Distinguished Researchers to Join HUN-REN Research
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Posted On: 03/25/2025 1:18:54 AM
Distinguished Researchers to Join HUN-REN Research Sites Under the Research Grant Hungary Programme
03.12.2024 | by HUN-REN
Three international researchers and one Hungarian returning from abroad have been awarded funding at HUN-REN research sites as part of the Research Grant Hungary programme. These esteemed researchers will establish their research teams in January 2025, significantly enhancing the research and innovation capacity of HUN-REN.
The Research Grant Hungary programme, launched by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office on 23 May 2024, offers priority support for up to five years to exceptional researchers. It targets those at the most dynamic stage of their careers who are at the forefront of international science, either residing abroad or willing to relocate. Grant recipients will play a pivotal role in positioning Hungary as a hub of research, development, and innovation in the region by leading groundbreaking projects in their respective fields.
The programme also seeks to integrate world-class researchers into Hungary’s innovation ecosystem, focusing on the priority areas outlined in the Neumann János Programme. Through this initiative, four distinguished researchers have been awarded nearly HUF 1 billion in funding over five years.
Three of the projects (Sierd Cloetingh, Christer Halldin, and Richard Pestell) will be hosted by the HUN-REN Office for Supported Research Groups, while András Nagy’s project will be based at the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences.
PHOTOGRAPHER: THALER TAMAS
Sierd Cloetingh will collaborate with the HUN-REN Institute of Geophysics and Space Science, Eötvös Loránd University, and the University of Sopron. His research will address Earth system dynamics, geothermal energy, geological hazards, and climate, aligning with the green transition and circular economy pillars. By advancing geothermal energy research, he aims to deepen understanding of Hungary's critical energy resources and foster the development of sustainable technologies for their utilization.
Prof. Cloetingh, a Distinguished Professor at Utrecht University, is a former President of Academia Europaea and COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), and Vice-President of the European Research Council. An honorary member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and strategic advisor to HUN-REN’s Institute for Geophysics and Space Research, he has long supported Hungarian geophysical and space science. As a Principal Investigator, he will enhance Hungarian geophysical research, bolster international collaborations, and help establish the institute as a regional center.
Christer Halldin will collaborate with Semmelweis University to advance diagnostic and therapeutic imaging for neuroinflammatory diseases under the Healthy Life pillar. Dr. Halldin, Head of the PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Centre at the Karolinska Institutet, is an international authority in PET radioligand development and its application in translational imaging. His work spans from preclinical studies to clinical applications and the development of biomarkers that hold potential for commercialization.
Dr. Halldin has a long history of collaboration with Hungarian researchers, yielding impactful results. Notable achievements include partnerships with Richter Gedeon Zrt., leading to innovations such as the re-indication of vinpocetine (CAVINTON) and the development of VRAYLAR (cariprazine). His contributions also facilitated advancements in Mediso’s molecular imaging technologies.
András Nagy will establish his research group in partnership with the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences and Semmelweis University. His revolutionary approach involves transforming patient-derived cancer cells into therapeutic allies. By fusing tumor cells with custom-engineered stem cells, his team aims to develop hybrid cells that are both safe and highly immunogenic, leveraging the body’s immune system to combat cancer. This innovative approach could redefine cancer therapy, offering more effective and durable treatments.
Dr. Nagy, who founded his laboratory in Canada at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, has made groundbreaking contributions to stem cell biology. He was the first to create induced pluripotent (iPS) cell lines without genetic modification, earning international recognition, including a place on Scientific American’s TOP 10 Honor Roll.
Richard Pestell will collaborate with the National Institute of Oncology and the University of Debrecen to research and develop cancer therapies under the Healthy Life pillar. Dr. Pestell is an accomplished cancer researcher and entrepreneur, having founded six biotech companies and held leadership roles at premier US cancer centers, including Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.
Dr. Pestell’s research has led to numerous patents and innovative therapies, including FDA-approved treatments for cancer. He has identified critical genetic targets, such as cyclins and CCR5, and his work has significantly influenced breast cancer clinical trials and drug development.
Renewing HUN-REN
The modernising HUN-REN aims to become one of the most effective research organisations in Europe. The new leadership of HUN-REN seeks to establish a well-funded, open research institution system focused on social and economic issues, which can make a significant contribution to Hungary's social and economic success.
Researchers within the HUN-REN network can expect a long-term, consistent, value-driven, and performance-based funding system, mutually reinforcing structure and operation, nationally and internationally competitive salaries, as well as a predictable research career in an organisation with a strong entrepreneurial and collaborative mindset, administrative and procurement services to support researchers, and a significant emphasis on relationships beyond academia.
______________
FACULTY NEWS:
Blumberg Distinguished Professor Wins EU “Billion Forint” Research Award For Breast Cancer
February 19, 2025
Four prominent scientists, included one American, Dr. Richard Pestell, have received funding by the Research Hungary (HUN-REN) program for high impact research (read more here).
The HUN-REN program’s five-year $2.6 million grant will support Dr. Pestell’s groundbreaking studies to overcome therapy resistance of breast cancer.
A Distinguished Professor at the Blumberg Institute, Dr. Pestell says the EU award provides an ideal collaboration with Blumberg Institute colleagues in medicinal chemistry.
Known best for his discoveries on cell-cycle and cyclins, Dr. Pestell’s IND-enabling studies led to the development of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors, that are now used widely for types of breast cancer. He is currently ranked #1 by Google scholar for his field of cell-cycle .
For his landmark research discoveries over the last 30 years Dr. Pestell , has received numerous awards including Election as a foreign member of Academia Europaea (AE), and received the order of Australia from Queen Elizabeth II.
Dr. Pestell is a medical oncologist who previously led two NCI cancer centers, served as the Executive Vice President of Thomas Jefferson University and founded 5 biotechnology companies in cancer treatment and diagnostics.
Read more about Dr. Pestell here.
03.12.2024 | by HUN-REN
Three international researchers and one Hungarian returning from abroad have been awarded funding at HUN-REN research sites as part of the Research Grant Hungary programme. These esteemed researchers will establish their research teams in January 2025, significantly enhancing the research and innovation capacity of HUN-REN.
The Research Grant Hungary programme, launched by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office on 23 May 2024, offers priority support for up to five years to exceptional researchers. It targets those at the most dynamic stage of their careers who are at the forefront of international science, either residing abroad or willing to relocate. Grant recipients will play a pivotal role in positioning Hungary as a hub of research, development, and innovation in the region by leading groundbreaking projects in their respective fields.
The programme also seeks to integrate world-class researchers into Hungary’s innovation ecosystem, focusing on the priority areas outlined in the Neumann János Programme. Through this initiative, four distinguished researchers have been awarded nearly HUF 1 billion in funding over five years.
Three of the projects (Sierd Cloetingh, Christer Halldin, and Richard Pestell) will be hosted by the HUN-REN Office for Supported Research Groups, while András Nagy’s project will be based at the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences.
PHOTOGRAPHER: THALER TAMAS
Sierd Cloetingh will collaborate with the HUN-REN Institute of Geophysics and Space Science, Eötvös Loránd University, and the University of Sopron. His research will address Earth system dynamics, geothermal energy, geological hazards, and climate, aligning with the green transition and circular economy pillars. By advancing geothermal energy research, he aims to deepen understanding of Hungary's critical energy resources and foster the development of sustainable technologies for their utilization.
Prof. Cloetingh, a Distinguished Professor at Utrecht University, is a former President of Academia Europaea and COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), and Vice-President of the European Research Council. An honorary member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and strategic advisor to HUN-REN’s Institute for Geophysics and Space Research, he has long supported Hungarian geophysical and space science. As a Principal Investigator, he will enhance Hungarian geophysical research, bolster international collaborations, and help establish the institute as a regional center.
Christer Halldin will collaborate with Semmelweis University to advance diagnostic and therapeutic imaging for neuroinflammatory diseases under the Healthy Life pillar. Dr. Halldin, Head of the PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Centre at the Karolinska Institutet, is an international authority in PET radioligand development and its application in translational imaging. His work spans from preclinical studies to clinical applications and the development of biomarkers that hold potential for commercialization.
Dr. Halldin has a long history of collaboration with Hungarian researchers, yielding impactful results. Notable achievements include partnerships with Richter Gedeon Zrt., leading to innovations such as the re-indication of vinpocetine (CAVINTON) and the development of VRAYLAR (cariprazine). His contributions also facilitated advancements in Mediso’s molecular imaging technologies.
András Nagy will establish his research group in partnership with the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences and Semmelweis University. His revolutionary approach involves transforming patient-derived cancer cells into therapeutic allies. By fusing tumor cells with custom-engineered stem cells, his team aims to develop hybrid cells that are both safe and highly immunogenic, leveraging the body’s immune system to combat cancer. This innovative approach could redefine cancer therapy, offering more effective and durable treatments.
Dr. Nagy, who founded his laboratory in Canada at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, has made groundbreaking contributions to stem cell biology. He was the first to create induced pluripotent (iPS) cell lines without genetic modification, earning international recognition, including a place on Scientific American’s TOP 10 Honor Roll.
Richard Pestell will collaborate with the National Institute of Oncology and the University of Debrecen to research and develop cancer therapies under the Healthy Life pillar. Dr. Pestell is an accomplished cancer researcher and entrepreneur, having founded six biotech companies and held leadership roles at premier US cancer centers, including Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.
Dr. Pestell’s research has led to numerous patents and innovative therapies, including FDA-approved treatments for cancer. He has identified critical genetic targets, such as cyclins and CCR5, and his work has significantly influenced breast cancer clinical trials and drug development.
Renewing HUN-REN
The modernising HUN-REN aims to become one of the most effective research organisations in Europe. The new leadership of HUN-REN seeks to establish a well-funded, open research institution system focused on social and economic issues, which can make a significant contribution to Hungary's social and economic success.
Researchers within the HUN-REN network can expect a long-term, consistent, value-driven, and performance-based funding system, mutually reinforcing structure and operation, nationally and internationally competitive salaries, as well as a predictable research career in an organisation with a strong entrepreneurial and collaborative mindset, administrative and procurement services to support researchers, and a significant emphasis on relationships beyond academia.
______________
FACULTY NEWS:
Blumberg Distinguished Professor Wins EU “Billion Forint” Research Award For Breast Cancer
February 19, 2025
Four prominent scientists, included one American, Dr. Richard Pestell, have received funding by the Research Hungary (HUN-REN) program for high impact research (read more here).
The HUN-REN program’s five-year $2.6 million grant will support Dr. Pestell’s groundbreaking studies to overcome therapy resistance of breast cancer.
A Distinguished Professor at the Blumberg Institute, Dr. Pestell says the EU award provides an ideal collaboration with Blumberg Institute colleagues in medicinal chemistry.
Known best for his discoveries on cell-cycle and cyclins, Dr. Pestell’s IND-enabling studies led to the development of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors, that are now used widely for types of breast cancer. He is currently ranked #1 by Google scholar for his field of cell-cycle .
For his landmark research discoveries over the last 30 years Dr. Pestell , has received numerous awards including Election as a foreign member of Academia Europaea (AE), and received the order of Australia from Queen Elizabeth II.
Dr. Pestell is a medical oncologist who previously led two NCI cancer centers, served as the Executive Vice President of Thomas Jefferson University and founded 5 biotechnology companies in cancer treatment and diagnostics.
Read more about Dr. Pestell here.
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