Nine Sapere-Aude grants for SCIENCE researchers

Biological material as a source of reactive organic nitrogen gases to the atmosphere. DKK 6.185.158,56.

Sea surface is rich in biological organic matter. I am interested in how organic biomolecules, specifically those containing nitrogen atoms, can get from the sea and into the air. We will conduct experiments in the laboratory and in the real atmosphere and test previously overlooked release mechanisms from sea spray. The presence of organic molecules over remote oceans is extremely interesting because they can react and form aerosol particles. These particles can affect climate as they absorb and reflect sunlight, but also because they are absolutely necessary for forming clouds. As a result, my project will help to understand the connection between oceans, clouds and climate.

Charting Cosmic Dawn: From primordial matter to the formation of stars in galaxies. DKK 6.177.913,92.

The Universe is teeming with galaxies – vast, cosmic ecosystems composed of gas, dust, and billions of stars. Galaxies are of vital importance to modern astrophysics: they trace the structure of the Universe and serve as the main sites for star formation and black hole growth. Despite their central role in our cosmological understanding, we still know very little about when and how the first stars and galaxies actually formed. With the PRIMORDIAL project, I will shed new light on this process by carrying out the first direct measurements of cold, neutral gas – the building blocks of stars and galaxies – in and around some of the first galaxies in the history of the Universe, using some of the largest telescopes on Earth and in space.

DSTREAM: Disk Systems That are Replenished and Evolve through Accretion of Material. DKK 6.191.998,56.

The traditional understanding of how stars and planets form is based on the idea that a star and its protoplanetary disk form from the collapse of an isolated, rotating cloud of gas and dust. Millions of years later, dust and ice particles collide and gradually form planets. Today, we know from new simulations and observations that planet formation often begins earlier, while the disk is still being fed with material through so-called “streamers” – large flows of gas and dust falling in from the surrounding environment. With DSTREAM, we will investigate how widespread these streamers are and how they affect disk evolution and planet formation. Using advanced magnetohydrodynamic simulations, we will model how material falls onto the disk and alters its properties. The project contributes new knowledge about how planetary systems form as part of a larger whole – not as isolated systems, but as open and dynamic ones in constant development.

Geometry-Aware Monte Carlo Sampling (GAMeS). DKK 6.081.763,68.

The GAMeS project develops Monte Carlo methods for high-dimensional models, large datasets, and parallel computing. By using geometric information in model spaces, it designs efficient algorithms for inference in complex systems. Building on recent breakthroughs in heavy-tailed sampling and interacting particle systems, GAMeS advances scalable and reliable methods for data science and AI.

Elucidating the role of gut microbiota in colorectal cancer with DNA adductomics-CROMICS. DKK 6.009.665,18.

The project is about studying the role of gut microbiota on colorectal cancer initiation with a new powerful technology called DNA adductomics. 

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and represents a significant health concern. Despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment, understanding the underlying mechanisms of colorectal cancer remains a critical research challenge. The gut microbiota and its metabolites might play a crucial role by interacting with the colonic epithelium, chemically modifying DNA, and forming DNA adducts.The main purpose of this project is to apply my new DNA adductomics methodology on colon tissues from patients with colorectal cancer, to identify microbial metabolites causing DNA adduct formation, and thus increasing cancer risk.

EvolvADog: analysing deconvoluted ancestry to clarify dog domestication and nature of ghost admixture in wolves and dogs. DKK 6.191.402,40.

EvolvADog seeks to uncover the origins of the domestic dog and map hybridisation events between dogs, wolves, and other wild canids across time and space. By analysing over 1000 genomes, the project identifies local inheritance patterns and ancestral genetic components. Tracking the genetic traces of the shared wild wolf ancestor of all dogs may allow us to pinpoint where dogs first emerged. The project develops and applies cutting-edge methods to determine when and where different wolf groups contributed to the dog genome and to reveal potential ghost admixture from extinct or unknown lineages. This approach has never before been applied to animals and represents a pioneering advance in evolutionary biology.

Stability of water electrolysis catalysts – StabilECat. DKK 6.173,069,76.

Using electricity, water can be split into hydrogen and oxygen, and this hydrogen is a key molecule in the transition of our chemical industry to a renewable one. A catalyst is needed to make the water splitting process as efficient as possible. Iridium, one of the rarest elements on earth, is used for this. My project aims to reduce the amount of iridium while maintaining efficiency. Here, the stability of the catalyst is a particular challenge. In StabilEcat, we want to find out why the catalyst performance deteriorates fast when using smaller amounts of iridium. What are the processes that lead to this loss of efficiency? To understand this, we will use high-energy X-rays to look inside the catalyst during operation and follow the structural changes throughout the process.

Protein and Lipic Oxidation Interplay in Plant-Based Foods and their Impact on Brain Function. DKK 6.191.223,84.

Are highly processed plant-based foods healthy? This project investigates how proteins and lipids in these foods undergo process-induced modifications that may form unwanted or potentially harmful compounds. We will study how these compounds affect brain health by examining their impact on brain function. Using advanced analytical chemistry tools and computer models, we aim to uncover the mechanisms by which these compounds affect brain function.

Solving Microbial Degradation of PFAS. DKK 6.192.000,00.

PFAS – also known as "forever chemicals" – are among the most persistent and problematic environmental pollutants in the world. They are found in everything from drinking water and soil to the human body, and their chemical stability makes them extremely difficult to break down. This project challenges the very idea that PFAS are indestructible by discovering new bacteria and enzymes that can degrade them. To this end, I will use, among other things, machine learning and characterization of microbial communities in PFAS-contaminated soils in Denmark. The next obstacle to effective degradation is that fluoride is released when the characteristic carbon-fluorine bonds in PFAS are broken. Fluoride is toxic to bacteria, so PFAS degraders end up poisoning themselves. Therefore, I will investigate whether bacteria can be transformed into PFAS degraders if given the right tools, including increased tolerance to fluoride.