Dr Michał Roman Szymański has received a grant to the value of 2,000,000 PLN as part of the FIRST TEAM programme. The project "Targeting mitochondrial DNA repair for novel anti-cancer therapies" will be implemented at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG and MUG.

The Foundation for Polish Science has announced the results of its third competition as part of the FIRST TEAM programme aimed at providing assistance to young PhDs in creating their first research teams. Grants to the total value of 25.6 million PLN have been awarded to thirteen young researchers.

The FIRST TEAM programme provides support to young researchers at the key stage of their careers as they start to shape their own academic independence, and assists them in undertaking the most interesting scientific challenges. Winners may receive a total of around 2 million PLN over three years for research and development projects. The grants are financed from the Smart Growth Operational Programme.

Eighty-one applications were received for the third competition in the FIRST TEAM programme, of which thirteen were recommended by reviewers and experts to receive funding to a total value of 25.6 million PLN. The funding thus obtained from the Foundation for Polish Science will allow leaders to create their own research teams and to finance at least twenty-eight workplaces for researchers employed in projects and forty-six scholarships for students and doctoral students involved in the implementation of research work. A total of twenty-six international research partners, seven Polish research partners and two economic partners have been invited to participate in research.

As of 1 August 2017 the call for the fourth, and at the same time penultimate, competition as part of the FIRST TEAM programme was initiated, the deadline for applications expiring on 2 October 2017. The call for submissions for the last competition is due to start at the beginning of January 2018.