ERC FUNDED PROJECTS

The genetic code was established at a very early stage during the evolution of life on Earth and is nearly universal. In eukaryotic nuclear genes, the only known examples of a sense codon that underwent an evolutionary change of meaning, from one amino acid to another, occur in yeast species. The codon CUG is translated as Leu in the universal genetic code, but it has long been known to be translated as Ser in some Candida species. In recent work, we discovered that this switch is one of three parallel reassignments of CUG that occurred in three closely related clades of yeasts. CUG was reassigned once from Leu to Ala, and twice from Leu to Ser, in three separate events. The meaning of sense codons in the nuclear genetic code has otherwise remained completely stable during all of eukaryotic evolution, so why was CUG so unstable in yeasts? CODEKILLER will test a radical new hypothesis that the genetic code changes were caused by a killer toxin that specifically attacked the tRNA that translated CUG as Leu. The hypothesis implies that the reassignments of CUG were not driven by selection in favor of their effects on the proteome, as commonly assumed, but by selection against the existence of a particular tRNA. As well as searching for this killer toxin, we will study the detailed mechanism of genetic code change by engineering a reversal of a CUG-Ser species back to CUG-Leu translation, and investigate translation in some species that naturally contain both tRNA-Leu and tRNA-Ser molecules capable of decoding CUG.

2 368 356 €

Start date: 2018-10-01, End date: 2023-09-30

"COGnitive NETwork (COGNET) is a new technology platform for materials, sensor and device design that exploits unique and hitherto unrecognised properties of random nanowire (NW) networks. These networks—comprised of metallic or semiconducting NWs connected to each other via junctions with controllably random property distributions—lead to new and unexpected levels of connectivity that are inherently scale dependent, creating opportunities for entirely new kinds of self-organised materials and devices. We propose to establish the ground rules for manipulating connectivity in NW networks. By choosing appropriate NWs and incorporating junctions with the approprate properties COGNET will enable the fabrication of (i) intelligent materials, (ii) neural networks and (iii) memory devices. Sequenced voltage pulse and back-gating techniques will in turn address and manipulate specific junctions or sets of junctions to demonstrate even higher density memory and in the case of neural networks, the possibility synaptic plasticity and self-learning."

2 497 125 €

Start date: 2013-06-01, End date: 2018-05-31

For a number of reasons, in particular their proximity and the abundant range of diagnostics to determine their characteristics, outflows from young stellar objects (YSOs) offer us the best opportunity of discovering how astrophysical jets are generated and the nature of the link between outflows and their accretion disks. Models predict that the jet is initially launched from within 0.1 to a few au of the star and focused on scales at most ten times larger. Thus, even for the nearest star formation region, we need high spatial resolution to image the “central engine” and test current models. With these ideas in mind, and the availability of a whole new set of observational and computational resources, it is proposed to investigate the origin of YSO jets, and the jet/accretion zone link, using a number of highly novel approaches to test magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) models including: (a) Near-infrared interferometry to determine the spatial distribution and kinematics of the outflow as it is launched as a way of discriminating between competing models. (b) A multi-epoch study of the strength and configuration of the magnetic field of the parent star to see whether model values and geometries agree with observations and the nature of its variability. (c) Examining, through high spatial resolution radio observations, how the ionized component of these jets are collimated very close to the source and how shocks in the flow can give rise to low energy cosmic rays. (d) Use the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and, in particular, the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) and Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) to investigate with high spatial resolution atomic jets from protostars that are still acquiring most of their mass. In addition, we will study how accretion is affected by metallicity by studying young solar-like stars in the low metallicity Magellanic Clouds. In all cases the required observational campaigns have been approved.

1 853 090 €

Start date: 2017-10-01, End date: 2022-09-30

In the future, even the most mundane objects will contain electronic circuitry allowing them to gather, process, display and transmit information. The resulting vast network, often called the Internet of Things, will revolutionise society. To realise this will require the ability to produce electronic circuitry extremely cheaply, often on unconventional substrates. This will be achieved through printed electronics, by the assembly of devices from solution (i.e. ink) using methods adapted from printing technology. However, while printed electronics has been advancing rapidly, the development of new, nano-materials-based inks is required for this area to meet its true potential. We believe recent developments in liquid exfoliation of 2D nanosheets have given us the ideal family of materials to revolutionise electronic ink production. Liquid exfoliation can transform layered crystals into suspensions of nanosheets in very large quantities. In this way we can produce liquid-dispersed nanosheets of a wide range of types including conducting (e.g. graphene, MXenes, TiB2 etc), semiconducting (e.g. MoS2, WSe2, GaS, Black phosphorous etc), insulating (e.g. BN, talc) or electrochemically active (e.g. MoO3, Ni(OH)2, MnO2 etc). These nanosheets can be deposited from liquid to form porous networks of defined electronic type. While these networks have huge applications potential, a large amount of work must be done to translate them into working printed devices. In this project, we will develop methods to transform large volume suspensions of exfoliated nanosheets into bespoke 2D inks with properties engineered for a range of specific printed device applications. We will learn to use this 2D ink to print patterned or large area 2D nanosheet networks with controlled structure, allowing us to tune the electrical properties of the network during printing. We will combine networks of different nanosheet types into complex heterostructures. This will allow us to print all device components (electrodes, active layers, dielectrics, energy storage layers) from one contiguous, multi-component network. In this way we will produce 2D network transistors, solar cells, displays and energy storage systems. FUTURE-PRINT will revolutionise electronic inks and will offer a new path forward for printed electronics.

2 213 317 €

Start date: 2016-11-01, End date: 2021-10-31