MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship, recent awardees

2027

• Dissipative tides in binary neutron star mergers

  UNIVERSITAET POTSDAM · DE · €202,125.12

  One of the central challenges in fundamental physics is determining the composition and behavior of dense matter inside neutron star cores. The direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs) from the binary neutron star merger GW170817, together with its electromagnetic counterpart, has opened a new era in multi-messenger astrophysics for probing neutron star interiors. The next generation of GW interferometers, such as the Einstein Telescope in Europe, will achieve unprecedented sensitivities, b

• Destruction of PFAS in synergistic Reductive and Oxidative processes for their complete mineralization in drinking water (DestructPRO)

  UNIVERSITE DE MONTPELLIER · FR · €242,260.56

  DestructPRO is an innovative and ambitious project to completely mineralize per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water sources by developing a synergistic technology of advanced reduction and oxidation processes (ARP and AOP). The European Commission (EC) has put a limit of 0.5 µg/L for sum of all PFAS concentration and 0.1 µg/L for sum of 20 specific PFAS concentration in drinking water (EU DWD 2020/2184). Existing treatments for PFAS remediation employ adsorption or membrane-

• When bacteria meet fats: the physics of bacterial ordering, surface deformation and gene activity

  SORBONNE UNIVERSITE · FR · €226,420.56

  Bacteria constituting the gut microbiome play a crucial role metabolizing dietary fats. How these bacteria physically interact with these fats is unknown. LIPTO will provide direct visual insight into this process and translate them into quantitative, predictive tools. LIPTO hypothesizes that topological defects created by dense bacterial biofilms act as physical and metabolical hotspots. It will pursue three integrated objectives. O1 quantifies how gut-relevant bacteria remodel oil droplets un

• PREbiotic Chemistry to study the Interstellar Origin and evolUtion of Sugars

  AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS · ES · €194,074.56

  Sugars are crucial for the emergence of proteins, DNA, and ultimately living systems. Astronomers believe these molecules were originally produced from complex organic molecules (COMs) in space and later delivered to Earth by comets and asteroids. Yet, we still do not understand how sugars and COMs are formed there. Progress requires accurate chemical models, which can only be built if we know the molecular abundances and if we include all possible formation routes. For the robust determinatio

• Antibacterial and pro-Angiogenic electroconductive scaffold for functional woUnd Regen-eration with neurogenic cues

  ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND · IE · €268,568.64

  Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) causes over 35,000 deaths annually in the EU/EEA and is a major driver of chronic wound complications, where biofilm infections and poor vascularization often lead to delayed healing. Therefore, AURa aims to address two critical challenges in chronic wound healing: 1) persistent bacterial biofilms, resistant to conventional antibiotics, and 2) impaired vascularization, which delays repair and increases the risk of amputation. AURa introduces a first-of-its-kind dua

• Chain-of-coupled-oscillators approach for modelling and prediction of 3-D stochastic vortex-induced vibrations under turbulent flows

  UNIVERSITE DE LIEGE · BE · €200,400

  Across science and engineering, synchronization emerges when interacting systems in biology, physics, or social dynamics, spontaneously align their dynamics. This project focuses on a critical manifestation of synchronization, vortex-induced vibrations (VIV), occurring when alternating vortices shed from slender structures. In civil engineering it results in continuous and sustained vibrations of bridges, transmission lines, onshore wind turbines supports, tension legs of offshore wind turbines.

• RNA polymerase In immune Synergy Exploration (RISE): multi-omics dissection of phosphorylation-regulated transcriptional control in plant immunity

  UNIVERSITEIT LEIDEN · NL · €217,076.16

  Plants survive pathogen attack by rapidly reprogramming gene expression. Recent discoveries from my host lab revealed that cell-surface and intracellular immune systems act synergistically: intracellular immunity amplifies the strength and duration of cell-surface responses through precise regulation of defence genes. Yet, the molecular mechanism underlying this amplification remains unknown. The RISE project will test the hypothesis that RNA Polymerase II (Pol II), the central enzyme for gene t

• Linking Climate Extremes to Financial Risk in the Era of Climate Change

  UNIVERSITAT DE VALENCIA · ES · €194,074.56

  Climate extremes are becoming more frequent and severe, creating systemic risks for economic stability and financial markets. Current approaches often examine climate prediction and financial risk separately, leaving a critical gap in understanding how physical hazards translate into market impacts. STOCKCLIM addresses this challenge by developing the first integrated framework to detect, project, and quantify the financial impacts of extreme climate events. The project combines recent advances

• Laboratory Modelling of Jovian Polar Vortex Clusters

  CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · FR · €242,260.56

  Jupiter’s poles host remarkable clusters of long-lived cyclones, revealed by NASA’s Juno mission. The origin, stability, and dynamics of these clusters remain unresolved questions in planetary science. Current understanding relies mainly on theoretical and numerical approaches, which are constrained by simplifying assumptions and computational cost. This project, LabJPV, will establish a laboratory framework to investigate the formation, stability, and interactions of Jovian polar vortex cluster

• Unveiling the Role of Mesoscale Structures of CME Magnetic Fields on Space-weather Prediction Accuracy using Radio Remote Sensing

  STICHTING NEDERLANDSE WETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK INSTITUTEN · NL · €217,076.16

  Magnetized plasma eruptions from the Sun, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), can disturb Earth’s magnetic shield, generating space weather (SWx) that impacts satellites, aviation, power grids, and other critical technologies. Reliable forecasts require knowledge of arrival time and mesoscale magnetic fields (B-fields), comparable in scale to Earth’s magnetosphere. Current state-of-the-art methods for SWx forecasting rely mainly on models and remain limited by the absence of direct measurements of CM

• HDFACT82: Functional characterisation of CCDC82 and its interaction with FACT in Huntington’s disease

  AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS · ES · €194,074.56

  Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited, fatal brain disorder that causes progressive motor, cognitive, and psychiatric decline, affecting around 45,000 individuals in Europe, with no cure currently available. Although the genetic cause of HD—a CAG expansion in the huntingtin gene—is well established, patients carrying the same mutation often differ widely in age at onset, clinical presentation, and disease progression. Recent large-scale genetic studies have identified modifier genes that inf

• ML-Enhanced CFD Modelling of Carbothermic Reduction of Cathode Material for Optimized and Environmentally Friendly Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries

  POLITECNICO DI MILANO · IT · €209,483.28

  The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and portable electronics has triggered a dramatic rise in lithium-ion battery (LIB) usage and, consequently, in end-of-life battery waste. Pyrometallurgical recycling offers a scalable route to recover critical metals such as lithium and cobalt, but current processes remain energy-intensive and environmentally suboptimal. A key step in this route is the carbothermic reduction (CTR) of lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2). However, its complex gas–solid

• Targeting EP300/CBP in AML: from mechanistic discovery to therapeutic innovation

  UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PARMA · IT · €193,643.28

  EP300 and CBP are crucial lysine acetyltransferases regulating enhancer-dependent transcription via scaffolding and enzymatic activities. They are appealing targets in cancer due to their role in cell cycle control and their druggability. In particular, small molecules targeting the EP300/CBP bromodomains have shown promising activity in haematological malignancies. CCS1477, the first clinical-grade EP300/CBP bromodomain inhibitor, has demonstrated encouraging preclinical and early-phase clinica

• Human–robot Adaptive Role MOdulation with Neuro-inspired trajectorY

  SCUOLA UNIVERSITARIA PROFESSIONALE DELLA SVIZZERA ITALIANA · CH · €292,118.88

  AI and robotics can make industrial workplaces more adaptive, but robot acceptance depends on comfort and naturalness of interaction. Traditional kinematic approaches fail to reproduce human-like motor control, which humans associate with trust and comfort. Drawing on the kinematic theory of rapid human movements, I will model motion as sequences of strokes, i.e., unimodal motor primitives arising from neuromuscular dynamics. By treating strokes as the building blocks of action, complex motor be

• Uncovering Educational and Health Inequalities through Socioeconomic–Genotype Interactions (IneqGen)

  THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD · UK · €260,347.92

  Children from socioeconomically advantaged families tend to achieve higher levels of education and enjoy better health. Research shows that this phenomenon is at least partially explained by differences in parenting practices shaped by parental resources, for example, in how parents support learning, guide school decisions, or promote healthy behaviours. However, this previous research focuses on observable traits, overlooking that the child’s genotype - an early, often hidden factor - can be am

• Genetic and evolutionary mechanisms of endogenous viral elements in kelp

  AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS · ES · €242,593.2

  Endogenous viral elements (EVEs) are viral DNA integrated into host genomes and inherited across generations. They include active viruses and a wide range of viral fragments - many lose functionality, but some are co-opted for host functions. Previous studies, including those by the candidate, have revealed a complex landscape of EVEs in brown algal genomes, including both intact and fragmented forms related to giant viruses (Nucleocytoviricota). EVEs could drive rapid evolution in brown algae,

• In-SituTribo: Enabling PFAS-Free Tribological Interfaces through In-Situ Raman Spectroscopy and Predictive Modelling

  UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS · UK · €276,187.92

  The Postdoctoral Fellowship offers the applicant the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research at the University of Leeds, one of Europe’s leading centres for tribology and surface engineering. The fellowship will combine the applicant’s expertise in in-situ tribochemical analysis with the host’s strengths in predictive modelling to create an integrated framework for designing safer, high-performance sliding interfaces. Current reliance on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in tribolo

• Discovering the timing and mechanisms of germplasm translation and function.

  FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUR MOLEKULARE PATHOLOGIE GESELLSCHAFT MBH · AT · €214,344.72

  The germline is essential for reproduction and species survival, but the specialized molecular mechanisms governing its cellular program remain mysterious due to its small size. In many animals such as fish, frogs, and invertebrates, this program is encoded in the germplasm (GP), a biomolecular condensate containing RNAs and proteins inherited maternally through the egg. This project aims to uncover the mechanisms by which the germline program in zebrafish is decoded from the GP over development

• Evolution and Development of Hatching Gland in Teleost Fish

  AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS · ES · €209,914.56

  Hatching is a universal milestone in animal development, present in both oviparous and viviparous species. Biochemical hatching has been described for several species and most of the research has been focused on the enzymes secreted by unicellular glands. These hatching gland cells (HGCs) are typically non-migratory, but in teleost fishes, they acquired migratory capacity. This evolutionary novelty has enabled remarkable morphological diversification with ecological and behavioral consequences.

• Constructing Imperial Territories in Post-Ottoman South-Eastern and East-Central Europe (1685–1740)

  SVEUCILISTE U ZAGREBU FILOZOFSKI FAKULTET · HR · €171,791.76

  CONSTERRA investigates appropriation, dissonant heritage, and the liminalities of identity by examining the afterlife of Ottoman architecture in former Venetian and Habsburg territories—modern-day Montenegro, Croatia, Hungary, and Serbia—between 1685 and 1740. In these regions, numerous refurbished Ottoman buildings display layered architectural forms and carry seemingly conflicting meanings. These complexities pose significant challenges for art-historical interpretation and heritage conservati

• UV Clues for the Cosmos: Positivity Constraints for Lorentz-Violating EFTs

  COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES · FR · €226,420.56

  Cosmic inflation and dark energy represent the leading paradigms for describing the early and late-time acceleration of our Universe. However, the fundamental physics driving these phenomena remains unknown, resulting in a vast landscape of competing theoretical models. A key challenge is to distinguish physically viable theories from those that, despite appearances, are inconsistent with fundamental principles like causality, locality, and unitarity. Powerful consistency checks, known as posi

• Deciphering OPA1 regulation and function in human CD8⁺ T cells across scales

  UNIVERSITAT BASEL · CH · €292,118.88

  CD8⁺ T cells are central to adaptive immunity, eradicating pathogens and tumours while sustaining immune homeostasis. Their fate is shaped not only by transcriptional and signalling programmes but also by organellar organisation, an emerging regulatory layer. The mitochondrial GTPase Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1) is uniquely positioned within this layer. By controlling inner membrane fusion and the assembly of cristae junctions, it tunes mitochondrial function. OPA1 is regulated through alternative spl

• Vascularisation and Perfusion of Brain Organoids with a Meningeal Barrier on an Organ-on-Chip Platform

  THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE · UK · €260,347.92

  Brain organoids are lab-grown models of human brain development that have revolutionised neuroscience research. However, their lack of vascularisation causes hypoxia and necrosis at their core, limiting growth and maturation, and preventing the modelling of neurovascular interactions. Previous attempts to vascularise brain organoids often result in structural disruption from uncontrolled angiogenic invasion. While some strategies generate microvessels, they typically lack connection to perfusabl

• The GEOmetry of Power – Ottoman Scientific Supradiscourse through AI-Enhanced Analysis of Mathematical and Astronomical Manuscripts (1450–1600)

  FREIE UNIVERSITAET BERLIN · DE · €202,125.12

  GEOP AI: The Geometry of Power asks how scientific language became a tool of political authority. It focuses on Ottoman texts in mathematics and astronomy from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and traces how technical terms were recast as an imperial language of power. Recent work has shown that early modern states placed science at the heart of governance; however, the Ottoman case is rarely examined linguistically. Most accounts map people and books, while the mechanisms of authority, the

• Context-Dependent Retinal Computations During Innate Visual Behavior in Mice

  SORBONNE UNIVERSITE · FR · €226,420.56

  Understanding how perceptual input is transformed by neurons into behavioral responses is a central question in neuroscience. Recent work indicates that, for ethologically relevant stimuli—like prey pursuit and predator avoidance—neural correlates of behavior already emerge within retinal circuits, challenging the view of the retina as a mere low-level feature detector. This project will test the hypothesis that retinal ganglion cells (RGC) contribute to these behaviors depending on the visual c

• Droplet–Aerosol Trends discRepancy to constrain satellite-based Aerosol–Cloud interactions Estimates

  UNIVERSITAET LEIPZIG · DE · €202,125.12

  Anthropogenic aerosols strongly affect Earth’s climate by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), increasing cloud droplet number concentration (Nd), brightening liquid clouds (Twomey effect), and producing substantial negative radiative forcing (RFaci), thereby suppressing global warming. However, the Twomey effect remains one of the largest sources of uncertainty in climate sensitivity, limiting reliable projections for mitigation and adaptation. Alarmingly, recent satellite records reveal

• Halogen-bonds and Semiconducting Spacers for Bismuth Perovskite X-ray Detectors

  POLITECNICO DI MILANO · IT · €209,483.28

  X-ray detectors are cornerstone of various sectors including health care, manufacturing, security, etc. The detector market has long relied on amorphous selenium (a-Se), cadmium telluride (CdTe), and cadmium zinc telluride (CZT). While effective, they often include inherent compromises in detection sensitivity at lower X-ray doses. At the same time, increasing use of X-ray technologies raises concerns about exposure to hazardous ionizing radiation. Recently, a new class of materials called perov

• Sustainable Engineering of Earthen StRuctures using Eco-friendly Soil fills with New-generAtion Geosynthetic Reinforcement Systems

  ZAVOD ZA GRADBENISTVO SLOVENIJE · SI · €248,196.9

  Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) structures offer rapid construction, adaptability to varying site conditions and enhanced durability compared to conventional methods. Their stability critically depends on the interface strength between soil, geosynthetics and structural components, a requirement that cannot currently be satisfied with non-traditional or recycled backfills due to the absence of performance-based guidelines. Consequently, high-quality quarried aggregates are typically used, inc

• Predicting immunotherapy response in melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer patients using an extracellular vesicle-derived miRNA signature and a non-invasive CRISPR-based detection assay.

  CENTRE GEORGES-FRANCOIS LECLERC ASSOCIATION · FR · €242,260.56

  Immunotherapy (IT) has revolutionized the treatment of metastatic lung cancer and melanoma by enhancing the immune system's ability to recognize and attack cancer cells. However, only about 50% of patients respond positively to IT and current methods assessing patient eligibility for IT primarily rely on invasive tumor biopsies and have proven inefficient. With 420,000 new melanoma and lung cancer cases diagnosed annually in the EU, this results in wasted costs, time and resources in healthcare

• Sacred Sites, Shared Futures: Reclaiming Sacred Forests by Advancing Biocultural Governance in Europe and Globally

  COVENTRY UNIVERSITY · UK · €345,234.9

  This project addresses the urgent need for innovative, participatory approaches to the conservation of Sacred Forests—landscapes with deep spiritual, cultural, and ecological significance. By bridging biocultural governance and spatial planning, the research develops and field-tests an interdisciplinary toolkit that integrates community knowledge, spiritual ecology, and policy co-design in partnership with academic and non-academic organizations across the UK and EU. The objectives are to map an