Four Romanian researchers win L’Oréal – UNESCO For Women in Science fellowships

Four Romanian researchers have received financing worth a total of RON 188,000 (close to EUR 38,000) as winners of the L’Oréal – UNESCO For Women in Science fellowships.

The four winners are Ancuța Jurj, Mădălina Pandele, Dana Popescu and Isabela Trăistaru. They receive fellowships amounting to RON 47,000 each.

Ancuța Jurj, a researcher at the Iuliu Hațieganu Medicine and Pharmacy University in Cluj Napoca, is a winner in the Life Sciences category with a project looking to identify the way triple-negative breast cancer develops resistance to therapy and create personalized therapies that can improve the patients’ outcome.

Mădălina Pandele, a professor at the Applied Chemistry Faculty of the Bucharest Polytechnic University, is a winner in the Life Sciences category with a project aiming to develop intelligent membranes that can efficiently remove heavy metals from wastewaters and offer visual cues to the efficiency of the process.

Dana Popescu, a researcher at the Măgurele National Institute for Materials Physics, is a winner in the Physical Sciences category with a project aiming to develop a new type of memory for data storage that is not powered by electricity, offers higher speed, an extended usage, and produces less heat.

Isabela Trăistaru, a researcher at the Costin D. Neniţescu Organic Chemistry Center of the Romanian Academy, is a winner in the Physical Sciences category with a project that aims to find cheaper, more stable and more performant materials to replace the once currently used in catalysis processes to facilitate the transition to renewable energy sources.

The L’Oréal – UNESCO For Women in Science fellowships are granted every year at a national or regional level, in ceremonies held in 117 countries. A total of 275 women with significant contributions to science benefit every year from national or regional fellowships. From these, 15 scientists are selected into the International Rising Talents program. Every year, five women receive the L’Oréal – UNESCO For Women in Science Award. Every award amounts to EUR 100,000.

(Photo: Artem Egorov | Dreamstime.com)