MIMS Group Leader awarded ERC Starting Grant
Two researchers at Umeå University have been awarded ERC Starting Grants – a research programme that aims to support promising young researchers at the beginning of their careers. One of them is Iker Valle Aramburu, a new MIMS group leader who is affiliated with the Department of Molecular Biology.
Text based on article written by Jakob Mjöbring, issued by Umeå University: https://www.umu.se/en/news/two-young-researchers-receive-erc-starting-grant_11981097/
“I am extremely happy and honored to receive such a prestigious grant that will help advance our research on microproteins. During the application process,I have learnt a lot and I am very grateful to everyone who contributed with their feedback and advice”, says Iker Valle Aramburu.
The project he has been awarded funding for, ‘Illuminating the dark microproteome in innate immunity’, is about identifying and studying the role of microproteins in innate immune cells.
“Microproteins are small proteins that provide a pool of unexplored new players in different biological processes. I will focus on innate immune cells to further understand how our bodies tailor a regulated immune response against different pathogens”, says Iker Valle Aramburu.
Iker started as a new MIMS Group Leader on 1 September 2024.