the development of new strategic alliances. David supports CRG researchers in developing, reviewing, and refining strategic grant proposals, ensuring the highest standards of quality and competitiveness. Additionally, David contributes to grants intelligence and digital transformation management, including state-of-the-art Generative AI tools to identify emerging opportunities and integrate these tools to enhance research management workflows and institutional efficiency. At present, he manages Biodiversity Cell Atlas (BCA) initiative and EMERALD, the International PhD Programme for Medical Doctors.
Profesional experience:
David is an experienced scientist and project manager with extensive expertise in coordinating international research consortia and leading strategic scientific initiatives. With a B.A.Sc. in Biotechnology Engineering (Monterrey Institute of Technology, Mexico) and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biomedicine (University of Barcelona), David’s research background includes disease modeling, gene editing, epigenetics, and oncology.
Currently, he specializes in managing large-scale collaborative projects, including MSCA training networks and biodiversity genomics initiatives, while also playing a pivotal role in scientific writing.
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Main responsibilities:
Sara’s main role is to support and coordinate collaborative research projects, with a focus on early-stage and biodiversity research. Her key responsibilities include facilitating efficient communication, supporting the timely submission of high-quality deliverables, and contributing to communication and dissemination activities, as well as in the valorization of research outcomes. In addition, she contributes to write new funding proposals with a focus on early-stage, high-risk projects. Sara is currently coordinating the EIC Pathfinder PLAST_CELL and the PyriSentinel project funded by POCTEFA.
Profesional experience:
Sara obtained a B.Sc. in Human Biology from Universitat Pompeu Fabra and an M.Sc. in Biotechnology from the University of Copenhagen. She then completed her PhD in Molecular Biochemistry at Ruhr University, where she investigated the modulation of transmembrane lipid transport. Following her PhD, she continued as a PostDoc at the same institution. During this time, she participated in collaborative research projects, supported the development of proposals, trained students, and contributed to team and faculty scientific dissemination activities. Sara joined the SaF team as a scientific project manager in March 2024.
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Main responsibilities:
As project manager specialized on early innovation projects, Alba’s key activities revolve around coordinating stakeholders and overseeing the management of resources and budgets to ensure project timelines and quality. She develops strategies for the valorization of research outcomes, working closely with Tech Transfer Offices. Additionally, Alba contributes on writing new funding proposals with a focus on early innovation coordinated projects. She currently coordinates the EIC Transition project TAONas-LUAD and is also contributing to the ARPA-H-funded project RESCUE.
Profesional experience:
Alba holds a degree in Biomedicine, a Master's in Neuroscience, and a Ph.D. on the neural mechanisms of acute and chronic itch. After completing a research internship at the National Institute of Health (NIH, Bethesda, USA), she transitioned from laboratory research to innovation project management at IGTP (Badalona, Spain). Alba is dedicated to bridging the gap between science and management, that’s why she now coordinates international consortia specifically focused on translational innovations. Moreover, she has had the opportunity to explore other interest of her such as teaching and participating in science outreach activities.
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Main responsibilities:
She manages and implements two collaborative projects: IMPaCT T2D coordinated by Jorge Ferrer and CorEuStem coordinated by Laura Batlle
Carmen also works on identifing and promoting new funding opportunities and supports SAF activities (institutional, training, etc.).
Profesional experience:
Carmen holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Medical Biotechnology from the University of Naples Federico II, specializing in molecular oncology. Her research journey began at the Sahlgrenska Cancer Center in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she worked as a staff scientist studying papillary thyroid cancer. She later moved to Barcelona to pursue her PhD at EMBL Barcelona in the Haase Lab, developing a cutting-edge 3D platform using microfluidic technology to study mammary microvessels in breast cancer. Carmen is passionate about science communication and has actively worked to make cancer research more accessible and engaging for the public. She is now channeling her dedication to supporting the scientific community through science management.
Outside of work, Carmen enjoys activities that spark creativity and loves finding new ways to bring that energy into her personal and professional life.
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Main responsibilities:
Eva manages and implements the strategic omics technology network "OMICSTECH" (coordinated by Eduard Sabidó) and the ARPA-H-funded project "RESCUE" (coordinated by Pia Cosma). She also prepares and manages collaborative projects coordinated at the CRG and supports team activities, including training initiatives and identifying new funding opportunities.
Profesional experience:
Eva obtained an M.Sc. in Medical Biotechnology from the University of Federico II in Naples, Italy, followed by a PhD in Human Genetics at the TIGEM Institute, also in Naples. For her postdoctoral training, she joined the Institute of Biology at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. Subsequently, she became tenured Assistant Professor at the University of Paris Cité, specializing in Development and Evolution. Drawn by new opportunities and a sunnier climate, Eva moved to Barcelona, where she joined Anaxomics Biotech. There, she led AI-driven healthcare projects and oversaw the development of scientific publications. In 2024, she joined the Strategy and Funding team, eager to contribute to impactful, cross-functional initiatives that advance innovation.
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Main responsibilities:
André identifies external funding sources and opportunities for dissemination within the CRG scientific and technological groups, supports grant proposal preparation, with a special focus on individual fellowships for PhD students and post-docs and coordinates the acceptance process of grants with internal departments. He advises on ethics, manages approval processes with Ethics Committees, and ensures compliance with ethical standards and funder requirements. Additionally, André oversees the life-cycle of applications for prizes and awards provided by national and international foundations that recognize achievements in science and research, including scouting, publishing, and support applications.
Profesional experience:
André is a Grants Specialist with an academic background in Philosophy and Education. He has been working in Research Management at CRG, handling pre-award grants and individual fellowships, and providing support for ethical aspects in research proposals.
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Main responsibilities:
Mauro fosters connections both within the organization and with external collaborators, developing partnerships with hospitals, academic institutions, and other stakeholders. He facilitates the design, development, and assembly of new collaborative projects. Additionally, he analyzes and benchmarks funding programs while promoting new opportunities.
Profesional experience:
Mauro was awarded a PhD in Biochemistry by the University of Bath, where he worked on creating sustainable palm oil substitutes trough yeast fermentation. He expanded on this work, developing synthetic biology tools for tailored oil production in yeast, as a postdoctoral researcher in the Chalmers University of Technology. During this time, he had the chance to organize conferences, participate in science outreach, teach lab courses, get experienced in grant writing and dive into the entrepreneurial environment.
Now he is using his experience, and his charm, to foster connections and facilitate collaborations in international projects at CRG.
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Main responsibilities:
As grants specialist Arantxa supports the entire process, from providing initial information on funding calls and personalized advice to preparing proposals and managing negotiations, acting as the intermediary between funding bodies and the CRG. She identifies suitable funding opportunities for internal dissemination and offers professional guidance in preparing R&D&I proposals, focusing on national and international (non-EC) calls. She also coordinates the grant acceptance process, including administrative, financial, and legal reviews, and ensures a smooth handover to the Funds Managers.
Profesional experience:
Arantxa holds a university degree in Chemical Engineering from the Rovira i Virgili University of Tarragona. In 2003, she began working at the foundation of the same university, managing European projects. Later, she worked at Deloitte as a consultant, advising companies on the submission of R&D and innovation project proposals, as well as on tax incentives for R&D activities. Finally, in 2007, she joined the CRG as a supervisor of the national area of the Grants Office, and she currently holds the position of Senior Grants Specialist.
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Main responsibilities:
She is responsible for identifying funding opportunities and providing tailored support to the CRG scientific community in securing competitive funding for R&D&I activities. Marta assists with fellowship proposals, ensuring eligibility, supporting researchers through theapplication process and proposal preparation (including budgets), and conducting non-scientific reviews to enhance quality. She coordinates grant acceptance, managing internal reviews and facilitating the handover to the Post-award team. Additionally, Marta advises on ethics, ensuring compliance with ethical standards.
Profesional experience:
Marta has a degree in biology and more than 10 year experience at CRG in research management, particularly in funding for PhD Students and postdocs. She provides support in ethical issues of the proposals.
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Main responsibilities:
Diego's main responsibilities are identifying research funding opportunities and supporting the preparation of proposals, with a focus on national calls from public and private organizations, as well as calls from foundations and international organizations. Additionally, he provides support in managing the Cost Action CorEuStem coordinated by Laura Batlle.
Profesional experience:
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 fiveteen 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, supporting the management of research calls. He is also involved in the management of the Cost Action CorEuStem coordinated at the CRG.
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Main responsibilities:
His responsibilities focus on identifying suitable funding opportunities for CRG researchers and assisting them throughout the application process for various calls. Daniel also works on integrating artificial intelligence within the department to enhance workflow optimization and productivity. Additionally, he provides support for the European networking platform COST Action, contributing to the effective management of its activities.
Profesional experience:
Daniel holds a degree in Biochemistry with a focus on research, but decided to transition into research management, starting with a Master’s in Health and Science Management. This shift allowed him to join the Strategy and Funding Department at CRG, where he currently work as a Research Funding Assistant in the Pre-award area.
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Main responsibilities:
As a Grants Specialist, she assists researchers in securing competitive EU and International funding, managing budgets, and identifying European and international grant opportunities. Additionally, she also works on implementing strategies to enhance the success of investigators applying for competitive grants.
Profesional experience:
Marisa has over 20 years of research experience. Before her role as a Grants Specialist, she worked as a Lab Manager, overseeing research projects, coordinating laboratory operations, and contributing to scientific publications. She holds a PhD in Hematopoiesis, which has further strengthened her expertise in research and scientific communication.
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Main responsibilities:
As a Strategic Grants Specialist, Laia supports CRG researchers and the institution in securing EU and international funding, including institutional grants. She identifies opportunities, provides expert guidance on proposal preparation, and ensures effective communication with funding bodies. Her deep knowledge of Horizon Europe facilitates seamless grant acceptance, compliance, and strategic initiatives to strengthen CRG’s funding portfolio.
Profesional experience:
Laia Lagunas is an EU and International Strategic Grants Specialist at the Strategy and Funding (SaF) Department of the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). She holds degrees in Public Administration (Pompeu Fabra University) and Political Science (University of Barcelona), along with a Master's in Internal Finance and an MBA. With over 20 years of experience in European project management, she has worked in multiple research institutions in Catalonia. Before joining CRG in 2025, she held leadership roles in project coordination and research funding. She has managed projects under FP5 to Horizon Europe, specializing in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), particularly Doctoral Networks and COFUND. She is an active member of EARMA, MCAA, CARMA and the Spanish COFUND Working Groups.
Collaborators
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Marta Agostinho, PhDEU-LIFE Coordinator (Collaborator hosted at ISA)
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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.
Alumni
Sara Guerrero
Alexandros Nikolaou
Joaquim Calbó
Michela Bertero
Aaron Tallon Haddad
Olga Millán
Thomas Guegan
Najet Hadhri
Sonja Reiland
Angèle Bénard
Paula Mera
Tsvetelina Marinova
Erica Delucchi
Ana Paula Solis
Anne-Laure Aslanian
Rubén Ventura
Kinga Wisniewska
Gabrielle Bertier
Olaf Kostbahn
Elias Bechara
Veronica Raker
Mary Hirsch