Chemistry fellow Fernanda Duarte awarded ERC Consolidator Grant

9 December 2025

Associate Professor Fernanda Duarte is one of five Oxford academics awarded European Research Council Consolidator Grants, which support cutting-edge research at universities and research centres in 25 EU member states and associated countries.

Fernanda’s new research project ML4MetaLigM will develop new computational methods to model chemical reactions that occur in liquid solution, focusing on challenging systems containing metals. Metal ions are essential for biological and technological functions, including protein function, acceleration of chemical reactions and development of advanced materials, but predicting their behaviour in real-world conditions is difficult. This is limiting progress in areas such as drug discovery and the sustainable synthesis of materials.

By combining physics-based models with AI and experimental validation, the project will transform molecular modelling and accelerate the design of new molecules with tailored functionalities.

Fernanda says, ‘This project bridges a critical gap between theory and applications in chemistry, by creating predictive and accessible tools. I am grateful to my team, past and present members, and collaborators whose feedback and support were key in shaping this proposal.’

Congratulations, Fernanda!