Project acronym 3D-nanoMorph
Project Label-free 3D morphological nanoscopy for studying sub-cellular dynamics in live cancer cells with high spatio-temporal resolution
Researcher (PI) Krishna AGARWAL
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITETET I TROMSOE - NORGES ARKTISKE UNIVERSITET
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE7, ERC-2018-STG
Summary Label-free optical nanoscopy, free from photobleaching and photochemical toxicity of fluorescence labels and yielding 3D morphological resolution of <50 nm, is the future of live cell imaging. 3D-nanoMorph breaks the diffraction barrier and shifts the paradigm in label-free nanoscopy, providing isotropic 3D resolution of <50 nm. To achieve this, 3D-nanoMorph performs non-linear inverse scattering for the first time in nanoscopy and decodes scattering between sub-cellular structures (organelles).
3D-nanoMorph innovatively devises complementary roles of light measurement system and computational nanoscopy algorithm. A novel illumination system and a novel light collection system together enable measurement of only the most relevant intensity component and create a fresh perspective about label-free measurements. A new computational nanoscopy approach employs non-linear inverse scattering. Harnessing non-linear inverse scattering for resolution enhancement in nanoscopy opens new possibilities in label-free 3D nanoscopy.
I will apply 3D-nanoMorph to study organelle degradation (autophagy) in live cancer cells over extended duration with high spatial and temporal resolution, presently limited by the lack of high-resolution label-free 3D morphological nanoscopy. Successful 3D mapping of nanoscale biological process of autophagy will open new avenues for cancer treatment and showcase 3D-nanoMorph for wider applications.
My cross-disciplinary expertise of 14 years spanning inverse problems, electromagnetism, optical microscopy, integrated optics and live cell nanoscopy paves path for successful implementation of 3D-nanoMorph.
Summary
Label-free optical nanoscopy, free from photobleaching and photochemical toxicity of fluorescence labels and yielding 3D morphological resolution of <50 nm, is the future of live cell imaging. 3D-nanoMorph breaks the diffraction barrier and shifts the paradigm in label-free nanoscopy, providing isotropic 3D resolution of <50 nm. To achieve this, 3D-nanoMorph performs non-linear inverse scattering for the first time in nanoscopy and decodes scattering between sub-cellular structures (organelles).
3D-nanoMorph innovatively devises complementary roles of light measurement system and computational nanoscopy algorithm. A novel illumination system and a novel light collection system together enable measurement of only the most relevant intensity component and create a fresh perspective about label-free measurements. A new computational nanoscopy approach employs non-linear inverse scattering. Harnessing non-linear inverse scattering for resolution enhancement in nanoscopy opens new possibilities in label-free 3D nanoscopy.
I will apply 3D-nanoMorph to study organelle degradation (autophagy) in live cancer cells over extended duration with high spatial and temporal resolution, presently limited by the lack of high-resolution label-free 3D morphological nanoscopy. Successful 3D mapping of nanoscale biological process of autophagy will open new avenues for cancer treatment and showcase 3D-nanoMorph for wider applications.
My cross-disciplinary expertise of 14 years spanning inverse problems, electromagnetism, optical microscopy, integrated optics and live cell nanoscopy paves path for successful implementation of 3D-nanoMorph.
Max ERC Funding
1 499 999 €
Duration
Start date: 2019-07-01, End date: 2024-06-30
Project acronym Cat-In-hAT
Project Catastrophic Interactions of Binary Stars and the Associated Transients
Researcher (PI) Ondrej PEJCHA
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERZITA KARLOVA
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE9, ERC-2018-STG
Summary "One of the crucial formation channels of compact object binaries, including sources of gravitational waves, critically depends on catastrophic binary interactions accompanied by the loss of mass, angular momentum, and energy (""common envelope"" evolution - CEE). Despite its importance, CEE is perhaps the least understood major phase of binary star evolution and progress in this area is urgently needed to interpret observations from the new facilities (gravitational wave detectors, time-domain surveys).
Recently, the dynamical phase of the CEE has been associated with a class of transient brightenings exhibiting slow expansion velocities and copious formation of dust and molecules (red transients - RT). A number of RT features, especially the long timescale of mass loss, challenge the existing CEE paradigm.
Motivated by RT, I will use a new variant of magnetohydrodynamics to comprehensively examine the 3D evolution of CEE from the moment when the mass loss commences to the remnant phase. I expect to resolve the long timescales observed in RT, characterize binary stability in 3D with detailed microphysics, illuminate the fundamental problem of how is orbital energy used to unbind the common envelope in a regime that was inaccessible before, and break new ground on the amplification of magnetic fields during CEE.
I will establish RT as an entirely new probe of the CEE physics by comparing my detailed theoretical predictions of light curves from different viewing angles, spectra, line profiles, and polarimetric signatures with observations of RT. I will accomplish this by coupling multi-dimensional moving mesh hydrodynamics with radiation, dust formation, and chemical reactions. Finally, I will examine the physical processes in RT remnants on timescales of years to centuries after the outburst to connect RT with the proposed merger products and to identify them in time-domain surveys.
"
Summary
"One of the crucial formation channels of compact object binaries, including sources of gravitational waves, critically depends on catastrophic binary interactions accompanied by the loss of mass, angular momentum, and energy (""common envelope"" evolution - CEE). Despite its importance, CEE is perhaps the least understood major phase of binary star evolution and progress in this area is urgently needed to interpret observations from the new facilities (gravitational wave detectors, time-domain surveys).
Recently, the dynamical phase of the CEE has been associated with a class of transient brightenings exhibiting slow expansion velocities and copious formation of dust and molecules (red transients - RT). A number of RT features, especially the long timescale of mass loss, challenge the existing CEE paradigm.
Motivated by RT, I will use a new variant of magnetohydrodynamics to comprehensively examine the 3D evolution of CEE from the moment when the mass loss commences to the remnant phase. I expect to resolve the long timescales observed in RT, characterize binary stability in 3D with detailed microphysics, illuminate the fundamental problem of how is orbital energy used to unbind the common envelope in a regime that was inaccessible before, and break new ground on the amplification of magnetic fields during CEE.
I will establish RT as an entirely new probe of the CEE physics by comparing my detailed theoretical predictions of light curves from different viewing angles, spectra, line profiles, and polarimetric signatures with observations of RT. I will accomplish this by coupling multi-dimensional moving mesh hydrodynamics with radiation, dust formation, and chemical reactions. Finally, I will examine the physical processes in RT remnants on timescales of years to centuries after the outburst to connect RT with the proposed merger products and to identify them in time-domain surveys.
"
Max ERC Funding
1 243 219 €
Duration
Start date: 2019-01-01, End date: 2023-12-31
Project acronym VALURED
Project Value Judgments and Redistribution Policies
Researcher (PI) Paolo Giovanni PIACQUADIO
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITETET I OSLO
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), SH1, ERC-2018-STG
Summary Heterogeneity and diversity are a pervasive aspect of modern societies. Differences in individuals’ preferences, needs, skills, and information are key to explain variation in individuals’ behavior and to anticipate individuals’ responses to policy changes. There is no consensus, however, about how to take these differences into account when evaluating policies.
Project VALURED will reexamine this ethical challenge by characterizing the mapping between value judgments—i.e. principles of distributive justice—and redistribution policies. This mapping is tremendously important for welfare analysis and policy design. First, it associates the most desirable policy to each set of value judgments, providing an “ethical menu” to policy design. Second, it gives an ethical identity of each policy proposal, that is, it identifies the value judgments a policymaker endorses when proposing a specific policy.
The main objectives of VALURED are to:
1) identify transparent and compelling value judgments that accommodate heterogeneity and diversity;
2) show the implications of these value judgments for the evaluation and design of redistribution policies;
3) characterize welfare criteria that respect individuals’ preferences and account for individuals’ differences in needs, skills, and information;
4) provide new insights for the design of income, capital, and inheritance taxation;
5) develop simple formulas that express optimal policies as a function of observable heterogeneity and ethical parameters.
Project VALURED combines welfare economics with public economics. The first part deals with income taxation and addresses the ethical challenges related to individuals’ heterogeneity in preferences, needs, and skills. The second part focuses on capital taxation and addresses individuals’ differences in risk preferences and information. The third part analyses the design of inheritance taxation and addresses the social concerns for intergenerational and intragenerational equity.
Summary
Heterogeneity and diversity are a pervasive aspect of modern societies. Differences in individuals’ preferences, needs, skills, and information are key to explain variation in individuals’ behavior and to anticipate individuals’ responses to policy changes. There is no consensus, however, about how to take these differences into account when evaluating policies.
Project VALURED will reexamine this ethical challenge by characterizing the mapping between value judgments—i.e. principles of distributive justice—and redistribution policies. This mapping is tremendously important for welfare analysis and policy design. First, it associates the most desirable policy to each set of value judgments, providing an “ethical menu” to policy design. Second, it gives an ethical identity of each policy proposal, that is, it identifies the value judgments a policymaker endorses when proposing a specific policy.
The main objectives of VALURED are to:
1) identify transparent and compelling value judgments that accommodate heterogeneity and diversity;
2) show the implications of these value judgments for the evaluation and design of redistribution policies;
3) characterize welfare criteria that respect individuals’ preferences and account for individuals’ differences in needs, skills, and information;
4) provide new insights for the design of income, capital, and inheritance taxation;
5) develop simple formulas that express optimal policies as a function of observable heterogeneity and ethical parameters.
Project VALURED combines welfare economics with public economics. The first part deals with income taxation and addresses the ethical challenges related to individuals’ heterogeneity in preferences, needs, and skills. The second part focuses on capital taxation and addresses individuals’ differences in risk preferences and information. The third part analyses the design of inheritance taxation and addresses the social concerns for intergenerational and intragenerational equity.
Max ERC Funding
1 033 771 €
Duration
Start date: 2019-01-01, End date: 2023-12-31
