The new scholarships Pasqual Maragall Researchers Program (PMRP) The purpose of the grants is to promote and fund excellent clinical or translational research into Alzheimer's and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases. The grants will support projects that are developed outside the Pasqual Maragall Foundation's research centre, the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Centre (BBRC), and are led by the Spanish State. The programme will allow for the establishment of new alliances that will accelerate research into these diseases.
This first call for proposals, which will open on September 21, has received a total of €1,600,000 and up to €800,000 per project. It thus becomes the most important private grant program in Spain specifically aimed at research into Alzheimer's and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
The president of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, Cristina Maragall, He explained why this project is important for society: "We are facing a structural pandemic that currently affects more than 900,000 people in Spain. Together, we have the obligation to provide solutions to the great impact that this disease has not only at a health and social level, but also at a family and personal level. At the Pasqual Maragall Foundation we are convinced that we will only achieve these solutions by promoting more and better scientific research, and we are determined to promote it both within our own centre, the BBRC, and by supporting researchers from centres around the world."
For its part, the director of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, Arcadi Navarro, He stressed that these new scholarships are possible "Thanks to the support of all the partners, donors, initiatives and charitable companies that collaborate with the Pasqual Maragall Foundation. Their commitment is key to accelerating research into neurodegenerative diseases."
Institutional and scientific community support
On September 14, the PMRP scholarship presentation ceremony took place at the Carlos III Institute in Madrid. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Science and Innovation, Diana Morant, as well as prominent institutional representatives and the scientific community. Minister Morant has highlighted the importance of a grant programme such as the Pasqual Maragall Researchers Programme: “The scholarships we are presenting today are unique in Spain because they shed light for the nearly one million people who suffer from the disease in our country, as well as for the 4 million who will suffer from it in the next 50 years.” The Minister Morant, who recalled that “The solution to Alzheimer's can only come from science”, has expressed his gratitude to the Maragall family and the people who work at the Pasqual Maragall Foundation for offering “a great legacy of hope for future generations in Spain.”
In this sense, Cristina Maragall He added that the PMRP is a crucial program for the Foundation: «Today we are taking a big step forward in our desire to achieve new advances. The launch of this call for proposals will allow the important contributions of our social base to be used to carry out excellent research and thus continue working to make my father's goal a reality: 'achieve a world without Alzheimer'. Therefore, it is an honour to have this project named after him as a tribute to his commitment to the fight against this disease.» In addition, Arcadi Navarro He highlighted the innovative spirit of this programme: “The Pasqual Maragall Researchers Programme is committed to expanding scientific knowledge about Alzheimer's, it is also committed to excellent research, the consolidation of scientific vocations and the attraction and retention of talent in our research system. But it is, above all, a commitment to achieving healthy and fulfilling ageing in a future without Alzheimer's.”
Open call
For the first call for the program, projects may be submitted from Next September 21st until October 27th of this yearAn evaluation committee will analyze the proposals received and the winners will be announced throughout 2023.
The Pasqual Maragall Researchers Programme grants are aimed at individual projects led by a principal investigator, or collaborative projects (of a maximum of three groups) led by a consortium coordinator, who carry out their research activity in public or non-profit research organisations in Spain.
Interested researchers can find more information on the website https://fpmaragall.org/ca/pasqual-maragall-researchers-programme/ and send your queries to the email researchgrants@fpmaragall.orgThe Pasqual Maragall Foundation will also offer an informative webinar in the coming weeks for all researchers who want more information.
