These projects span a variety of fields, focusing on energy, health, and electronics, showcasing ICMAB's leadership in advancing science and technology for a more sustainable, digital, and innovative Europe.

Types of European Projects and their leaders

ICMAB participates in several of the EU's most prestigious funding programs, each designed to address critical scientific challenges. These include the EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition, ERC Grants, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), and more. Below is an overview of the types of projects and their respective leaders:

EIC Projects: Pioneering innovation in materials

The EIC (European Innovation Council) funds pioneering projects that push the boundaries of innovation in various fields. ICMAB leads several EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition projects in the areas of materials for health, energy, and electronics, with a total funding of 5.34 M€, accounting for 23 % of the total EU funds:

EIC Pathfinder projects

• SynEry: Focuses on artifical blood for health applications, led by Arántzazu González.
• DYNAMO, ICONIC, RADIANT: These projects explore nanostructured materials for optoelectronics and energy harvesting, led by Agustín Mihi.
• ESIM: Develops smart molecular, inorganic, and hybrid materials for energy applications, led by Kasper Moth Poulsen (also at UPC).

EIC Transition project

• NANO4RARE: Works on a new therapy based on nanomedicine for Fabry disease, led by Nora Ventosa.

ERC Projects: Groundbreaking research with long-term impact

The European Research Council (ERC) funds high-risk, high-reward research projects. ICMAB researchers are leading a diverse set of ERC-funded projects, including ERC Consolidator, Starting, Proof of Concept, and Synergy grants, with a total funding of 9.06 M€, accounting for 39 % of the total EU funds:

Starting Grants

• MAGNEPIC – Led by Can Onur Avci, this project focuses on magnetic insulators as a novel platform for next-generation spintronics and electronic devices.

Consolidator Grants

• FeMiT – Martí Gich investigates high-performance ferrite materials for next-generation mm-wave and THz electronics in wireless communication systems.
• MULTIMETALBAT – Alexandre Ponrouch is developing multi-cation battery anodes to improve safety and energy density beyond current lithium-ion technologies.
• PHOTHERM – Kasper Moth-Poulsen (UPC/ICMAB) leads this project to create photo-thermal materials for clean, efficient heating and cooling solutions.

Proof of Concept Grants

• SMS-INKS – Teresa Puig advances colloidal inks for the scalable manufacturing of superconducting materials, facilitating energy-efficient technologies.
• TARLIT – Gerard Tobias explores the use of lithium-loaded nanostructures in neutron capture therapy for targeted cancer treatment.
• VERITASCAN – Mariano Campoy-Quiles is developing organic semiconductors for smart temperature indicators in cold-chain logistics.
• PI4NoRM – Martí Gich focuses on piezomagnetic ferrites to design compact mm-wave circulators for 5G/6G communication.
• SMOLSUB – Núria Aliaga-Alcalde introduces a novel sublimation technology to transfer organic molecules onto substrates, revolutionizing the fabrication of flexible electronics.
• ENCANT – Gerard Tobias leads this project to increase the effectiveness of radiotherapy using nanoparticle-enhanced energy absorption.

Synergy Grant

• DARKQUANTUM – Teresa Puig coordinates this ambitious initiative in quantum superconducting materials, reinforcing ICMAB’s leadership in next-generation quantum energy systems

MSCA Projects: Empowering Early-Career Researchers

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) support early-career researchers through various fellowships and doctoral programs. ICMAB is involved in multiple MSCA projects aimed at training the next generation of scientists:, with a total funding of 6.33 M€, which represents 27 % of the total EU funds:

COFUND

• DOCFAM+ (M. Rosa Palacín and Lourdes Fàbrega): Doctoral training programme in advanced materials aimed at fostering interdisciplinary research and scientific careers.
• DESTINY (M. Rosa Palacín): European doctoral training programme focused on advanced battery research to educate a new generation of energy storage experts.

Doctoral Networks

• HORATES and OPVStability (Mariano Campoy Quiles): Projects focused on developing nanostructured materials for efficient and stable organic photovoltaics.
• GREENX3 (Imma Ratera): Molecular nanoscience project with biomedical applications, particularly in the health sector.
• EIFFEL (Esther Barrena): Research on functional surfaces and interfaces for advanced electronic devices.
• RIDERS (M. Rosa Palacín): Doctoral network dedicated to innovative research in battery technologies.

Staff Exchange

• MICRO4NANO (Nora Ventosa): Project on novel materials for nanomedicine, promoting international research collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Postdoctoral Fellowships

• ELECTRA (Nieves Casañ-Pastor), IDEAL and HOPES (Mariano Campoy Quiles), TOPHONICALS (Riccardo Rurali), OPTOCHARGE (Marta Mas-Torrent), SPINDY (Can Onur Avci), JAVIEROH (Rosario Núñez), TORNADE (Esther Barrena), METASCALE (Agustín Mihi)

RIA projects: Advancing frontier research for societal impact

Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) support collaborative research to generate new knowledge or explore breakthrough technologies. ICMAB’s RIA projects target critical challenges in energy, health, and electronics, contributing 1.6 M€ (7% of EU funds) to transformative solutions with long-term impact.

• AHEAD2020 (Lourdes Fàbrega): European project enhancing access to high-energy astrophysics infrastructures and fostering collaborative research in advanced space technologies.
• NextGEM (Anna Laromaine): Develops technologies to assess and manage health risks from electromagnetic field exposure, especially in the context of 5G deployment
• STORIES (Xavier Granados): Focuses on renewable energy storage solutions using superconductors to enable a more efficient and sustainable power grid.
• SUSTAIN-A-PRINT (Kasper Moth-Poulsen, UPC): Designs sustainable, printed smart devices for applications in the Internet of Things and environmental monitoring.
• NABIHEAL (Coord: Nora Ventosa/Judit Tomsen; PI CSIC: Imma Ratera): Develops biofunctional nanomaterials for efficient tissue regeneration in chronic wounds with advanced biomedical applications.
• NFFA-NEP (Xavier Obradors): Promotes a European infrastructure for nanotechnology offering integrated services from synthesis to analysis.

Other projects

• PHOENIX: A LEIT project in molecular nanoscience for health, led by Nora Ventosa.
• I.FAST: A Research Infrastructures project focused on superconducting materials for energy, led by Joffre Gutiérrez.

ICMAB’s ccmmitment to Europe’s future

Through its active participation in these projects, ICMAB underscores its commitment to fostering scientific collaboration, technological innovation, and the training of future researchers across Europe. These projects are central to advancing the European Union's priorities, particularly in the fields of sustainable energy, healthcare, and cutting-edge electronics.

With a total of 23.4 M€ in EU funding of active projects in 2024 (some of the project span for several years), ICMAB is not only making significant strides in materials science, but is also contributing to the European knowledge economy, driving innovation, and shaping the future of Europe.

As we celebrate Europe Day, we reflect on the essential role of research and innovation in shaping a prosperous, peaceful, and sustainable future for Europe. At ICMAB, we are proud to contribute to these goals and to strengthen Europe’s position as a global leader in science and technology.

Happy Europe Day from all of us at ICMAB!