Dr. Anna Sandak from the University of Primorska has published a personal perspective in the scientific journal Nature, reflecting on how major European research grants transformed her work from laboratory research to scientific leadership.

In her article “How research funding took me out of the lab and into leadership”, Dr. Sandak reflects on how two major European research grants changed both the scale of her research and her role as a scientist and leader.

In 2022, she secured almost €2 million from the European Research Council (ERC) for a five-year project ARCHI-SKIN, developing a new generation of living coatings for buildings. The research explores fungal-biofilm-based materials capable of self-repair and protection against environmental conditions.

The ERC project significantly expanded the research group and brought a new dimension to her work. As the team grew, her responsibilities increasingly shifted towards recruiting researchers, coordinating projects, managing resources, developing collaborations, and shaping the group’s strategic direction.

A second major milestone followed in 2024 with a €3 million EIC Pathfinder grant from the European Innovation Council. The REMEDY project further expanded the research line on Engineered Living Materials for the built environment, with a focus on their technological feasibility, scalability and potential applications beyond academia.

Today, the Materials Group comprises 16 scientists at InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM and the REMEDY project brings together expertise from six institutions across Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia and the Netherlands, with Dr. Sandak coordinating this growing international collaboration.

“Scientific leadership is an alternative kind of contribution”, she writes in her Nature article, reflecting on the transition from conducting experiments herself to supporting researchers, developing collaborations and connecting individual discoveries with broader objectives.

The experience also highlighted the importance of leadership development in academia. She participated in a three-month women’s leadership programme organised by the European Innovation Council, where she developed skills in communication, conflict management and team development. This has also supported the mentorship of early-career researchers: four postdoctoral researchers have received Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions individual fellowships under her supervision, while two others received Seals of Excellence and secured national research grants.

Her experience illustrates how major research funding can transform the role of a scientist, creating new opportunities not only for scientific discovery, but also for international collaboration, team development and the advancement of early-career researchers.

Image: © European Union, 2025, CC BY 4.0

Image: © European Union, 2025, CC BY 4.0

About Dr. Anna Sandak

Dr. Anna Sandak is the UP IAM, InnoRenew CoE Materials Research Group Leader at the University of Primorska. Her research focuses on innovative materials and living systems for the built environment. She is the recipient of an ERC Consolidator Grant and an EIC Pathfinder grant.

Read the full article in the scientific journal Nature:
How research funding took me out of the lab and into leadership