Graphene and Human Brain Project selected as technologies of the future by the European Commission

Portuguese universities, research centers and scientists are part of the winning teams of the European Commission's Call Future and Emerging Technologies, for ambitious and high-risk projects. The Champalimaud Foundation is a partner in the Human Brain Project, and the Graphene project involves research groups from six universities (Aveiro, Minho, Porto and the Technical University of Lisbon) and national research centers (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory and the Institute of Telecommunications).

The Graphene project will investigate the unique properties of graphene, a revolutionary carbon-based material, and its application in, for example, new computational models and innovative medical applications such as artificial retinas.

The Human Brain Project proposes to create the most detailed model of the human brain ever, enabling significant advances in the understanding of how the brain and associated diseases function, and to reproduce the brain's computational power in new artificial systems.

The two winning projects will receive 1 billion euros each over 10 years to develop world-class research at the intersection of science and technology.

The participation of Portuguese centers and researchers is a direct reflection of the international competitiveness of science done in Portugal. FCT congratulates all the members of the selected projects, in particular those working in Portugal, and looks forward to working with the teams to achieve the important scientific and social impacts that the projects can be expected to have.