Five ERC-funded researchers among 2026 Kavli Prize laureates
The Kavli Prize in Astrophysics has been awarded to Vasily Belokurov, Amina Helmi and Rodrigo Ibata 'for uncovering the fossil evidence of past mergers proving that the Milky Way galaxy was built through hierarchical accretion.'
All three laureates have received substantial ERC funding over the years. Their research has contributed to deepening our understanding of the structure, evolution and assembly history of the Milky Way, drawing on observations of stellar streams, dark matter and the Galaxy's dynamic past.
The Kavli Prize in Neuroscience has been awarded to Christine Holt, Kelsey Martin, Erin Schuman and Oswald Steward 'for the discovery of local protein translation in neurons and establishing its importance for brain development and plasticity.'
Research conducted by Professors Holt and Schuman, both ERC-funded, has contributed to understanding how proteins are produced and regulated within neurons and synapses, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms that support brain function.
Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council, said:
'We are very pleased to see five ERC grantees among the ten winners of this year's Kavli Prize. ERC-funding has supported them at various career stages, which has contributed to creating the conditions for scientific progress. Congratulations to all the 2026 laureates! Their pioneering work illustrates the importance of long-term support for curiosity-driven science - in this case pushing the scientific frontier of the big, the small and the complex.'
The award for Nanoscience has been awarded to Eva Y. Andrei, Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and Allan H. MacDonald 'for foundational work that established the field of Twistronics.'
The Kavli Prize celebrates scientists for breakthroughs in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience – transforming our understanding of the big, the small, and the complex. The laureates in each category will share 1million US dollars. They will be awarded their prizes in Oslo in September.
The laureates funded by the ERC
Professor Belokurov received an ERC Starting Grant in 2012 to investigate the structure of the Milky Way's gravitational potential by identifying and studying stellar tidal streams across the Galaxy using large-scale surveys and dedicated observations.
Professor Helmi won an ERC Starting Grant in 2009 to explore the nature of dark matter and gravity by studying the structure, distribution and evolution of dark matter in and around the Milky Way.
Professor Ibata's research backed by an ERC Advanced Grant (2019) focused on tracing the dynamical signatures left by the Galaxy's formation and evolution, aimed at building a more complete picture of its history.
Professor Holt, supported with an ERC Advanced Grant (2013), investigated how ribosomal proteins contribute to the maintenance and degeneration of axons, the long projections that enable neurons to communicate.
Professor Schuman has received three ERC Advanced Grants as of 2017, totalling around €7.5 million over almost a decade. Her past work (Neuronal dynamics and NeuroRibo) examined how proteins are produced locally at synapses and how this process supports neuronal function and plasticity. Her current work aims to map the molecular composition of different synapse types and understand how they respond to plasticity.
