ERC Starting Grant, recent awardees

Predicting the Future of Island Biodiversity: Integrating Traits to Decipher Species Turnover Dynamics

MARTIN-LUTHER-UNIVERSITAT HALLE-WITTENBERG · DE · €1,499,805

Global change is altering vegetation, with climate zones shifting poleward and species distributions changing. Rising sea levels, land-use change, and invasive species further modify natural vegetation, leading to the reassembly of native communities. However, the rates and patterns of community changes across different vegetation types, along with their consequences for biodiversity, remain unclear. This proposal explores the effects of global change on coastal islands and mainland habitat frag

Simulating Other Minds in Autism

KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET · SE · €1,500,000

The mere presence of another person automatically triggers powerful processes of belief computation in our brains. This spontaneous and well-established Theory of Mind (ToM) ability is considered vital for efficient social interactions. Yet, we still know little about the mechanisms allowing the brain to automatically, and without apparent mental effort, keep track of who is believing what. I argue that the role of modeling others’ attention is an overlooked and a key factor in this process. I p

Moduli spaces in low dimensions

UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW · UK · €1,356,152

The topological properties of low dimensional moduli spaces play a fundamental role across algebra, geometry, and topology. My research programme will build homotopical tools for moduli spaces of 3- and 4-manifolds, and moduli spaces of links in 3-manifolds, with my main applications being to manifold symmetries and configurations. The upgrading of discrete techniques for ‘an object’ to space-level techniques on ‘the moduli space of all such objects’ is a central theme.Moduli spaces of manifolds

Systems-level investigation of the immune-reproductive crosstalk in humans

LUNDS UNIVERSITET · SE · €1,499,861

Infertility affects 1 in 6 adults worldwide. Current infertility therapies overlook its underlying causes, resulting in pregnancy success rates as low as 30%. Together with the emotional, financial, and societal toll of infertility, this low efficacy underscores the urgent need for more precise interventions. fertiliMMUNE aims to uncover mechanisms of human immune-reproductive crosstalk and define novel targets for fertility treatment.Reproduction and immunity are deeply intertwined, highlightin

Information flow in developmental cell fate patterning

UNIVERSITAT BASEL · CH · €1,498,051

Embryonic development relies on the ability of multi-cellular systems to collectively coordinate the establishment of precise spatial patterns of cell fates. An inevitable obstacle to such coordination is intrinsic noise at the single-cell level, which constrains the amount of information accessible to cells for fate decisions. While such information was often considered to be encoded in overall concentrations of extracellular signals, it is becoming increasingly clear that cells use a much broa

Synchrotron X-ray multi-projection imaging (XMPI) for high-resolution 4D characterization of multiphase flows

Tomas Rosén · KTH Royal Institute of Technology · SE

Multiphase flows where particles, bubbles, or droplets are suspended in a fluid govern critical processes in biology, medicine, materials processing, and geophysics. However, observing their microscale dynamics in opaque systems has remained a fundamental challenge. We present Synchrotron X-ray Multi-Projection Imaging (XMPI), a novel approach enabling four-dimensional (3D + time) tracking of microparticles in visibly opaque suspension flows without requiring sample rotation. By capturing simult

LPL-Positive Endothelial Cells Control T-cell Homing in Liver Metastasis

Hellmut G. Augustin · German Cancer Research Center · DE

Combination therapies involving vascular targeting drugs have shown promise in overcoming resistance to immunotherapy. However, the prerequisite for vascular modulation to evoke an effective antitumor T-cell response remains elusive. Tracing the transcriptional response of liver metastasis-associated peritumoral and tumor endothelial cells (TEC) to T-cell intervention, we discovered an immunomodulatory TEC subpopulation that highly expressed lipoprotein lipase (LPL). LPL+ TECs facilitated intrat

Capturing electron correlation at mean-field cost: Assessment of i-DMFT and the underlying correlation conjecture

Christian Schilling · Center for Theoretical Physics · PL

Accurately treating strong electron correlation in quantum chemistry typically requires multireference wave function methods with steep computational scaling. The recently proposed i-DMFT method promises near configuration-interaction accuracy at mean-field cost by invoking an empirical linear relation between correlation energy and entropy (Collins' conjecture), whose validity remains unclear. We systematically assess this relation across a range of di- and polyatomic molecules, including diver

The primate claustrum as a hub for precision weighting of prediction errors across the cortical hierarchy

Henry Kennedy · Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 · FR

Understanding how signals are exchanged across the cerebral cortex is a central challenge for theories of perception and cognition. Although crucial gaps exist in empirical knowledge, evidence is emerging in macaques for complementary functional roles of cortico-cortical and cortico-claustral-cortical loops in predictive coding and perceptual inference. This Essay puts forward a roadmap for investigating these cortical networks in the primate brain by integrating parallel neuroimaging investigat

A Cosmic Archipelago of lensed metal-poor galaxies at z ∼ 6

H. Yan

The Cosmic Archipelago is an ensemble of galaxies, strongly lensed by the Hubble Frontier Fields cluster MACS,J0416, displaying some of the most extreme physical properties known at z ∼ 6.14. In this work, we combined JWST/NIRCam with deep VLT/X-shooter and JWST/NIRSpec IFU to perform a joint spectrophotometric analysis from the far-ultraviolet to the red-optical rest frame. In particular, we focused on CA4, a UV-faint ̊m UV = -17.7), isolated, and compact (r_ ̊m e =81 ± 11 pc) galaxy at z = 6.1

Quantum state design and emergent confinement mechanism in measured tensor network states

Guglielmo Lami · Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · FR

Abstract Randomness is a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics, arising from the measurement process that collapses superpositions into definite outcomes according to Born’s rule. Generating large-scale random quantum states is crucial for quantum computing and many-body physics, yet it remains a key challenge. We present a practical method based on local measurements of random Tensor Networks, focusing on random Matrix Product States (MPS) generated by two distinct quantum circuit architectur

Future trends of desalination and wastewater treatment accounting for risks of maladaptation

Marina Andrijevic · International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis · AT

The intensifying effects of climate change on global water scarcity require ensuring reliable, equitable, and sustainable water supply, with novel technologies becoming increasingly central to adaptation. In this study, we develop projections of wastewater treatment and desalination capacities and analyze their associated energy demand and CO 2 emissions. While technologically mature and rapidly expanding, their future development remains underexamined as a risk of maladaptation that stems from

Twist-Induced Altermagnetism in a Metallic van der Waals Antiferromagnet

José J. Baldoví · Parc Científic de la Universitat de València · ES

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Altermagnetism offers a promising route for next-generation spintronic devices. In two-dimensional (2D) magnets, twist engineering enables its realization by breaking the combined inversion and time-reversal symmetry ( P T ). Here, by first-principles calculations and symmetry analysis, we demonstrate that twisting the recently synthesized metallic van der Waals antiferromagnet Co-doped bilayer Fe 3 GaTe 2 (Fe 2 CoGaTe 2 ) provides a robust plat

Dietary perspectives on social asymmetry in a full Iron Age community of northern Italy: stable isotope evidence from the Patavine CUS-Piovego necropolis

Giusy Capasso · Sapienza University of Rome · IT

Understanding how social inequality influenced access to food resources in past societies is a central issue in archaeology, as dietary practices provide important insights into how resources were distributed within communities and how social hierarchies were structured and maintained over time. During the Iron Age, in line with broader European patterns, northern Italy – and particularly the Veneto region – underwent processes of urbanisation and increasing social complexity that likely reshape

Intestinal FXR deficiency uncouples steatosis protection from liver inflammation and fibrosis in MASH-diet fed mice

Margaux Nawrot · Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 · FR

Abstract The Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR), a nuclear bile acid (BA) receptor highly expressed in the liver and intestine, is a potential pharmacological target for Metabolic dysfunction-Associated SteatoHepatitis (MASH). While intestinal FXR inhibition reduces high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis, its role in MASH progression remains unclear. This study investigates the impact of intestinal FXR-deficiency on MASH development in a diet-induced murine model. Intestinal FXR-deficient ( int F

Combination of 3D and 2D Small and Wide Angle X‐Ray Scattering Imaging Reveals Diminished Bone Quality in the Superior Human Femoral Neck Cortex

Marianne Liebi · Paul Scherrer Institute · CH

The human femoral neck is particularly vulnerable to fracture, with failure most often initiating in the superior region. While age-related microstructural changes such as cortical thinning and increased porosity are well established, the contribution of material properties at the lamellar and mineralised collagen fibril (MCF) levels remains poorly understood. Here, regional differences in nanostructural properties of cortical bone from 78 femoral necks obtained from 44 donors aged 54-96 are inv

Volcanic aerosol effects on warm and cold cloud microphysics: ICON-ART simulations of Holuhraun and La Soufrière eruptions

Corinna Hoose

Abstract. Volcanic eruptions are a rich source of particles, such as sulfate and ash, that can act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) or ice nucleating particles (INPs). They offer a unique opportunity to study the effects of aerosols on clouds because they create a natural laboratory with high concentrations of aerosols adjacent to an unperturbed environment. In this study, we used the ICON–ART (ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic weather and climate model with Aerosols and Reactive Trace gases) modelin

Cultura caballista

Gwen Burnyeat

Abstract The world of Colombian gaited horses, or cultura caballista (horse‐riding culture), is often linked with uribismo , the right‐wing identity associated with former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez. Ethnographic fieldwork in conflict‐torn Antioquia reveals how horse‐human practices of training, breeding, and competition cultivate orientations toward hierarchical authority, disciplined hypermasculinity, and control over land and living bodies. This occurs within histories of racialized regiona

Regio- and Enantioselective Alkoxycarbonylation of Unactivated Terminal Alkenes under Palladium-Bromide-Monophosphine Catalysis

Paweł Dydio · Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · FR

reveals that the chiral ligand forms a deep asymmetric pocket around the metal center, enabling precise enantiocontrol. The bromide ligand, in turn, is essential for achieving branched regioselectivity and suppressing deleterious chain-walking processes.

Numerical convergence of the scalar auxiliary variable method applied to nonlinear stiff string models

Riccardo Russo · University of Bologna · IT

Abstract This work is concerned with the Scalar Auxiliary Variable (SAV) method applied to geometrically nonlinear string models, focusing on the analysis of numerical convergence across various model formulations. An ODE system with a potential akin to that of the geometrically exact string is first analysed, providing both mathematical and numerical insight. Then, three nonlinear stiff string models are considered: geometrically exact (in two formulations), cubic, and Kirchhoff–Carrier models,

Topological groupoids with involution and real algebraic stacks

Olivier de Gaay Fortman · Utrecht University · NL

Abstract To a topological groupoid endowed with an involution, we associate a topological groupoid of fixed points, generalizing the fixed-point subspace of a topological space with involution. We prove that when the topological groupoid with involution arises from a Deligne-Mumford stack over $$ \mathbb {R} $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mi>R</mml:mi> </mml:math> , this fixed locus coincides with the real locus of the stack. This provides a topological framewo

Supplementation with effective microorganisms in earthen ponds affects common carp growth and abundance of specific bacterial families

Joanna Szyda · Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences · PL

BACKGROUND: Effective microorganisms are increasingly explored in aquaculture to improve fish health and growth without leaving harmful residues. However, their efficacy in real-world pond environments remains poorly understood. Here, we conducted a 103-day field experiment to assess the effects of supplementation with two effective commercial microorganism products on the microbial communities and growth performance of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). BACKGROUND: Effective microorganisms were add

Electrolyte–Framework Matching in High‐Voltage TEMPO‐COF Cathodes for Lithium Batteries

Marilyn Esclance DMello · Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases · ES

ABSTRACT High‐voltage organic cathodes based on stable nitroxyl radicals are promising candidates for sustainable energy storage. However, porous TEMPO‐based frameworks remain underdeveloped compared to linear polymers, and the role of electrolyte anions in governing their performance is poorly understood. Herein, two imine‐linked covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are post‐synthetically functionalized with N 3 ‐TEMPO via click chemistry, affording crystalline, porous TEMPO‐TB and TEMPO‐TP COFs

Selenite reduces algal reactive oxygen species accumulation and enhances algal resistance to a bacterial pathogen

Einat Segev · American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science · US

Abstract Oxidative stress arises when cells fail to maintain redox balance. Among marine microalgae, oxidative stress is a hallmark of interaction with pathogenic bacteria. In co-culture of Emiliania huxleyi algae with pathogenic bacteria of the species Phaeobacter inhibens, algal intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase prior to bacterial-induced population collapse. Here, we tested whether antioxidant amendments can alter the pathogenic outcome. Screening several environm

Affective and cognitive theory of mind and associated brain functional alterations in frontotemporal dementia

Federica Agosta · Vita-Salute San Raffaele University · IT

Abstract Theory of mind (ToM), the ability to infer others’ beliefs (cognitive ToM) and emotions (affective ToM), is compromised in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). However, its diagnostic and prognostic value in other frontotemporal dementia (FTD) variants remains underexplored due to limited understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms. This study investigated whether ToM deficits are shared across the frontotemporal dementia spectrum and explored the functional connec

Saving the Olive Trees? Ontological Politics and Plant Disease Governance in Apulia, Southern Italy

Fabio Gatti · Wageningen University & Research · NL

In Apulia, everyone wants to “save the olive trees”—yet what is to be saved is far from clear. Since 2013, the spread of Xylella fastidiosa and Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS) has devastated Southern Italy’s groves and triggered a highly contested phytosanitary crisis. This paper argues that the controversy cannot be reduced to technical uncertainty, knowledge disagreement, or economic interests alone; it is also an ontological conflict—a struggle over the nature of the entities at stake. Dr

Tunable itinerant ferromagnetism in two-dimensional FePd2Te2 hosting 1D spin chains

José J. Baldoví · Parc Científic de la Universitat de València · ES

One-dimensional (1D) magnetism offers unidirectional spin interactions that allow unique tunable properties and unconventional spin phenomena. However, it often suffers from poor stability, limiting practical applications. In this regard, integrating 1D magnetism into two-dimensional (2D) materials enables a promising route to stabilize these systems while preserving their anisotropic magnetic characteristics. Here, we focus on the 2D ferromagnet FePd 2 Te 2 (T C = 183 K), which hosts 1D spin ch

Targeted KRASG12V Degradation <i>In Vivo</i> Elicits Lung Adenocarcinoma Regression with Subsequent Relapse from Dysregulated Proteolysis

Cristina Mayor-Ruiz · Institute for Research in Biomedicine · ES

Abstract Recent drug discovery breakthroughs have led to the approval of KRASG12C inhibitors in lung adenocarcinoma. Unfortunately, clinical responses are often hampered by the rapid onset of resistance. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTAC) have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional inhibition. However, there is limited mechanistic understanding of KRAS degradation in vivo. In this study, we developed a preclinical lung adenocarcinoma mouse model and demonstrated that targeted onco

Optical spin glasses

Claudio Conti · Sapienza University of Rome · IT

Spin-glass theory emerged in the 1980s as a merger between theoretical physics and condensed matter. Soon, physicists realized that spin glasses serve as a paradigm for complex systems, as underscored by the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics, and for applications in machine learning and neuroscience, with a profound connection with the Hopfield model and Boltzmann machines, subjects of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics. However, the connection with optics and photonics is even more profound and fundamen

Real-time identification of parametric sloshing-induced heat and mass transfer in a horizontally oriented cylindrical tank

Samuel Akatchi Ahizi · Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics · BE