Funding secured to explore innovation potential of biophysics research.

Congratulations to Prof Davide Michieletto on securing an ERC Proof of Concept Grant.

Prof Davide Michieletto has been awarded a highly competitive European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept (PoC) Grant to explore the innovation potential of research arising from his ERC-funded project on “Topologically Active Polymers”, a new area of research at the interface of soft matter physics and biology.   

The ERC Proof of Concept Grant is available exclusively to researchers who already hold an ERC award and aims to help transform frontier research discoveries into societal and commercial innovations. The funding supports researchers in verifying and developing the innovation potential of ideas emerging from their ERC-funded work by funding activities such as experimentation, technical validation, intellectual property assessment, and collaboration with industrial, policy, or societal stakeholders. 

Prof Michieletto's grant will support the technical and commercial development of DNA nanotechnology aimed at solving outstanding challenges in early cancer diagnostic.    

By supporting the next stage of development, the ERC Proof of Concept Grant will help position the project for future translation into practical applications, products and commercial ventures, in turn maximising the impact of the original ERC-funded research.