Philippe Cupers

Head of Scientific Management Department, European Research Council

Philippe Cupers is since 1 October 2025 the Head of the Scientific Management Department at the European Research Council Executive Agency. His main responsibilities focus on the management of ERC calls for proposals and of ERC grants scientific monitoring. In addition, the Scientific Management Department supervises the feedback-to-policy.

Philippe Cupers joined the European Research Council Executive Agency in 2019 as Head of the Life Sciences Unit. He began to work for the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission in 2001, where he contributed to several research programmes, including as scientific officer and then Head of Sector for brain research, scientific officer for setting up the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), Deputy Head of Unit for health strategy, and Deputy Head of Unit for innovative tools, technologies and concepts in health research.

Philippe Cupers has a PhD in cell biology and biochemistry from the University of Louvain (de Duve Institute). Before joining the Commission, he performed research at the Harvard University Medical School and at the Flemish Institute for Biotechnology (University of Leuven), and also worked at GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals.