The Hebrew University of Jerusalem proudly congratulates three of its esteemed researchers for receiving prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept Grants. These grants, each valued at €150,000, are designed to bridge the gap between groundbreaking research and its practical application, including early phases of commercialisation.
The recipients from Hebrew University are:
Professor Nir Friedman from the School of Computer Science and Engineering for his project “Differential diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis by cfChIP-seq Liquid Biopsy”. Professor Friedman’s work combines computer science and biology in his groundbreaking work. Specialising in computational biology and machine learning, he has made significant contributions to understanding gene regulation and developing innovative diagnostic techniques. His work on cfChIP-seq for liquid biopsy, which earned him the ERC Proof of Concept grant, shows promise for advancing clinical diagnostics, particularly in autoimmune diseases.
Professor Eithan Galun from the Faculty of Medicine, for his research on “Acute pancreatitis therapy by FGF21 expression”. Professor Eithan Galun is the founder and director of the Gene and Cell Therapy Institute at Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, which he established in 1998 and remains the only such institute in Israel. Professor Galun’s work focuses on advancing research and clinical applications in gene therapy. He also plays a significant role in mentoring the next generation of medical researchers, served until recently as a coordinator and mentor for the Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School MD-PhD program.
Professor Ayelet Landau from the Department of Psychology for her innovative development of an interpersonal synchrony intervention in autism. Landau is an associate professor in the departments of Cognitive Sciences and Psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she leads the Brain Attention and Time Laboratory. Her work investigates how neural oscillations and behavioral rhythms influence perception and attention across various sensory modalities, contributing significantly to our understanding of cognitive neuroscience. Recently, she had applied her expertise to the detailed characterisation of joint action. This knowledge, together with the invention of a novel experimental platform form the basis for the POC award.
These grants are part of the first round of the 2024 ERC Proof of Concept competition, which has awarded 100 new grants across Europe. Notably, this round includes the 2000th project to receive Proof of Concept funding since the scheme’s inception in 2011.
“We extend our warmest congratulations to Professors Friedman, Galun and Landau for their outstanding achievements and look forward to the potential impact of their work on society and scientific progress,” said Professor Asher Cohen, President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “Hebrew University continues to demonstrate its commitment to cutting-edge research and innovation. These Proof-of-Concept Grants will enable our researchers to further develop their groundbreaking ideas and potentially bring them to market, contributing to advancements in autoimmune disease diagnosis, pancreatitis treatment, and autism intervention.”
Israel has shown a strong presence in this round of funding, securing 7 projects, placing it among the top countries alongside the UK, Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, and Spain.
Professor Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council, emphasised the importance of these grants in driving innovation and business inventiveness stemming from frontier research.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel’s premier academic and research institution. Serving over 23,000 students from 80 countries, the University produces nearly 40% of Israel’s civilian scientific research and has received over 11,000 patents. Faculty and alumni of the Hebrew University have won eight Nobel Prizes and a Fields Medal. For more information about the Hebrew University, please visit http://new.huji.ac.il/en.
The ERC, set up by the European Union in 2007, is the premier European funding organisation for excellent frontier research. It funds creative researchers of any nationality and age, to run projects based across Europe. The ERC offers four core grant schemes: Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants and Synergy Grants. With its additional Proof of Concept Grant scheme, the ERC helps grantees to bridge the gap between their pioneering research and early phases of its commercialisation. The ERC is led by an independent governing body, the Scientific Council.