{"id":179944,"date":"2025-08-12T03:21:46","date_gmt":"2025-08-12T01:21:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/fire-forskere-hiver-et-erc-advanced-grant-hjem-til-ku\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T08:16:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T06:16:35","slug":"four-university-of-copenhagen-researchers-awarded-major-eu-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/four-university-of-copenhagen-researchers-awarded-major-eu-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"Four University of Copenhagen researchers awarded major EU grants"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few top researchers at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) can look forward to a significant financial boost from the European Research Council (ERC).<\/p>\n

They have secured an ERC Advanced Grant \u2014 a research grant that supports free, curiosity-driven research and is considered one of the most prestigious of its kind in the EU.<\/p>\n

Each researcher receives up to DKK 20 million to pursue their own ideas and to expand their research group over a period of up to five years.<\/p>\n

The ERC Advanced Grant comes with several conditions: It is awarded primarily on the basis of a project’s originality and groundbreaking potential. In addition, recipients must document substantial research achievements over the past decade and have demonstrated the ability to lead a major research programme.<\/p>\n

Four of the Danish researchers awarded an ERC Advanced Grant this year are based at UCPH out of a total eight researchers who received the grant<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Boosts confidence<\/h4>\n

Peter Brodersen is one of the four UCPH researchers whose application was successful.<\/p>\n

\n

ERC grants<\/p>\n

European Research Council<\/strong>, the ERC, annually awards five types of grants to researchers based at a European university.<\/p>\n

Starting Grants<\/strong> are awarded to young, promising research talents for up to two to seven years after completing their PhD.<\/p>\n

Consolidator Grants<\/strong> are awarded to young research talents and research leaders seven to twelve years after completing their PhD.<\/p>\n

Advanced Grants<\/strong> are awarded to exceptional research leaders who have already achieved outstanding research results.<\/p>\n

Proof of Concept<\/strong> grants are awarded to holders of an existing ERC Grant to develop the innovation potential of ideas generated through their project.<\/p>\n

Synergy Grants<\/strong> provide up to EUR 10 million to cover costs in extra-large research projects for up to six years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

He is a professor of RNA biology at the Faculty of Science, and his research includes exploring how plants protect themselves against viral infections.<\/p>\n

His lab recently made a breakthrough when researchers discovered that plants have not just one, but two distinct strategies for fighting viruses inside their cells. Peter Brodersen hopes this discovery will open new avenues for combating diseases in agricultural crops \u2014 so that plants themselves can withstand the viruses.<\/p>\n

\u00bbViral attacks pose serious problems for fruit and vegetable production in the tropics and subtropics. We believe our brand-new insights into the basic antiviral immune system of plants \u2014 which we are working to uncover \u2014 could help tip the scales in favour of the plants, allowing them to eliminate viruses on their own,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n

This is not the first time Peter Brodersen has received an ERC grant. He was awarded a Starting Grant in 2011 and a Consolidator Grant in 2016, but this new award is something that really boosts his confidence.<\/p>\n

\u00bbThe grant provides, first and foremost, a financial stability that allows us to pursue our research goals in a wholehearted and ambitious way. It feels good and absolutely right. And an ERC Advanced Grant is also a kind of scientific seal of approval. Everyone appreciates receiving recognition \u2014 and I am no exception to this,\u00ab says Peter Brodersen.<\/p>\n

Social sciences well represented<\/h4>\n

The three other recipients from the University of Copenhagen are also professors \u2014 all based at the Faculty of Social Sciences.<\/p>\n

Christian F. Rostb\u00f8ll is investigating, through the MoPo<\/em> project, how morality plays an increasingly prominent role in modern politics \u2014 for instance in cancel culture \u2014 and how morality can both weaken and strengthen democracy.<\/p>\n

Rebecca Adler-Nissen, through her Techorder<\/em> project, is exploring the geopolitical battles shaping the emerging global technological order. The project will include mapping out of hierarchies, cultures, and rivalries that could come to define the future world order.<\/p>\n

Victoria Southgate\u2019s project, Selfie<\/em>, seeks to uncover the conditions under which self-awareness can emerge in children \u2014 already within the first year of life.<\/p>\n

The fact that three of this year\u2019s prize recipients are based at the Faculty of Social Sciences has had Associate Dean of Research Mads J\u00e6ger stating, in a press release<\/a>, that this demonstrates how his faculty has become a leading player in excellent basic research.<\/p>\n

This article was first written in Danish and published on 30 June 2025. It has been translated into English and post-edited by Mike Young.<\/em>
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Next five years to see breakthroughs in plant immunity, political morality, geopolitics and childhood self-awareness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":178970,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3160],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-179944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","expression-news_article"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nFour University of Copenhagen researchers awarded major EU grants \u2014 University Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Four ERC Advanced Grants go to University of Copenhagen researchers in 2025. 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Rostb\u00f8ll, begge fra Institut for Statskundskab.","name":"nrc-grant-2025-de-fire-forskere-fra-ku","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":178965,"date":"2025-06-29 09:26:08","modified":"2025-10-16 08:29:12","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2227,"height":1068,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-480x230.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":230,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-768x368.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":368,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-1280x614.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":614,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-1536x737.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":737,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-2048x982.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":982,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-290x139.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":139,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-700x336.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":336,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefraku-990x475.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":475}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"From left: Victoria Southgate from the Department of Psychology; Peter Brodersen from the Department of Biology; and Rebecca Adler-Nissen and Christian F. Rostb\u00f8ll, both from the Department of Political Science."},{"acf_fc_layout":"Standfirst","subject":"Boost","text":"Uddelingen af det \u00e5rlige ERC Advanced Grant vil i de n\u00e6ste fem \u00e5r styrke forskningen p\u00e5 K\u00f8benhavns Universitet i planters immunforsvar, moralens betydning for den moderne politik, verdens vigtigste geopolitiske kampe og styrke vores viden om dannelsen af selvbevidsthed hos sm\u00e5 b\u00f8rn.","use_post_excerpt":true},{"acf_fc_layout":"Byline","is_author":true,"contributors":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>A few top researchers at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) can look forward to a significant financial boost from the European Research Council (ERC).<\/p>\n<p>They have secured an ERC Advanced Grant \u2014 a research grant that supports free, curiosity-driven research and is considered one of the most prestigious of its kind in the EU.<\/p>\n<p>Each researcher receives up to DKK 20 million to pursue their own ideas and to expand their research group over a period of up to five years.<\/p>\n<p>The ERC Advanced Grant comes with several conditions: It is awarded primarily on the basis of a project’s originality and groundbreaking potential. In addition, recipients must document substantial research achievements over the past decade and have demonstrated the ability to lead a major research programme.<\/p>\n<p>Four of the Danish researchers awarded an ERC Advanced Grant this year are based at UCPH out of a total <a href=\"https:\/\/ufm.dk\/aktuelt\/nyheder\/2025\/om-de-otte-modtagere-af-erc-advanced-grants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eight researchers who received the grant<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4>Boosts confidence<\/h4>\n<p>Peter Brodersen is one of the four UCPH researchers whose application was successful.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\">\n<p class=\"factbox-header feature-color\">ERC grants<\/p>\n<p><strong>European Research Council<\/strong>, the ERC, annually awards five types of grants to researchers based at a European university.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Starting Grants<\/strong> are awarded to young, promising research talents for up to two to seven years after completing their PhD.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Consolidator Grants<\/strong> are awarded to young research talents and research leaders seven to twelve years after completing their PhD.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Advanced Grants<\/strong> are awarded to exceptional research leaders who have already achieved outstanding research results.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Proof of Concept<\/strong> grants are awarded to holders of an existing ERC Grant to develop the innovation potential of ideas generated through their project.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Synergy Grants<\/strong> provide up to EUR 10 million to cover costs in extra-large research projects for up to six years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>He is a professor of RNA biology at the Faculty of Science, and his research includes exploring how plants protect themselves against viral infections.<\/p>\n<p>His lab recently made a breakthrough when researchers discovered that plants have not just one, but two distinct strategies for fighting viruses inside their cells. Peter Brodersen hopes this discovery will open new avenues for combating diseases in agricultural crops \u2014 so that plants themselves can withstand the viruses.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbViral attacks pose serious problems for fruit and vegetable production in the tropics and subtropics. We believe our brand-new insights into the basic antiviral immune system of plants \u2014 which we are working to uncover \u2014 could help tip the scales in favour of the plants, allowing them to eliminate viruses on their own,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n<p>This is not the first time Peter Brodersen has received an ERC grant. He was awarded a Starting Grant in 2011 and a Consolidator Grant in 2016, but this new award is something that really boosts his confidence.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbThe grant provides, first and foremost, a financial stability that allows us to pursue our research goals in a wholehearted and ambitious way. It feels good and absolutely right. And an ERC Advanced Grant is also a kind of scientific seal of approval. Everyone appreciates receiving recognition \u2014 and I am no exception to this,\u00ab says Peter Brodersen.<\/p>\n<h4>Social sciences well represented<\/h4>\n<p>The three other recipients from the University of Copenhagen are also professors \u2014 all based at the Faculty of Social Sciences.<\/p>\n<p>Christian F. Rostb\u00f8ll is investigating, through the <em>MoPo<\/em> project, how morality plays an increasingly prominent role in modern politics \u2014 for instance in cancel culture \u2014 and how morality can both weaken and strengthen democracy.<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca Adler-Nissen, through her <em>Techorder<\/em> project, is exploring the geopolitical battles shaping the emerging global technological order. The project will include mapping out of hierarchies, cultures, and rivalries that could come to define the future world order.<\/p>\n<p>Victoria Southgate\u2019s project, <em>Selfie<\/em>, seeks to uncover the conditions under which self-awareness can emerge in children \u2014 already within the first year of life.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that three of this year\u2019s prize recipients are based at the Faculty of Social Sciences has had Associate Dean of Research Mads J\u00e6ger stating, in a <a href=\"https:\/\/samf.ku.dk\/nyheder\/2025\/juni\/samf-forskere-modtager-tre-prestigefyldte-erc-advanced-grants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">press release<\/a>, that this demonstrates how his faculty has become a leading player in excellent basic research.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article was first written in Danish and published on 30 June 2025. It has been translated into English and post-edited by Mike Young.<\/em><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"ArticleEnd"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Newsletter","lang_select":"en","identifier":"Newsletter","headline":"Get an email with upcoming events and top University of Copenhagen stories","button_text":"Sign up here","class":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"OtherStories","headline":"","hand_picked_posts":false,"references":false,"category":false,"theme":false,"number_of_posts":"4","style":"default"}]},"taxonomyData":{"category":[{"term_id":3160,"name":"People","slug":"people","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3160,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":58,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[],"post_format":[],"expression":[{"term_id":15,"name":"News Article","slug":"news_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":15,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":11488,"filter":"raw"}],"translation_priority":[{"term_id":5468,"name":"Optional","slug":"optional-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5468,"taxonomy":"translation_priority","description":"","parent":0,"count":672,"filter":"raw"}]},"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/nrcgrant2025defireforskerefrakufacebook-1280x525.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=179944"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179944\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":180286,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179944\/revisions\/180286"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/178970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=179944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=179944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=179944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}