Two ERC Synergy Grants, worth 3.3 and 2.4 Million Euros, are going to the University of Vienna: cell biologist Sascha Martens and innovation and economics researcher Stefan Wagner are receiving the prestigious funding for their research. This brings the total number of ERC grants awarded to the University of Vienna to 157. The European Research Council (ERC) programme enables pioneering basic research with high innovation potential.
"I congratulate Sascha Martens and Stefan Wagner on this outstanding achievement. The projects impressively demonstrate that the scientists at the University of Vienna have excellent international networks and conduct basic research of high social relevance," said Rector Sebastian Schütze.
Towards a cause-oriented Alzheimer's therapy
Our cells constantly produce new proteins and break down old ones to stay healthy. When this balance is disrupted, damaged or misfolded proteins can clump together. Such deposits are toxic to cells and play a crucial role in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's. For a long time, it was assumed that the cellular recycling system autophagy could also remove large protein deposits. However, recent findings show that large, solid clumps are difficult for autophagy to break down, which can hinder cell cleansing.
In the ERC-funded DegrAbility project, cell biologist Sascha Martens, together with Claudine Kraft from the University of Freiburg and James Hurley from UC Berkeley, is investigating how the protective mechanisms of autophagy work. The project combines expertise in cell biology, biochemistry and state-of-the-art structural biology to understand which properties make protein aggregates degradable by autophagy – and which do not. By identifying the weak points of the autophagy system and developing approaches to solve them, the way may be paved for new, cause-oriented therapies for diseases such as Alzheimer's.
About Sascha Martens
Sascha Martens is Professor of Membrane Biochemistry at the Max Perutz Labs at the University of Vienna. He received his PhD from the University of Cologne, Germany, in 2004 and then went on to do postdoctoral research at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK. In 2009, he joined the Max Perutz Labs at the University of Vienna to investigate, in his own research group, how the process of autophagy helps to keep our body cells healthy.
Sascha Martens has already received an ERC Starting Grant (2010) and an ERC Consolidator Grant (2015) to research autophagy. DegrAbility is now his third ERC-funded project.
Promoting sustainable and safe alternatives in the economy
Chemistry shapes our modern lives – from medicines and plastics to cosmetics and cleaning products. Yet many of the substances that make daily life easier also pose risks to human health and the environment. This is where the international research project SUSTECH – Accelerating Sustainable Technological Trajectories comes in. The project investigates why hazardous chemicals often reach the market faster than safer alternatives – and how this can be changed.
An interdisciplinary team from the University of Vienna, the University of Pisa, the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, and Carnegie Mellon University combines cutting-edge methods from artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computational chemistry to identify hazardous substances early and promote sustainable alternatives. SUSTECH aims to democratize knowledge about chemical innovation, uncover misaligned incentives in the development of new compounds, and support policymakers in steering innovation towards a safer and more sustainable future.
About Stefan Wagner
Stefan Wagner has been Professor of Technology and Innovation Management at the University of Vienna since 2024. Prior to this, he was Professor of Strategy and Innovation at ESMT Berlin, where he had held various positions since 2011. He completed his habilitation (2010) and doctorate in business administration (2005) at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). He was a member of the boards of the European Policy for Intellectual Property Association (EPIP, 2017–2025) and the Berlin School of Economics (2017–2023). His research focuses on the interplay between corporate strategy, technological innovation, industrial economics and law.