The Ministry of Universities, Science and Innovation and Culture, through the Canary Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society (ACIISI), has definitively resolved the call for grants for applied R&D projects, which will allow financing 17 research initiatives with a total investment of 2.59 million euros.
The financed projects will be developed by the University of La Laguna (ULL), the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and the Canary Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), reinforcing the capacity of the Canarian scientific system to convert knowledge into solutions with real impact on society.
The research focuses on some of the most relevant challenges for the present and future of the Canary Islands, such as sustainable water management, adaptation to climate change, health, energy transition, digital transformation or the improvement of the competitiveness of productive sectors.
Among the initiatives, projects stand out for developing new materials capable of detecting emerging contaminants in Canarian aquifers and improving the assessment of environmental risks associated with these compounds. Research on the effects of climate change on species with high invasive potential and studies to analyze the vulnerability of island ecosystems using advanced terrestrial observation technologies are also supported.
In the field of the blue economy and sustainability, the call will allow progress in technological solutions for more efficient and environmentally friendly high-speed vessels, as well as research on plankton dynamics in the subtropical ocean and its influence on marine ecosystems.
The energy transition and digital transformation also have a significant weight among the financed projects. These include initiatives focused on the intelligent management of energy communities, the development of advanced indoor guidance and localization systems using digital twins, and the creation of new luminescent materials with applications in energy and security.
Health constitutes another of the main pillars of this call. The funded projects will address issues such as the prevention and treatment of liver and kidney diseases, type 2 diabetes, women's brain health in perimenopausal stages, embryonic quality, the development of new therapeutic strategies for eye infections, and the study of cellular mechanisms related to neurodegenerative diseases.
Likewise, the grants will promote research aimed at improving animal welfare and livestock productivity, through the study of colostrum quality in goats and the development of new strategies for controlling respiratory diseases in the swine sector. Innovation projects in construction materials with potential application in more efficient and resistant infrastructures will also be financed.
The Minister of Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture, Migdalia Machín, highlighted that "this call reflects the commitment of the Government of the Canary Islands to research capable of providing concrete solutions to the challenges of our islands, strengthening the connection between scientific knowledge and the real needs of society."
Machín also emphasized that "we have managed to expand the scope of this call, going from 12 funded projects in the previous edition to 17 in the current one, while increasing the overall investment allocated to applied research. This effort allows us to support a greater number of excellence initiatives aligned with the strategic priorities of the Canary Islands and reinforce the capacity of our scientific system to generate useful and transferable knowledge."
The minister added that "these projects address fundamental issues for the future of the Archipelago, such as sustainable water management, adaptation to climate change, health, digital transformation, or the energy transition. These are research efforts that can translate into tangible improvements for citizens and new opportunities for economic development."
"We want the science developed in the Canary Islands to have the capacity to generate knowledge, but also to provide real solutions to the challenges of our land, promote innovation in our productive sectors, and contribute to the creation of qualified employment linked to research talent," she concluded.
The call is framed within the priority areas of the Canary Islands' Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3 expanded) and has co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) within the ERDF Canarias 2021-2027 Programme.
The initiatives will be executed between 2026 and 2028 and will contribute to strengthening the scientific and technological capabilities of the Canary Islands, promoting knowledge transfer to the productive sectors, and consolidating specialised research employment in strategic areas for the sustainable development of the Archipelago.
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