EU funding goes to Prof. Fang and Prof. Costa this year
The European Research Council supports nine further ERC grants to support projects by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Two of the funded projects move to the TUM Campus Straubing this year.
To date, TUM researchers have secured a total of 226 of these prestigious ERC Grants, which are awarded annually across various categories. Starting Grants target early-career scientists and come with funding of up to 1.5 million euros. Proof of Concept Grants are awarded to researchers who want to test the potential of their ERC research projects for marketable innovations.
Prof. Dr. Wenwen Fang
Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on earth, with many potential applications, for example as packaging material or for textiles. However, because it cannot melt like thermoplastics, it can only be used to a limited extent in mass production. The reason lies in the molecular bonds within the material: when exposed to temperatures between 240 and 350 degrees Celsius, cellulose begins to decompose, making it difficult to process as desired. The “LaserCell” project aims to address this challenge. By using infrared lasers, researchers plan to break these chemical bonds through photon energy in order to melt cellulose. They expect this approach not only to yield new insights into cellulose and develop a novel method for processing this promising, sustainable material, but also to enhance our understanding of supramolecular structures and dynamics in biomaterials.
Wenwen Fang started as Chair of Particle and Fiber Technology for Bio-Based Materials at the TUM Campus Straubing in September 2024.
Proof of Concept Grant: Prof. Rubén D. Costa
LED lamps are energy-efficient and have a long lifespan. However, their production typically relies on rare earth elements, which are not unlimited in supply and are challenging to recycle. A biological alternative could be LEDs based on fluorescent proteins. Rubén D. Costa and his team have developed such LEDs and tested them in plant cultivation for indoor farming. The prototypes have shown promising results in the laboratory. The CERES project (Crop Efficient Red Emitting Sources) now aims to explore their potential for commercial use in indoor farming. The ERC is supporting CERES with a Proof of Concept Grant. The researchers will evaluate the performance of the lamps under real working conditions and explore how the components needed for the LEDs and their production can be scaled up. Additionally, the team will conduct an analysis of the lamps’ lifecycle, costs, and environmental impact.
Rubén D. Costa holds the Chair of Biogenic Functional Materials at the TUM Campus Straubing and conducts research at the Munich Institute of Integrated Materials, Energy and Process Engineering (MEP). In 2018, his research project InOutBioLight was awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant.