ERC Synergy Grant, recent awardees

2026

• Chemist Eye: a visual language model-powered system for safety monitoring and robot decision-making in self-driving laboratories

  Francisco Munguia-Galeano · University of Liverpool · GB

  The use of robotics and automation in self-driving laboratories (SDLs) can introduce additional safety complexities, beyond those already present in conventional research laboratories. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is an essential requirement for ensuring the safety and well-being of workers in all laboratories, self-driving or otherwise. Fires are another important risk factor in chemical laboratories. In SDLs, fires that occur close to mobile robots, which use flammable lithium batteries

• the ethics of AI enabled synthetic DNA

  UNIVERSITETET I OSLO · NO · €5,859,854

  The spiral helix structure of DNA is instantly recognisable. It holds a powerful place in the public imagination. The central role of DNA in concepts of identity, family, health, and life itself is reinforced by specialised legal and regulatory frameworks. While designing DNA from scratch is beyond human capability, AI-enabled design and modeling have opened new horizons with synthetic DNA (synDNA). SynDNA allows the creation of organisms with no evolutionary counterparts. This could be seen as

• Land and life in the Anthropocene: Landscape reform

  ERASMUS UNIVERSITEIT ROTTERDAM · NL · €8,333,333

  How can we learn to live on earth in new ways? This is the challenge of the Anthropocene. We propose a novel 4Ps framework to investigate land–life dynamics, which, for the first time, will connect perspectives on human–nonhuman relations (Partners), property-making (Property), land regimes (Profit) and land–climate systems (Planet). We will draw on critical perspectives from both environmental humanities and agrarian studies, bringing together diverse traditions from human–nonhuman anthropology

• The role of Turbulence in the Physics of Clouds

  MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV · DE · €13,685,754

  Earth’s dominant cloud type per area covered is Stratocumulus. These low-level, shallow, and Earth’s dominant cloud type per area covered is Stratocumulus. These low-level, shallow, and horizontally spread-out clouds cover one-fifth of the Earth’s surface. Changes in cloud cover may amplify rather than mitigate global warming but the magnitude of this is highly uncertain. One of the greatest challenges in climate science is to predict how clouds in general, and stratocumuli in particular, will c

• Capturing and cONtrolling coniCal intErsections in Real Time

  POLITECNICO DI MILANO · IT · €9,998,941

  Conical intersections (CIs) are regions in the potential energy surface of molecules where different electronic energy levels intersect, leading to the breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation and promoting non-adiabatic transitions between electronic states. CIs preside over essential ultrafast processes in photobiology, photochemistry, and materials science as they can be viewed as “doorways” through which a photoexcited vibrational wave packet (WP) is efficiently funnelled to a lower-e

• When and where do we reach the limits of adaptation to riverine flood risk?

  GFZ HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR GEOFORSCHUNG · DE · €9,997,114

  As climate change and urbanization of low-lying areas increase flood risk, accelerated flood adaptation by households is urgently required (e.g. elevating homes, flood proofing), in addition to adaptation by the government (e.g. dikes) and insurance (cover residual risk). However, there are limits to the adaptability of societies. For instance, social vulnerability factors such as low income or high age may reduce households’ adaptation efforts leading to higher physical vulnerability of their h

• Modulation of Liver Metabolism/Inflammation at Different Disease Stages by Leveraging ADAR-based RNA Editing

  EBERHARD KARLS UNIVERSITAET TUEBINGEN · DE · €9,969,748

  RNA base editing, catalyzed by ADAR enzymes, is a natural process that diversifies protein function by modifying mRNA. Redirecting ADAR activity with RNA-based drugs holds significant promise for correcting genetic mutations and uniquely enables precise modulation of protein function. However, major challenges remain to fully unlock this potential.In this collaborative effort, we present a target discovery platform and demonstrate in vivo proof-of-concept (PoC) that targeted RNA base editing can

• Real-time endoscopic diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal tumors through multimode nonlinear fibers

  UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA · IT · €6,396,343

  MULTIPROBE introduces a revolutionary photonic technology that represents a significant advancement in the field of optical diagnostics and therapy. Our approach is based on cutting-edge research into pulse propagation within nonlinear complex structures. We are developing an endoscopic device that seamlessly combines optical biopsy and cold atmospheric plasma treatment. This dual-functionality device harnesses the spatiotemporal control of powerful light in multimode fibers, which were previous

• Zee-Zoom-Zap: a new paradigm for cancer theranostics

  KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET · DK · €10,000,000

  We propose a disruptive concept overcoming the fundamental limit of concurrently achieving specific, high-resolution imaging at depth in tissue. Our Zee-Zoom-Zap concept will serve as a one-stop-shop by combining early detection of cancer through small lumens (‘zee’), non-invasive “biopsies” (‘zoom’), and local therapy (‘zap’).The main challenge in realising early detection of cancer is to overcome the fundamental limitation in concurrently achieving specific, high-resolution imaging at the cell

• Beyond Modification: Defining Hidden Roles of snoRNPs in Ribosome Assembly

  UNIVERSITAET GRAZ · AT · €9,993,362

  The assembly of new ribosomes is a conserved and tightly regulated process required for the growth of all living beings. Successful ribosome production requires the coordinated action of hundreds of cellular factors, including small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein particles (snoRNPs). Human snoRNP defects or alterations in snoRNP expression are linked to bone marrow disorders, neurodegeneration, and cancer. We recently discovered that a specialized class of snoRNPs play central yet underappreciated

• Hydrothermal iron from the earth’s interior as fertiliser of photosynthesis in the ocean

  CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · FR · €13,567,192

  HARVEST investigates how iron released from submarine volcanoes stimulates the growth of phytoplankton, especially in nutrient-poor ocean regions. Iron is known to be a limiting nutrient for photosynthesizing plankton, but research has mostly focused on iron delivery via atmospheric dust. The contribution of iron from hydrothermal sources – leached out of hot rock along the volcanically active plate boundaries – has been largely overlooked. This process, however, may drive a significant componen

• Unlocking the neurovascular interface of peripheral nerves in homeostasis, disease and repair

  OSPEDALE SAN RAFFAELE SRL · IT · €10,000,000

  The extensive network of peripheral nerves develops concurrently and in close contact with the vascular system. This spatial and functional relationship persists into adulthood, forming a neurovascular (NV) interface that shields the vulnerable neural tissue through a blood-nerve barrier (BNB), akin to the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Despite its pivotal role in peripheral nervous system (PNS) health, our understanding of the BNB is limited, impacting the design of therapies for PNS disorders link

• Translational Control by Molecular Chaperones: The Unexplored Mechanisms Coordinating Protein Synthesis and Proteostasis in Health and Genetic Reprogramming

  MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV · DE · €10,828,378

  CHAPEROME aims to establish a new concept in which molecular chaperones regulate central aspects of mRNA translation in human cells under physiological conditions, in response to proteotoxic stress, and during cellular differentiation. Recent findings indicate that the folding of translation factors relies on specific chaperone proteins to achieve their functional states. We hypothesize that chaperones play a pivotal role in aligning translation rates, efficiency, and mRNA selection with the cel

• Uncovering Lost Knowledge from the Ancient Library of Herculaneum: Overcoming Damage and Reviving the Human Experience using Physical Evidence, AI, and the Structuring of Diverse Data

  UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI FEDERICO II · IT

  The loss of something precious triggers an immediate instinct to find it. But what if the quest does not end there? We see it and find it, yet the precious object is irreparably damaged, and its true knowledge is locked away behind its damage, frustratingly denying us access to the information it holds. In such cases, the object essentially remains lost. Each day, in fact, treasured relics bearing unique witness to the human experience are lost to decay and damage due to the elements of the envi

• Digital RF Power - Time-Domain-RF-Power Signal Generation

  TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT · NL · €9,993,525

  Wireless communications has made fantastic progress. Yet, the gravest concern is the relentless exponential increase in energyconsumption of next-generation networks that adopt massive multi-input/multi-output (mMIMO) technology (e.g., in 5G/6G).Without any major breakthroughs, these networks will devour a big portion of the global electricity production in 2030. The chiefculprit is the incumbent analog-intensive radio-frequency (RF) transmitter (TX) architecture of its front-end part, which inv

• Fire safety in space exploration

  CENTRALE LILLE INSTITUT · FR · €13,774,718

  The FireSpace research proposal aims to address the critical challenge of fire safety in space exploration, particularly in environments with increased oxygen concentrations, reduced pressure, and reduced gravity. The main objective is to generate fundamental knowledge on the fire behavior of materials used in spacecraft and habitats under these extreme conditions and to develop strategies for mitigating fire risks. This will be achieved through a combination of experimental investigations, the

• Popular Government in Global Perspective: History, Principles, Institutions, and Experimentations

  UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN · BE · €9,258,028

  Representative government is characterized by the guarantee of basic political liberties, the centrality of elections, restricted avenues for citizen participation, and the relative independence enjoyed by representatives. It has become the dominant alternative to authoritarian government worldwide, to a point where it has eclipsed the diversity of ways to organize collective self-government. This is regrettable because representative government 1) relies on elitist premises that are increasingl

• Northern Peatlands in the face of climate warming and abrupt changes

  STOCKHOLMS UNIVERSITET · SE · €12,562,113

  CLIMPEAT aims to transform our understanding and ability to quantify the response of northern peatlands to climate change and their feedback on future warming. Northern peatlands hold huge stocks of vulnerable carbon and nitrogen, and their release risks amplifying climatic warming. Increasingly prevalent reports of abrupt changes to peatland environments from thawing permafrost, extreme fires and droughts suggest massive reorganisation of Arctic and Boreal ecosystems, with impacts lasting sever

• Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics

  UNIVERSITETET I OSLO · NO · €12,089,947

  The growing climate crisis and threats to biodiversity have alerted the scientific community of the need to develop a clearer understanding of what has driven landscape changes and how these have impacted biodiversity and ecosystems. The lack of observationally constrained quantitative estimates of those impacts have led to large differences in the scenarios currently used for climate simulations. Nowhere is this more pressing than in the Afrotropics—a biogeographical region of nearly one billio

• Laboratory Underground for Nuclear Astrophysics New Observatory for Solar Neutrino Reactions

  HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM DRESDEN-ROSSENDORF EV · DE · €13,989,810

  Nuclear astrophysics studies the processes that generate energy and control the chemical makeup of the universe. One area of nuclear astrophysics has recently entered the 1% precision domain: Big Bang nucleosynthesis. However, another area of nuclear astrophysics with even greater importance is still lagging behind: Our Sun. Here, the precision breakthrough is still missing, and hampering not only the solar but all stellar models. LUNANOVA ideally combines a great effort from nuclear experiment,

• Mitochondrial Contact Site Functional Diversity Revealed by Molecular Memory, Smart Microscopy, and Correlative Cryo-EM Tomography

  ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE · CH · €12,278,709

  Mitochondria are central to modern eukaryotic life, but how they carry out their functions in space and time within the cellular milieu is remarkably enigmatic. Contributing to the complexity of this question, mitochondria face dual existential challenges: supporting their life cycle as self-reproducing, DNA-containing organelles; and supporting the energetic and signaling needs of the host cell. A universal feature in how mitochondria address these challenges is via engagement in membrane conta

• Co-evolutionary dynamics of viral pathogens and human antibody response

  CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · FR · €9,999,997

  Vertebrates, like ourselves, use adaptive immune cells to protect themselves from pathogens. Predicting mutations of these pathogens, together with the immune response, is essential for the design of vaccines and therapies. CoEvolve will map the co-evolution of immune repertoires and viral populations, to forecast likely properties of future infecting strains and to design interventions that improve immune control.Much effort has been devoted to evolving viral pathogens, but most studies focus e

• Innovative New Strategies in Generating High-impact Chemical Transformations

  UNIVERSITAET REGENSBURG · DE · €9,984,944

  Earth's growing population puts immense pressure on ecosystems due to increasing demands for natural resources, which are transformed into materials or energy for human use. Chemical catalysis is our primary tool for converting molecules, and advancements over the last century have made these processes more sustainable. While catalysis holds promise for addressing the urgent need for efficient, sustainable resource conversion, current discovery and optimization methods are too slow to meet globa

• Red teaming the H0 Tension

  UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA · ES · €12,041,153

  Despite the spectacular success of the standard cosmological model over the past two decades, recent observations from large sky surveys and distance measurements with a broad range of cosmological probes suggest cracks to the accepted paradigm: differences now appear in measurements of quantities the current cosmological model predicts as equal. These are called “tensions”. The most important tension concerns the Hubble parameter, H0, which quantifies the expansion rate of the Universe now, som

• Genome control by DNA-looping motors: from folding to function

  TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT · NL · €10,000,000

  Our genome is not merely an information code but also a physical object: a long polymer of DNA with a dynamic three-dimensional organisation that is crucial for its function. Recently, we and others discovered that SMC protein complexes are a novel class of remarkable molecular motors that extrude loops of DNA. While insights into how this motor activity shapes chromosomes are revolutionising our understanding of chromosome structure, it is becoming clear that SMC motors are also key to controll

• THREE STOP CODONS TO GET OVER TO FLOURISH

  MIKROBIOLOGICKY USTAV AV CR V.V.I · CZ · €9,755,098

  An accumulating body of evidence reveals that the Genetic Code, canonically interpreted in codons of three nucleotides, is not universal. In dogma challenging findings, we have observed in unicellular protists a remarkable malleability of genetic decoding that is mostly governed by tRNAs that interpret codons as having different meanings depending on their location in the genome. For example, coding sequences of our model protist Blastocrithidia nonstop are rich in stop codons and unique tRNA ar

• Verification of Probabilistic Security Systems

  THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD · UK · €7,944,004

  Critical digital infrastructure is increasingly threatened by attacks such as payment fraud, data breaches, and ransomware. Formal methods have been developed to rigorously analyse security protocols, which are the backbone of current digital security. Notably, automated tools, such as ProVerif, have been vital in analysing real-world protocols including TLS and Signal.A significant limitation in current formal methods stems from abstracting probabilistic behaviours to simplify the analysis. Th

• Accelerating SUStainable TECHnological trajectories with computational chemistry and machine learning

  UNIVERSITA DI PISA · IT · €9,761,394

  SUSTECH addresses a critical paradox at the heart of modern society: synthetic chemicals have been instrumental in societal advancement in their manifold uses ranging from materials to fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. Yet, they pose escalating risks to human health and environmental sustainability. There is an urgent need to reorient technological development toward safer and more sustainable alternatives. This project aims to generate a comprehensive understanding of the technological pathways

• Magnetically enhanced electrocatalysis

  FUNDACIO INSTITUT CATALA D'INVESTIGACIO QUIMICA · ES · €12,417,798

  In the last years, electrochemistry and electrocatalysis are increasing their impact across several fields. A major driving force comes from the promise of substituting current fossil-fuel powered thermal methods in the industry by electrochemical alternatives, driven by renewable electricity. However, electrochemical methods are still far from reaching the desired target performance. In this landscape, the recent discovery of magnetic fields enhancing electrocatalytic processes offers a plausib

• AdaptAIR: Climate Adaptation through Artificial Ice Reservoirs (AIRs) in the Himalayas

  KING'S COLLEGE LONDON · UK · €9,999,443

  Shrinking glaciers and more frequent extreme weather events threaten the water security of 55 million people living in the Himalayan Mountain range. Artificial ice reservoirs (AIRs) – annually created stores of ice formed each winter through diverting streams or pumping groundwater into the air – are being rapidly implemented across the northern-most Indian Union Territory of Ladakh. However, the construction of AIRs has been conducted without consideration of the social and environmental contex