- It grants 7 distinctions ‘Severo Ochoa’ and 6 ‘María de Maeztu’
- Research centers and units that stand out for the impact and international relevance of their results are recognized
The State Research Agency has granted 13 accreditations ‘Severo Ochoa’ and ‘María de Maeztu’ to centers and research units of excellence, for which it has allocated 40 million euros. Of the seven centers that have achieved the distinction 'Severo Ochoa', three do so for the first time: the Center for Plant Biotechnology and Genomics (CBGP), the Association of Cooperative Research Center in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE) and the Madrid Institute of Advanced Studies in Nanoscience (IMDEA Nanoscience).
The remaining four centers repeat after achieving it in 2012: the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), the Institute of High Energy Physics (IFAE), the Institute of Theoretical Physics (IFT) and the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ). These centers have not only revalidated their position of reference in national and international research but, in the opinion of the evaluators, have consolidated their scientific leadership during the years in which they enjoyed the help ‘Severo Ochoa’. Thanks to this distinction they will receive one million euros per year for four years.
The six research units selected in the 'María de Maeztu' modality are: the Center for Monetary and Financial Studies (CEMFI), the CICNanogune, the Department of Gene Regulation and Morphogenesis of the Andalusian Center for Development Biology, the Research Group on Remote Sensing, Antennas, Microwave and Superconductivity of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), the Institute of Robotics and Industrial Informatics and the Galician Institute of High Energy Physics of the University of Santiago de Compostela. These units are added to the 10 accredited in the previous two years and will be financed 500,000 euros per year for four years.
With this new call there are already 25 centers ‘Severo Ochoa’ and 16 units ‘María de Maeztu’. The requirements, levels of demand, criteria and evaluation and selection procedures related to scientific excellence do not establish differences between centers and units, which have been selected for their scientific results and strategic programs after a rigorous evaluation in which more than 100 international scientists of recognized prestige. Consequently, the quality and level of excellence of the research they carry out is guaranteed, establishing differences only in terms of governance, structure and organizational and managerial principles, as well as the minimum critical mass required of centers and units.
The purpose of the call is twofold. First, the recognition and accreditation of the best centers and units that stand out for the international impact and relevance of the results obtained in the last four years. Second, the financing of the strategic plans elaborated by the centers and of the strategic research programs elaborated by the units for a period of four years with the objective of consolidating their scientific capacities and contributing to their international leadership.
Centers ‘Severo Ochoa’
Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG). It is an international biomedical research institute of excellence whose mission is to discover and advance knowledge for the benefit of society, public health and economic prosperity. The CRG believes that the medicine of the future depends on today's innovative science. For this, it has an interdisciplinary scientific team focused on understanding the complexity of life, from the genome to the cell, to a complete organism and its interaction with the environment, offering an integrative vision of genetic diseases. The CRG is a non-profit foundation funded by the Generalitat of Catalonia, by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, the Banking Foundation la Caixa, and has the participation of the Pompeu Fabra University.
Center for Plant Biotechnology and Genomics (CBGP). Mixed center of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and the National Institute of Agricultural and Food Technology and Research (INIA). Its objective is to advance in the knowledge of the molecular bases of the biological processes of plant development, as well as their interactions with other organisms and the environment. His research areas are: plant development, interaction of plants with the environment, and biotechnology, genomics and computational biology of plants and associated microorganisms. The CBGP with its Translational Biology program aims to contribute to the sustainable development of sectors of the Bioeconomy such as agriculture and forestry.
Association Cooperative Research Center in Biosciences – CIC bioGUNE. Its objective is to advance knowledge in the field of life and health sciences. The center has defined two integrative programs, with objectives focused on molecular knowledge and pathogen-host interactions and on metabolism and cell signaling in the disease.
Institute of High Energy Physics (IFAE). The objective of the IFAE is to promote and carry out both theoretical and experimental research on the frontier of fundamental physics, that is, in particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. It is part of its mission to develop state-of-the-art detectors, using the knowledge acquired in the laboratory for objectives of general interest. It is a consortium created by the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 1991. It integrates its own team with staff of the Theoretical Physics and High Energy Physics Groups of the Department of Physics of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Institute of Theoretical Physics (IFT). Mixed center of the Autonomous University of Madrid and the CSIC was officially created in 2003 and is the only Spanish center dedicated entirely to research in Theoretical Physics. The IFT works on the frontier of the physics of elementary particles, astroparticles and cosmology, with the aim of understanding the fundamental keys of nature and the universe. Its researchers lead numerous research projects both nationally and internationally. The IFT is part of the strategic line of Theoretical and Mathematical Physics of the Campus of International Excellence (CEI) UAM + CSIC established in 2009. Since 2012, it is accredited as the Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence. In addition to the purely scientific activity, at IFT an intense task of training young researchers and professionals is carried out through the postgraduate program in theoretical physics with mention of Excellence from the CIS and the Ministry of Education. An important work of knowledge transfer to society is also carried out through various dissemination programs.
Madrid Institute of Advanced Studies in Nanoscience (IMDEA Nanoscience). Foundation created in 2007 by the Community of Madrid with the financial support of the European Investment Bank with the aim of attracting and retaining multidisciplinary scientific talent of excellence focused on advanced research in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Its 10 research programs have as main mission to produce knowledge from the fundamental science in the nanoscale oriented to the resolution of big problems and challenges in strategic areas. Currently, projects focused on the development of nanotechnologies applied to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer or the development of new graphene-based devices and sensors stand out.
Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ). It is a reference center in the area of catalysis, new materials (especially zeolites) and photochemistry. Thanks to its excellent level of fundamental and oriented research and its multidisciplinary nature, the ITQ has the capacity to act in interfaces between disciplines, thus having ample flexibility and rapid adaptation to new lines and challenges. It is a mixed research center created in 1990 by the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the CSIC.
Units ‘María de Maeztu’
Center for Monetary and Financial Studies (CEMFI). It is an international postgraduate school focused on research and training in the field of economic sciences. It was created by the Bank of Spain in 1987.
CIC nanoGUNE. His research activities are developed in the following fields: advanced nanocharacterization through nanoimaging, electronics, optics and magnetic properties of nanostructures, nano devices and nanoengineering.
Department of Gene Regulation and Morphogenesis (GEM) of the Andalusian Center for Development Biology, mixed center of the CSIC and the Pablo de Olavide University. The objective of this center is to understand the decision-making mechanisms of the cells to generate, maintain and modify the form and Function of the organs during animal development. His areas of research are genome structure, dynamics and function, genetics, epigenetics and regulatory networks, morphogenesis and collective behavior of cells and morphological evolution.
Research Group in Remote Sensing, Antennas, Microwave and Superconductivity of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. In order to produce science of excellence and in contact with the industry, this group focuses its activities on computational electromagnetism, design of complex systems with applications in biomedicine and other fields.
Institute of Robotics and Industrial Computing. It is a mixed center of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and the CSIC. His research activities are developed in the field of robotics and specifically in kinematics and design of robots, mobile robots and intelligent systems and automatic control.
Galician Institute of High Energy Physics (IGFAE) of the University of Santiago de Compostela. Its objective is to advance in areas of high energy physics, particle physics and nuclear physics, as well as in other related areas, such as astrophysics, medical physics and instruments, among others.
