
Testing the origins of life

For more than 3.5 billion years, life on Earth has been intertwined by chemical universality known as the Central Dogma of molecular biology. All living cells known to human beings produce proteins from the same 20 coded amino acids, and each of the 20 serves a distinct and vital role. However, studies of the origins of life imply that earlier cells may have functioned with a smaller “alphabet”. A new ERC-funded research project aims to construct a bacterial strain “LIFE-19”, which would rely solely on 19 amino acids to build all its proteins.
Tryptophan (Trp) is both one of the scarcest and one of the youngest members of the protein alphabet, in evolutionary terms. The project aims to empirically test whether cells could still function in Trp’s absence. This will help shed light on whether a restricted version of the genetic code could be sufficient for at least some terrestrial species to function.
Using semi-automated gene editing, the research team will strip the Trp out of a Mycoplasma genome. This will enable them to compare which Trp are the most dispensable and then select the most viable Trp-substituted protein variants. Next, the selected mutations will be combined to “write” a new LIFE-19 genome, using bottom-up synthesis.
LIFE-19 will lay the next steppingstone to our understanding of life’s limits. We will be able to get a glimpse into what cells probably went through billions of years ago, when they teetered on the border between life and nonlife. Overall, this project will challenge the textbook knowledge that life depends on the 20 canonical amino acids, by effectively UNalphabeting the Central Dogma of biology.
- Researcher: Klára Hlouchová
- Project: LIFE-19 - UNalphabeting the Central Dogma of Life
- Host Institution: Charles University (CZ)
- ERC funding: €2.5 million for 5 years
Combatting wildfires with AI
In recent years, catastrophic wildfires have become more intense and more frequent across the globe, with a devastating impact on the environment, infrastructure, and human lives. As a result, wildfires have emerged as a critical area of research. Firefighting agencies are increasingly turning to computer-aided solutions and AI to better manage these disasters.
With this grant, Prof. Sören Pirk will develop Digital Wildfire Twins, 3D models of forest ecosystems integrated with accurate fire simulations. Recently, digital twins have emerged as a concept that combines geometric modelling, image synthesis, and physical simulation, with broad applications in predicting real world processes. Generating realistic simulations of wildfires will enable the design of AI tools that could predict wildfire behaviour more effectively.
These digital twins will also be used as training platforms for autonomous drones and ground robots for tasks such as fire monitoring, hotspot detection, and even direct firefighting efforts. This research will incorporate a transdisciplinary approach, drawing on expertise in visual computing, geometric modelling, ecology, forestry, physics, and material sciences.
After several years in the USA, Prof. Sören Pirk recently returned to Germany. He is an expert at the intersection of machine learning, computer vision, and computer graphics. His project holds the potential for groundbreaking applications in wildfire management, ecology, and policy making.
- Researcher: CAU - Sören Pirk
- Project: Digital Forest Twins for AI-based Wildfire Assessment (WildfireTwins)
- Host Institution: University of Kiel (DE)
- ERC funding: €2 million for 5 years
Shifting attitudes: Understanding changing perceptions of immigrants in Europe
The war in Ukraine has triggered the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. In stark contrast to the previously observed anti-migrant sentiment, the reception of Ukrainians in Central and Eastern Europe has been extraordinary warm. Now researchers aim to investigate what drives these shifts in attitudes, focusing on how migration systems adapt and what influences positive societal responses.
Rather than viewing attitudes solely through the lens of xenophobia and racial prejudice, the project explores broader structural, cultural, political, and economic influences. It combines insights from diverse fields of study drawing attention to the importance of historical context, collective memory, geo-political and security considerations, as well as ideological factors and everyday experiences. The project will enhance our understanding of how attitudes are influenced by the specific characteristics of both migrants and local individuals. By comparing case studies and innovative survey experiments in Poland, Latvia, Hungary and Italy, it also seeks to identify practical strategies to counter negative immigration narratives and foster more inclusive attitudes.
Inta Mieriņa is director of the Centre for Migration and Diaspora Research at the University of Latvia. Recently she was a Fulbright Research Fellow at the University of Washington, and a visiting researcher at Yale University.
Researcher: Inta Mieriņa
Project: WICE - Welcoming immigrants in Central and Eastern Europe: lessons from Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Host Institution: University of Latvia (LV)
ERC funding: €2 million for 5 years
The importance of losers' consent in democracy's survival
In democracies, election results divide voters into winners and losers. The expectation is that that those who voted for unsuccessful candidates will consent to be ruled by the winners. Despite the established notion that losers' consent is fundamental to democracy, recent events like the 2021 Capitol attack in the U.S. and the 2023 Congress attack in Brazil highlight its fragility. Without the losers’ consent, democracies are in danger.
Newly funded research led by Ignacio Jurado will examine the consequences for democracies when this consent breaks down. It will provide new and comprehensive conceptualisation of consent that encompasses three dimensions: acceptance of election results, recognition of the winners’ legitimate authority, and willingness to be governed by them. Special attention will be given to the role of elites' narratives and policy proposals in either enhancing or eroding the consent of the losers. The team will use a range of methods – focus groups, cross-country surveys, longitudinal analysis, and survey experiments across twenty established democracies.
The project will explore for the first time the impact of the breakdown of consent upon voting, contentious political behaviour and social cooperation. It will deliver new insights into the dynamics of losers' consent and its importance for democratic resilience and stability.
- Researcher: Ignacio Jurado
- Project: CONSENT - Motivations, causes and consequences of losers’ consent and its breakdown in established democracies
- Host Institution: University Carlos III of Madrid, Spain
- ERC funding: €2 million for 5 years
Advancing whole-embryo gene editing for scientific discovery
Animal models, especially mice, are currently essential for understanding human biology, disease, and treatments. They help scientists study how genes work, model diseases, and test new therapies. However, using mice in research has significant drawbacks. Each year, an estimated 120 million mice are used worldwide, raising ethical concerns and creating high costs. Breeding large colonies of mice can also lead to inconsistent results when different genetic backgrounds are mixed. These challenges highlight the urgent need for alternative approaches that reduce the reliance on animals when advancing science.
This project aims to transform how genetic research is conducted, by developing a groundbreaking technique for whole-embryo gene editing. By targeting every cell in a developing embryo, researchers can explore how entire systems of cells grow, interact, and function—unlocking insights that were previously out of reach. This innovative approach will allow researchers to conduct faster, cheaper, and more ethical experiments by significantly reducing the number of animals required.
Building on previous breakthroughs, the team will also use advanced single-cell tracing to map how different cell types form and develop, in intricate detail. This work not only addresses the pressing need for alternatives to traditional animal models but also paves the way for entirely new types of scientific discoveries. With this technology, the future of genetic research becomes more compassionate, efficient, and impactful, offering hope for a better understanding of life’s most complex processes.
Dr. Emma Anderson is a Principal Researcher | Docent at the Karolinska Institutet, in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. The Andersson lab explores how organs form, function, and adapt in health, disease, and regeneration.
She is currently also a visiting professor at the Aleksanteri institute, University of Helsinki.
- Researcher: Emma Anderson
- Project: LIMITLESS - Direct in utero engineering of mouse models
- Host Institution: Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- ERC funding: €2.2 million for 5 years