Danish Independent Research Fund (DFF) grants

Five researchers from MBG have received grants from the Danish Independent Research Fund (DFF) to explore fundamental biological processes – from gene regulation and cellular transport to genome evolution.

• Peter Zeller – Functional screening to identify novel repressive chromatin factors (DKK 3.17 M)
  This project investigates how cells regulate access to their genetic material by identifying new chromatin factors that help switch genes on and off. The results could shed light on mechanisms underlying development, aging, and disease.

• Christian Kroun Damgaard – Applying a new gene knockout strategy for circular RNAs (DKK 3.17 M)
  This project introduces a new method to study circular RNAs – a recently discovered class of RNA molecules with key roles in cellular regulation. By creating cell and zebrafish models that produce normal proteins but no circular RNAs, the researchers aim to uncover how these molecules influence brain development and cancer.

• Esben Lorentzen – Structural Basis of ODA16 Regulation in Ciliary Outer Dynein Arm Transport (DKK 3.17 M)
  The project aims to reveal how molecular “release signals” control the transport of motor proteins within cilia – the tiny hair-like structures essential for breathing and development. The findings may lead to better understanding and diagnosis of diseases such as Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

• Kasper Munch Terkelsen – Evolution of meiotic recombination in birds (DKK 3.15 M)
  By mapping recombination patterns across around 200 bird species, this project explores how genetic exchange has evolved and is controlled – insights that can deepen our understanding of fertility, inheritance, and genome evolution.

• Rune Hartmann – How is the recognition of RNA viruses linked to the formation of linear ubiquitination and activation of NF-κB-mediated signaling? (DKK 3.1 M)
  To fight viral infections, the immune system must first recognise the invading virus and then activate a series of defence mechanisms. This project investigates how the formation of linear ubiquitin after virus detection coordinates the inflammatory response – a process that is essential for fighting infection but can also cause severe disease, as seen in COVID-19 patients with excessive lung inflammation.

Villum Experiment grants

Researchers from MBG and iNANO have received Villum Experiment grants from the Villum Foundation, which supports bold and unconventional research ideas with the potential to open entirely new directions in science.

The Villum Experiment programme is known for its anonymous review process, where the originality of the idea outweighs the applicant’s CV. This approach encourages curiosity, creativity, and scientific risk-taking – creating space for projects that challenge conventional thinking.

• Jiawei Xu, postdoc – Making Live Transparent Fruit Fly for Live Tissue Imaging (DKK 2.5 M)
  The project aims to create a transparent fruit fly using genetic engineering, allowing researchers to observe developmental processes inside a living organism. This innovative model could provide new insights into how tissues and organs form – processes that are usually hidden behind the insect’s exoskeleton.

• Nikolaj Abel, assistant professor – One cryo-ET tag to solve them all (DKK 2.5 M)
  This project will develop a universal tagging method for cryo-electron tomography, making it easier to visualise and interpret the molecular architecture of cells at near-atomic resolution.

• Asger Givskov Jørgensen, postdoc in Jørgen Kjems’ group at iNANO, has received support for the project Molecular Footprints: Monitoring RNA Aptamer–Protein Interactions through Chemical Modifications and Nanopore Readout (DKK 2.5 M).

DFF Green Research grant: Alex Gavrin

Aleksandr Gavrin has received a grant under the Danish Independent Research Fund’s thematic call for Green Research, focusing on improving the efficiency of nitrogen fixation in legumes.

• Aleksandr Gavrin – Increasing Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation via Cytoplasmic Signaling Modulation
  The global overuse of synthetic fertilizers poses a significant environmental challenge. Legumes play a vital role in sustainable agriculture through their symbiotic partnership with nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria, which convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by plants.
  This project seeks to identify the molecular mechanisms that limit this symbiosis and to explore ways to enhance its efficiency. Using advanced molecular and biochemical methods, the researchers will study how plants regulate the rate of nitrogen fixation. Insights from this work could pave the way for developing legume crops with improved nitrogen-fixing abilities – ultimately reducing agriculture’s dependence on synthetic fertilizers.