Andorra and CRG Launch International Call for Mountain Genomics Researchers

Andorra Recerca i Innovació (AR+I) and the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) have opened an international call for two excellence positions in mountain genomics, with selected researchers holding joint affiliations at both institutions.

The programme, presented this week, aims to establish Andorra as a hub for research in biodiversity, environmental health, biotechnology and bioinformatics. It leverages the Principality's high-mountain ecosystems—particularly vulnerable to climate change and biodiversity loss—as a natural laboratory for cutting-edge science. Partnering CRG's expertise in genomics and biomedicine, based in Barcelona, with AR+I's national mandate, the initiative aligns with the Ministry of Economy's National Plan for Innovation and Diversification. It seeks to attract high-level international talent, foster knowledge transfer in omics sciences, build a stable local research community and spur economic growth through innovation.

Priority goes to Andorran nationals or residents to bolster domestic expertise. The positions mark the initial phase of a wider programme blending elite research with applications in omics and biodiversity. Researchers will conduct their projects primarily in Andorra under initial three-year contracts, renewable for up to two additional years. Applications are open from 7 April until 14 May 2026, followed by pre-selection based on academic achievements and research records. Full details appear on the AR+I and CRG websites.

The launch aligned with Thursday's R de Recerca event in Sant Julià de Lòria, where Minister of Institutional Relations, Research and Universities Ladislau Baró announced the government has nearly doubled research funding to approximately €305,000 this year, up from €150,000-154,000 previously. He described the increase as evidence of institutional commitment to a robust research ecosystem tied to economic diversification, backed by the ministries of Education and Economy, as well as AR+I.

The event recognised 16 or 17 researchers for 2025 projects covering health, climate change, mountain biodiversity, urban issues and more. It highlighted four new doctorates: Oriol Bonell Monsonis and Guillem Olivé Cadena in sustainability and neuroscience; Juan Jesús Larrabeiti Rodriguez in sports safety; and Jon Apodaca Saracho in natural risk management. Eight mobility grants supported international congresses and research stays in Spain, Austria, Czech Republic and Uganda, addressing invasive species, global health, climate impacts, urban heat islands and related topics.

Baró also unveiled a new €15,000 funding stream for Andorran education research, set to open late April. He pointed to the Principality's diverse and complex education system—currently undergoing curricular review—as a rich field for study. Interest in doctoral programmes at the University of Andorra and other public-private institutions has surged compared to past decades, when such pursuits were uncommon outside academia. Baró attributed this to growing passion for research among younger generations.