Mónica Bettencourt will be the first female director of the Center for Genomic Regulation
The biochemist will take office in 2026 and replace Luis Serrano, who has led the institute for 15 years.
BarcelonaBiochemist and cell biologist Mónica Bettencourt-Dias will be the first female director of the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG). Bettencourt was appointed on Monday by the CRG's board of trustees and will succeed Luis Serrano, who has led the institute for 15 years, in 2026. Thus, Bettencourt will be the first woman to lead the Catalan research center since it was founded 25 years ago.
Born in Portugal in 1973, Mónica Bettencourt completed her PhD at University College London researching the regenerative properties of salamanders. As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge, she made key discoveries about cell proliferation before returning to Portugal to establish her research group at the Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC). With her combined research, she has built an international career at the forefront of cellular and molecular biology.
"I am deeply honored to have been entrusted with the leadership of the CRG, one of Europe's leading research institutes," Bettencourt said in a statement, calling the current moment "exciting for the life sciences and biomedicine." "Advances in genomics, artificial intelligence, and technology are revolutionizing our ability to decode and design genomes—knowledge that is essential for understanding life and building resilience in the face of a changing environment."
15 years at the helm of the CRG
The Portuguese biochemist will succeed Serrano after a decade and a half at the helm of the CRG. However, the ICREA Research Professor will continue to maintain a research group at the institute. Since Serrano took over its leadership in 2011, the CRG has established itself as an international center of excellence in biomedical research. During her tenure, Serrano was instrumental in founding EU-LIFE, the alliance that now brings together seventeen of Europe's leading research institutes, and in launching SOMMa, which brings together Spain's Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu Centers of Excellence.
"It has been a privilege to lead the CRG and witness the remarkable achievements of our scientific teams and staff over the past fourteen years," said the current CRG Director. "I am proud of the culture of curiosity, innovation, and societal impact we have built together, and I look forward to continuing my own research in a vibrant environment while supporting Professor Bettencourt in her new role," he concluded.
