Image: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades | Agencia Estatal de Investigación
The Centre for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS) at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela has officially received the María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence accreditation, one of Spain's highest distinctions for research excellence. The award was presented during a ceremony held at the Universitat Politècnica de València by Diana Morant, Spain's Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities.
CiQUS Scientific Director Diego Peña accepted the accreditation on behalf of the centre. He was joined by Deputy Director Martín Fañanás Mastral, Principal Investigators M. Dolores Pérez Meirás and José Luis Mascareñas Cid, and Strategic Management Officer Almudena García Fernández. The event was also attended by the Rector of the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rosa Crujeiras Casais, José Alberto Díez de Castro, Secretary General for Universities of the Regional Government of Galicia, and Irene Bonome, Subdirectora de Promoción Científica e Tecnolóxica Universitaria.
The María de Maeztu accreditation is awarded by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) to research units that demonstrate outstanding scientific impact and international leadership following a highly competitive evaluation by an independent scientific committee. Accompanied by approximately €3 million in funding over the next four years, the award will enable CiQUS to accelerate the implementation of its strategic plan, strengthen talent recruitment and training, expand its scientific capabilities and reinforce its international profile.
"This accreditation recognises the work carried out over recent years, but above all it represents an opportunity to look ahead with even greater ambition," says Diego Peña. "It will allow us to launch more ambitious research initiatives, accelerate the implementation of our strategic plan and continue attracting outstanding researchers to strengthen CiQUS as an international reference in chemical research."
The new funding will support expanded training and mobility programmes for early-career researchers, the recruitment of international talent, stronger research support structures, and the development of new scientific capabilities and infrastructures that will enable the centre to tackle increasingly complex challenges at the interface of chemistry, biology and materials science.
This distinction places CiQUS among the select group of Spanish research centres and units recognised for scientific excellence by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Since its creation in 2010, the centre has built an interdisciplinary research model that brings together chemistry, biology and materials science to address major challenges in health, sustainability and advanced materials.
The María de Maeztu accreditation is valid for six years and will also allow CiQUS to join the SOMMa Alliance (Severo Ochoa & María de Maeztu Alliance), the national network of Spain's leading centres and units of scientific excellence, which promotes collaboration, internationalisation and the strengthening of the country's research and innovation ecosystem.
CiQUS also holds the CIGUS accreditation awarded by the Regional Government of Galicia and receives financial support from the European Union through the Galicia FEDER 2021–2027 Programme, which has played a key role in consolidating the centre's scientific and institutional capabilities.
Image: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades | Agencia Estatal de Investigación