Dr. Anna Sandak’s journey from the lab to scientific leadership
The scientific journal Nature has published the article "How research funding took me out of the lab and into leadership" by Dr. Anna Sandak from UP IAM InnoRenew CoE. In it, she describes securing two major European research projects that transformed both the scope of her research and her role as a researcher and leader.
In 2022, she secured nearly two million euros in funding from the European Research Council (ERC) for the five-year ARCHI-SKIN project, which is developing a new generation of living coatings for buildings. The research focuses on developing materials based on fungal biofilms that enable self-healing and provide protection against environmental influences. The ERC project significantly expanded her research team and brought new responsibilities. As the team grew, her work shifted increasingly toward recruiting researchers, coordinating projects, managing resources, building collaborations, and defining the group's strategic direction.
A new milestone followed in 2024, when she obtained a three-million-euro EIC Pathfinder project from the European Innovation Council. With the REMEDY project, the research expanded into the field of engineered living materials for the built environment. The focus shifted toward technological feasibility, scalability of material production, and potential applications beyond academia. The goal of the project is to develop new approaches for customized building surface design and their adaptation to different needs and environmental conditions.
Today, the Materials Group at UP IAM InnoRenew CoE consists of 16 researchers, while the REMEDY project connects the expertise of six institutions from Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, and the Netherlands under Dr. Sandak’s leadership. "Leading scientific work is a different way of contributing to science," she wrote in her article for Nature, describing the transition from conducting experiments independently to supporting researchers, developing collaborations, and connecting individual discoveries with broader goals.
Her experience highlights the importance of developing leadership skills in an academic setting. She completed a three-month leadership development program for women organized by the European Innovation Council, where she gained knowledge and skills in communication, conflict management, and team development. These skills are also essential in her work with early-career researchers: under her mentorship, four postdoctoral researchers have secured individual Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships, while two received the Seal of Excellence and national research funding.