Frances Wood is International Director at UKRI and is responsible for delivering on the UKRI strategy through international collaboration, including directed international funds, promoting UK participation in Horizon Europe and the UKRI Guarantee and the geo-politics of UKRI collaboration. Frances was previously the Regional Director for the Science and Technology Network (STN), covering Europe, Russia, Turkey and Israel based in the British Embassy Berlin. STN builds partnerships and collaborations on science and innovation with governments and research communities across topics such as climate, global health, AI and research culture. Across her career at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Frances has led teams across a range of policy issues including economics, trade, climate, nuclear non-proliferation and research and innovation including as economic counsellor in the British Embassy in Seoul.   

I studied physics and economics at the Universities of Frankfurt (Germany) and UC Berkeley (USA) and completed my PhD in accelerator physics at the University of Frankfurt. After two years as Postdoc at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg and almost three years as Fellow at CERN, I founded the QUASAR Group in 2007. I have been a member academic staff at the University of Liverpool and a member of the Cockcroft Institute of Accelerator Science and Technology since 2008. In 2011, I was promoted to Full Professor of Physics and I was Head of the Physics Department between 2016 and 2023. Under my leadership, the Department developed into one of the UK's very best physics departments (REF2021 and 2x Guardian Top 10). 

Professor Carsten Welsch | Our people | University of Liverpool 

My research looks at how technology, and artificial intelligence in particular, can help protect people and society from financial and online crime. 
FORCE project: https://force-msca.eu/ 
TRACE project: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101022004 
Aston Centre for Cyber Security Innovation https://csiresearch.co.uk/ 

Professor Geng’s research explores how engineering can create a safer, more resilient and sustainable built and natural environment. Her work spans soil improvement and treatment, the behaviour of soils and structures under different forces and environmental conditions, and ways to predict and reduce risks from geohazards, extreme weather and climate change. She combines laboratory and field testing with computational modelling to develop and assess practical solutions, including nature-based approaches and low-carbon construction materials that strengthen infrastructure while reducing environmental impact. 
https://warwick.ac.uk/research/infinitelycurious/meet-the-researchers/xueyu-geng/

My research focuses on understanding how the heart, blood vessels and placenta adapt in health and disease, particularly during pregnancy. I use advanced imaging, molecular biology and innovative laboratory models to investigate how environmental stress, cardiovascular disease and placental dysfunction affect maternal and fetal health. My team developed "placenta-on-a-chip" technology, a miniature laboratory model that replicates key functions of the human placenta, enabling us to study pregnancy complications in new and more precise ways. Through this research, we aim to generate insights that improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular and pregnancy-related disorders. 
https://www.dundee.ac.uk/people/colin-murdoch 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-3-d-model-of-a-placenta-on-a-chip/id1779600854?i=1000708421769

Shilan Fuad Hussain is an interdisciplinary researcher specialising in Gender Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies. She is dedicated to advancing gender equality and advocating for women's rights. Her research focuses on violence against women, including forced and arranged marriage, honour-based violence, femicide, patriarchy, sexuality, and identity in the diaspora. 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-shilan-fuad-h-11a5b6176/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubenpastilha/ 

I am in charge of our EU funding strategy. My team has supported and reviewed over 1000 MSCA applications and managed nearly 200 awards since the beginning of H2020. MSCA is a key part of our activity, not only in bespoke support mechanisms but in organising an annual MSCA applicant Summer School and creating the MSCA Fellows Forum, a community of Leeds-based MSCA Fellows to share experiences, mentor new Fellows and network at specific training and social events. 
www.linkedin.com/in/benwilliamseu

I support researchers at the University of Liverpool with developing and securing European research funding, with a particular focus on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and European Research Council. 

www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-cullinan-21390975 

The Stulz Group develops new DNA-based molecules and technologies for applications in medicine, particularly cancer research. Our work combines chemistry, biology, and medical science to better understand cancerous diseases and develop new therapeutic approaches. Short synthetic DNA molecules (oligo-nucleotides) are becoming a new modality in medicine because they target diseases at their root cause, not just to relieve symptoms. One particularly difficult aspect is the delivery of those new therapeutics to their target, in particular to diagnosed cancer sites without affecting healthy tissue. We try to make use of the high specificity of antibodies to overcome this fundamental problem. 
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/people/5x2rjj/professor-eugen-stulz#about 

My Research areas are live music and touring, women and the electric guitar, rock music history and culture, music technologies

His interdisciplinary research connects psychology, neuroscience and biology. His MSCA experience shaped a lasting interest in how cross-disciplinary research, international mobility, and supportive institutional environments enable researchers to thrive.  
https://psilocybin-research.com/msca-impact/ 

Professor Zhang has been a pioneer in the fields of small cell and heterogeneous networks since 2006, and has led ground-breaking work on smart radio environments and building wireless performance since 2010. He created the concept of Building Wireless Performance (BWP) and established the first theoretical framework to quantify the impact of building layouts and materials on BWP. 
Wireless Network Planning and Optimisation Software | Ranplan Wireless 
Ranplan Professional | Ranplan Wireless 

My research explores how extremely small materials can be used to improve the diagnosis and treatment of disease. I design smart nanoscale systems that protect medicines as they travel through the body and release them precisely where they are needed. These technologies aim to address major medical challenges, including treatment-resistant cancer, metastasis, tissue damage and implant rejection. My team also develops advanced diagnostics, regenerative materials, artificial implants, vaccines and personalised therapies. Ultimately, my goal is to translate nanoscale science into safe, practical and effective healthcare solutions tailored to patients’ needs. https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/77968-hirak-patra

Every time one of our cells divides, it has to make a complete, accurate copy of its DNA, the instruction manual that tells the cell how to work. Aga’s research looks at the molecular machinery that does this copying. She studies how it is switched on, how it is taken apart once the job is done, and how cells protect and repair their DNA when it gets damaged. Her team focuses on ubiquitin, a small protein “tag” that cells attach to other proteins to control what they do and when. When this copying and repair go wrong, mistakes build up in our DNA, which can lead to cancer and other diseases. Understanding these processes helps scientists find new ways to target cancer cells. 

http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/aga-gambus 

Dr Maria Michail is a leading researcher in youth mental health and suicide prevention. Her work aims to better understand the underlying causes of these difficulties and to develop evidence-based approaches that support young people, informing research, practice, policy, and community responses.

Dr Maria Michail - School of Psychology - University of Birmingham

My research focuses on how metabolism, nutrition and hormonal regulation influence human health and disease. I work at the interface of biomedical research and data science, using biological and clinical data to understand complex conditions such as metabolic disorders and cognitive decline. I am particularly interested in translating biological findings into a better understanding of disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies. My research career has also involved international mobility and interdisciplinary collaborations across the UK and Spain, including two Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships. 
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6662-2932 

Lucy Swan has been Deputy Head of the unit responsible for shaping the MSCA’s policy framework and strategic direction at the European Commission since 2020. Before that, she was assistant to the Deputy Director General for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport. Since she joined the European Commission in 2004, she has worked in the Directorate General for Environment, the Secretariat General and the cabinet of Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič. 
https://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/msca-actions_en

30th anniversary - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions 
Follow Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions on LinkedIn #MSCA   

Actions (MSCA) since June 2025. While my role focuses primarily on the MSCA, I am also familiar with the wider funding opportunities available through Horizon Europe, having advised researchers and research organisations on Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 programmes throughout my career. 

My experience spans both individual funding schemes, such as the European Research Council (ERC), and collaborative programmes involving multi-partner consortia. Over the years, I have worked with applicants across a broad range of funding opportunities, helping them identify suitable calls, interpret programme requirements, develop competitive proposals, and navigate the application and evaluation process. 

Having worked in several research offices across the UK and Spain, I have gained experience supporting researchers at different stages of the funding lifecycle, from early project development through to grant management. This has provided me with valuable insight into the European research and innovation landscape and the opportunities available to researchers at different career stages. I look forward to supporting you throughout your MSCA application journey.