The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded Starting Grants to three researchers from the University of Cologne: Dr. Sabina Hillebrandt, Dr. Isabel Saur, and Prof. Dr. Johannes Wohlfart. Each grant provides up to €1.5 million over five years to support outstanding early-career scientists.
“Three new ERC Starting Grants are a great success. Congratulations to the colleagues. The grants illustrate the wide range of excellent research at our university in the humanities and social sciences, in the life sciences and in the natural sciences,” said Professor Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee, Rector of the University of Cologne.
Targeting Fungal Diseases in Cereals
Dr. Isabel Saur, from the Institute of Plant Sciences, received funding for her project noDisease: Molecular Determinants Underlying Non-Host Resistance to Devastating Fungal Diseases of Cereal Plants. Fungal diseases cause significant global crop losses, and chemical control measures are often costly and environmentally harmful. Saur’s project focuses on non-host resistance—the natural immunity some plants have against specific pathogens. For example, the powdery mildew fungus Blumeria hordei infects barley but not wheat.
Using advanced molecular and biochemical high-throughput techniques, Saur aims to identify and characterize the genetic factors that enable wheat to resist Blumeria hordei. The project will explore whether these resistance genes can be transferred to susceptible crops and whether their protective effects remain stable across species and environments. The ultimate goal is to develop robust, environmentally friendly cereal varieties capable of withstanding fungal diseases, contributing to sustainable plant production. Saur is part of the Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), which focuses on innovative strategies for sustainable agriculture.
Other ERC Starting Grant Projects
Dr. Sabina Hillebrandt from the Humboldt Centre for Nano- and Biophotonics received a grant for her OdiN project, developing flexible OLED-based neuroimplants that monitor and protect neurons in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, according to a press release.
Prof. Dr. Johannes Wohlfart was awarded a grant for his project MODES: Modes of Expectation Formation in Macro and Finance, investigating how people form economic expectations and how these influence macroeconomic outcomes, using AI-driven surveys linked with financial and administrative data.
