This figure places the University 3rd in the UK in terms of the number of Advanced Grants awarded from the 2017 call.

The ERC’s Advanced Grants support exceptional researchers, who are leaders in their field, in undertaking ambitious research projects. The grants are awarded under the 'excellent science' pillar of Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation programme.

The grantees at Bristol will pioneer research on a wide range of topics across disciplines as diverse as modern slavery, archaeology, evolutionary biology, biochemistry and chemistry.

University of Bristol recipients of the ERC Advanced Grants are:

• Professor Ian Manners in the School of Chemistry for his project ‘2D Hierarchical Block Copolymer Self-Assembly’
• Professor Julia O’Connell Davidson in the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies for her project ‘Modern Marronage? The Pursuit and Practice of Freedom in the Contemporary World’
• Professor Mark Szczelkun in the School of Biochemistry for his project ‘Molecular mechanisms, evolutionary impacts and applications of prokaryotic epigenetic-targeted immune systems’.
• Professor Michael Benton in the School of Earth Sciences for his project ‘Innovation and opportunity in the evolution of life’
• Professor Volker Heyd in the School of Arts for his project ‘The Yamnaya Impact on Prehistoric Europe’

"The sole criterion for a European Research Council Advanced Grant is excellence. To have one recipient would be a great honour, but to have five awarded to our academics – the third highest in the country - is truly a testament to the calibre of researchers here at the University of Bristol!

“These grants recognise those with a track-record of significant research achievements. The five grants awarded to Bristol academics have a combined value of €10M – a significant amount that will enable them to pursue their ground-breaking research for which the University is renowned," said Professor Nishan Canagarajah, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise.