Sapienza University has been awarded three new ERC Proof-of-Concept grants, the best result ever achieved by our University in this type of call for proposals, the results of which were made public on Tuesday, January 27. The ERC PoC grants aim to apply basic research already funded by an ERC Grant in practice, transforming the innovative potential of basic research results into concrete applications that serve society.

The projects funded with €150,000 each are IMAGE - Imaging module for automated optogenetics by Roberto Di Leonardo (Department of Physics), SAT-Design by John Russo (Department of Physics) and SOUNDHORSE by Andrea Ravignani (Department of Human Neuroscience).

IMAGE - Imaging module for automated optogenetics
Throughout the evolution of life on Earth, light has been a constant source not only of energy but also of information, allowing organisms to orient themselves in space and time. Today, scientific research is learning to “communicate” with cells by using light-sensitive proteins to programme their behaviour through optical stimuli controlled with extreme precision.  This technology, known as optogenetics, opens up revolutionary prospects: from the targeted control of the expression of therapeutic proteins and the activity of engineered immune cells, to the development of smart biomaterials with optically programmable responses.

SAT-Design
SAT-Design aims to transform an idea born from basic research into a concrete and accessible tool for designing nanostructures through the self-assembly of DNA complexes. Self-assembly is a natural process through which microscopic components spontaneously organise themselves into orderly structures, but it requires careful fine-tuning of interactions to avoid the formation of defects and unwanted alternative structures.

SoundHorse: Rhythmicity-based acoustic biomarkers for equine welfare
Among the first animals domesticated in human history, horses play an essential role in agriculture, sport, therapy and recreational activities. One of the leading causes of injury and premature death in this species is, perhaps surprisingly, lameness: this locomotor disorder affects 30-70% of the 60 million horses on Earth, raising concerns for animal welfare, the economy and society.

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