Dr. E.A.M. Schenk (DrEAMS)
Ellen Schenk is a research funding advisor with a passion for the life sciences & health domain. Her mission is to make research happen. Collaborating with scientists to translate research ideas into competitive funding proposals and projects gives her energy.
Ellen has been active in the Life Sciences & Health research and innovation domain since 1994. After obtaining her PhD degree, Ellen’s career took off as a managing biochemist at the biotechnology company Pharming until 2002. She then moved to various decentralised and central strategic positions at Erasmus MC to write competitive grant proposals as part of scientific teams, set up and coordinate large national and international research consortia, scout and advise on national and international funding opportunities, and promote the (inter)national positioning of the institution and its scientists. In 2020, she embraced a new challenge as the Director of Research & Education at HollandPTC. As head of the R&D department, she was responsible for the implementation of the HollandPTC research programme on proton therapy.
In 2022, driven by a passion to support research endeavors independently, Ellen founded DrEAMS Funding Consultancy. With over 20 years of experience in European funding programs, she possesses a deep understanding of collaborative, MSCA, and ERC funding schemes in FP6, FP7, Horizon 2020, and Horizon Europe. Ellen’s expertise extends to European partnerships, including ERA-NET and Innovative Medicine Initiative, and global programs such as NIH and Movember. Her broad knowledge also encompasses Dutch governmental and charities-driven funding programs.
Ellen has a broad national and European network of research managers and administrators. She is trainer in the EARMA (European Association of Research Managers and Administrators) Early Stage Research Administrators Masterclass (EARMA ESRAM) since the start of ESRAM, as well as a mentor of three mentees in the EARMA Certificate in Research Management (EARMA CRM) programme. Furthermore, she is co-founder and former vice-chair of ARMA-NL, the Association for Research Managers and Administrators – The Netherlands. Currently, she actively participates in ARMA-NL Working Groups on training for grant advisors and the Horizon Europe RM ROADMAP project. Finally, Ellen has been a core group member and leader of Working Group 1 (Administration) of the COST Targeted Network BESTPRAC. In her free time, she likes to read, help non-native speakers to increase their Dutch language skills, watch sports and go on holiday.
