The ERC awarded 349 Consolidator grants totaling €728 million. Israel stands out with 13 winners from six universities, plus a Proof of Concept grant for an artificial intelligence project for early prediction of depression.
The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the winners of the 2025 Consolidator Grants – grants intended for researchers seven to twelve years after their doctorate, at a stage where they are building and establishing an independent research group. This year, 349 researchers from 25 countries were selected, who will jointly receive funding of €728 million, with each project receiving up to €2 million over five years. Israel ranks very high relative to its size, with 13 grants distributed among six research universities, in a variety of fields – optical imaging, through black holes and artificial intelligence, to green chemistry and the demography of bereavement. (ERC
Furthermore, another researcher from the University of Haifa won a Proof of Concept grant, designed to bridge the gap between basic research and an applied product or service. Together, the grants reflect the status of Israeli research at the forefront of global science, and the ability to combine deep theory with clinical, social, and technological implications.
Tel Aviv University – Five ERC Consolidator Winners
Prof. Dudo Burstein – Interactions between microorganisms and the antibiotic resistance crisis
Prof. Dudo Burstein from the Shmunis School in the Wise Faculty of Life Sciences has been studying the invisible bacterial world that surrounds us for years. His research group combines advanced metagenomics – sequencing genomes directly from environmental samples – with machine learning algorithms and molecular experiments to map interactions between bacteria, phages and mobile genetic elements. In the new ERC-funded project, Burstein will investigate how mobile genetic elements manage to efficiently pass between different bacteria, and transfer traits such as antibiotic resistance. A better understanding of this genetic “pipeline” may provide new tools for dealing with one of the greatest threats to the health system – resistant bacteria. At the same time, these same mechanisms can serve as a basis for the development of advanced biotechnological systems and tools in biological synthesis, for example new systems for gene editing or plant protection. The grant will help expand the research group, acquire computing infrastructure and flooring, and to deepen collaborations with clinicians and data scientists in Israel and around the world.
Prof. Gil Cohen – Pseudo-randomness, de-randomization, and complexity theory
Prof. Gil Cohen from the Blavatnik School of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence is one of the world's leading researchers in the fields of pseudorandomness and code theory. At the heart of his research is the question of how one can replace "true" randomness with pseudorandomness generated by algorithms, and still obtain efficient and reliable algorithms. In the current ERC project, Cohen will focus on the BPL complexity class - a class of problems that can be solved by a probabilistic Turing machine with a small memory - and will aim to push the boundaries of knowledge about de-randomization: how to transform probabilistic algorithms into deterministic algorithms without paying a heavy price at runtime. Although this is a very theoretical study, it has implications for encryption, the reliability of cloud computing, and the efficiency of large systems that rely on random simulations. The grant will allow Cohen's group to deepen the research in conjunction with outstanding research students, and strengthen Tel's position Aviv as a leading center in computer science theory.
Prof. Yair Harkavy – Outbursts around supermassive black holes
Prof. Yair Harkavy from the School of Physics and Astronomy is engaged in observational astrophysics of the most energetic events in the universe – massive stars, supernovae, neutron star mergers and events in which black holes tear stars apart. In the new ERC project, he will devote most of his effort to outbursts around supermassive black holes in the cores of galaxies. These are relatively short events in which the black hole's enormous gravitational field causes matter to flow inward, heat up and emit strong radiation. Harkavy will seek to understand both the microscopic physics of the processes of ingestion and ejection, and what these events teach us about how black holes with masses of millions to billions of times the mass of the Sun are formed. One of the key tools in the project will be the Israeli Ultrasat space telescope, which will scan the sky in ultraviolet radiation and enable rapid detection of short flashes. The combination of Ultrasat, ground-based telescopes, and radio and X-ray observations is expected to place Harkaby's group at the forefront of black hole research in the world.
Prof. Yitzhak Sasson – Demographics of Bereavement and Health Across the Lifespan
Prof. Yitzhak Sasson from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in the Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences specializes in the demography of mortality, health inequalities and life expectancy. The new ERC-funded research will focus on one extreme but common experience – exposure to bereavement within the family – and the question of how it is distributed in society. Sasson will build historical databases spanning several generations from different countries, to examine who is more exposed to the loss of a parent, spouse or child, and how this depends on social status, education, origin and ethnicity. In addition to measuring the prevalence of bereavement, the project will also examine its long-term consequences on the way of thinking, on physical and mental health and on behavioral patterns. In doing so, it connects “dry” demographics with the human pain behind the numbers. The results may influence welfare and health policies, for example in allocating resources to support services in populations where bereavement is particularly concentrated.
Prof. Uri Lahav – Fundamentals of Parallel and Distributed Systems with Weak Consistency
Prof. Uri Lahav, head of the Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, is involved in the theory of programming languages, formal verification, and models of distributed and parallel computing. This is his second ERC grant – a clear indication of his international standing. In the current project, Lahav and his partners will examine the theoretical foundations of parallel and distributed objects operating in memory environments with weak consistency, that is, systems in which not every processor immediately “sees” all the updates of the others. Such systems are very common in the cloud, mobile computing, and modern processors, and enable high performance but make it very difficult to analyze the correctness of the software. The goal is to develop logical frameworks and computer proof tools that will allow for the design and testing of distributed data structures and services so that they are both fast and secure, without relying solely on random testing or trial and error. In doing so, Lahav continues to blur the line between pure mathematics and software engineering of critical systems.
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev – Three Winners
Prof. Anat Milo – Machine Learning in Organocatalysis
Prof. Anat Milo from the Department of Chemistry is investigating how organocatalysis – organic catalysts without heavy metals – can be used to advance greener and more precise chemistry. In the new project, she combines machine learning with focused chemical experiments to reveal the subtle molecular design principles behind interactions in catalytic systems. The idea is to build a “3D digital representation” of the catalytic environment – a kind of supermap of the binding sites, electrical forces and spatial arrangement of reacting molecules. Such a representation, which did not exist until now, should make it possible to predict which small changes in the catalyst structure will lead to a dramatic improvement in selectivity or yield. Beyond advancing the fundamental understanding of catalysis, the research has significant potential in developing chemical processes for pharmaceuticals, advanced materials and sustainable chemistry, with less waste and environmental risks.
Dr. Ben Palmer – Nitrogen Crystals as Nutrient Storage in Microalgae
Dr. Ben Palmer from the Department of Chemistry is studying rare molecular crystals that have been discovered in recent years in abundant photosynthetic microalgae. Unlike familiar optical crystals from animals, these crystals are rich in nitrogen and, according to the study, serve as internal stores of nutrients. The goal is to understand how these crystals are formed, how they are packaged within the cell, and how the algae use them to survive periods of nitrogen deficiency in the environment. Palmer will combine advanced microscopy, spectroscopic methods, and biological models to decipher the function of the crystals and their life cycle. Beyond the basic interest in algal biology, the research has biotechnological implications – for example, in designing algae strains to produce biofuels or nitrogen-rich materials – and also biogeochemical significance, because the way nitrogen is stored in microalgae affects the nitrogen cycle in the seas and oceans.
Dr. Klim Yepremenko – Interactive Error Correction Codes
Dr. Klim Yepremenko from the Department of Computer Science is addressing the question of how to communicate reliably even when the channel is noisy, and the communication is not a one-off but an interactive dialogue. In the world of cloud computing, cryptographic protocols and distributed systems, many parties conduct multi-round conversations, and any tiny error could disrupt an entire protocol. The ERC-funded project will develop a theory of interactive error-correcting codes: how to design protocols that are able to correct errors in real time, throughout an entire conversation, and not just in the transmission of a single message. Yepremenko plans to reveal the fundamental limits of how many errors can be corrected, under what conditions, and what trade-offs are required between efficiency, security and computational load. These insights may impact the design of secure protocols, the reliability of cloud services and systems in which humans and machines communicate continuously, for example in autonomous vehicles or smart industrial networks.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem – Two Winners
Prof. Uri Katz – Optical imaging in dispersive and dynamic media
Prof. Uri Katz, head of the Advanced Imaging Laboratory at the Institute of Applied Physics, is tackling one of the most difficult problems in optical imaging: how to "see" through a medium that scatters light randomly and changes in time - living tissue, fog, turbid water or even sheets of paper. Instead of trying to circumvent scattering, the new project proposes to turn it into a source of information. The idea is to measure the dynamics of the object and the scattering medium over time, and analyze the changes as a subtle encryption of the structure of the bone that is hidden behind the scattering "screen". If the approach is successful, it could enable sharp and clear imaging of deep tissues in the body without the need for invasive access, improve cameras in difficult visibility conditions, and contribute to remote sensing, geophysics and radar systems. The grant will allow Katz to build new experimental systems, incorporate fast signal processing and attract research students from the fields of physics, engineering and computational sciences.
Prof. Deborah Mankin – Political Polarization, Protests, and the Democratic Test
Prof. Deborah Menkin of the Department of International Relations is researching the relationship between political polarization and protest movements in an era when many democracies are curtailing freedoms and moving backward. Data from recent decades show that mass protests have become more common – but less successful. In her ERC project, Menkin offers a new framework for understanding the phenomenon: how negative feelings between political camps, deep distrust, and the “demonization” of the opponent impair the ability of protests to cross camps, build broad coalitions, and lead to regime or policy change. The research will combine global databases of protests, empirical experiments, and analysis of protest waves in six different countries. Beyond a theoretical understanding of protest failures, Menkin will also examine strategies of action – framing, leadership, and alliances – that can strengthen democracy in a polarized reality. The findings are expected to be of interest not only to political science researchers but also to civil society organizations and policymakers.
The Technion - Israeli Institute of Technoogy
Dr. Yakir Wiesel – StrongMC and Formal Verification of Critical Systems
Dr. Yakir Wiesel, a faculty member in the Taub Faculty of Computer Science, returned to the Technion after a rich career in industry – at companies such as Nvidia, Amazon and Intel – and brings with him a unique perspective that connects theory and application. The ERC grant awarded to him is intended for the development of StrongMC, a new system for improving the reliability of complex computer systems: advanced processors, avionics and space systems, autonomous driving systems and medical devices. The field in which Wiesel works – formal verification and automated inference – uses mathematical methods to prove that a system accurately fulfills a given specification, for any possible input. Today, most algorithms use “weak” proof systems with relatively simple proof rules, which are easy to implement but are often insufficient to prove complex properties in a reasonable time. StrongMC seeks to exploit “stronger” proof systems, with more complex rules, without losing efficiency. If the project is successful, it could reduce reliance on simulation-based testing, making mathematical proofs a standard tool in designing systems where a single failure could endanger lives or cause enormous economic damage.
Weitzman Institution of Science
Prof. Uri Avinoam – Muscle Stem Cell Fusion and Tissue Repair
Prof. Uri Avinoam from the Department of Biomolecular Sciences is studying a fascinating process that occurs in our skeletal muscles throughout life: muscle stem cells that fuse into existing muscle fibers, in order to grow, adapt to effort, or recover from injury. This is a very delicate process – two different cells come together, unite membranes and content, but need to maintain the complex structure of the muscle fiber. In his ERC project, Avinoam will try to decipher the molecular mechanism of fusion: which proteins mediate the encounter, how they are organized in space, and how the cell regulates the process so that it occurs at the right place and time. To this end, he will combine advanced imaging, molecular genetics, and models of muscle diseases. A deep understanding of the mechanisms of fusion may open new ways to restore damaged muscles after trauma or disease, to preserve muscle mass in old age, and to develop therapeutic approaches for hereditary muscle diseases. In doing so, the study illustrates how basic biology can lead to future treatments.
University of Haifa – Consolidator Grant and Proof of Concept Grant
Prof. Eldar Haber – Creative Artificial Intelligence and the Criminal Justice System
Prof. Eldar Haber from the Faculty of Law, and Head of the Center for Law and Technology (HCLT), has won an ERC Consolidator grant for the RecodingJustice project, which examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping the criminal justice system. Computational tools are already being used to predict crime, analyze evidence, and assist in making decisions about release from custody or punishment. The introduction of powerful generative models only exacerbates the challenges – from data bias to transparency and accountability. In a five-year study to be conducted in four countries, Haber will seek to map the current and potential uses of artificial intelligence throughout the entire chain of criminal procedure – investigation, prosecution, trial, imprisonment, and rehabilitation – and analyze the risks to fundamental rights and principles of justice. Alongside the normative analysis, the project will aim to develop legal and institutional tools that will ensure the responsible and fair use of these technologies, such as principles for algorithmic transparency, regulatory oversight, and the integration of technology experts into judicial decisions. Haber's work, which draws on a wealth of experience in cyber, privacy, and intellectual property law, is likely to influence policy at the national and international levels.
Prof. Sigal Zalka-Manu – Proof of Concept for a system for early prediction of depression
Prof. Sigal Zalka-Manu from the School of Psychological Sciences has won an ERC Proof of Concept (PoC) grant, intended for researchers who already hold an active ERC grant and wish to translate research discoveries into an applied tool. Her project, SMARTH MDD, is based on artificial intelligence that will continuously analyze data from the user's smartphone: sleep and movement patterns, speech characteristics such as intonation and rhythm, facial expressions, emotional analysis of text messages, and the level of digital social activity. The system will build a personal profile of "healthy mental functioning" for each person and identify subtle deviations from it long before noticeable symptoms of depression appear. The development is based on over a decade of clinical and computational research at the Psychotherapy Laboratory at the University of Haifa, where algorithms were developed that diagnose future trajectories of change in depression compared to the "gold standard" of clinical assessments. The vision is to transform mental health from a crisis response to a crisis prevention approach, through early warning and personalized interventions. If proven effective, the tool could be integrated into healthcare systems around the world and ease the burden on mental health services.
Israeli universities have joined dozens of European universities (and one from Turkey) in the European Union's decision to invest €728 million in groundbreaking research. (vhio.net) The combination of natural sciences, computer sciences, social sciences and law, psychology and chemistry positions Israel as an international center of multidisciplinary research, and emphasizes the contribution of local researchers to understanding the universe, health, technology and democratic society.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, EU Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation, said: “Congratulations to all the researchers who have won ERC grants. A record budget of €728 million invested in supporting these scientific projects shows that the EU is very serious about making the continent attractive for excellent researchers.”
The President of the European Research Council, Professor Maria Leptin, said: “It is very encouraging to see all this talent, with groundbreaking ideas, based in Europe. This bold research has the potential to lead to new industries, improve quality of life and enhance Europe’s global standing. This was one of the most competitive calls in the history of the ERC grants, with record demand and many excellent projects not being funded. It is another reminder of how urgent it is to increase the EU’s investment in frontier research.”
More of the topic in Hayadan:
One response
In honor of the editor of the newspaper, Avi Belzovsky
Please do not delete this response of mine, as my response to the Technion team was deleted, on the subject of mathematical constants, and especially on the subject of pi. I apologize if I am wrong, and my response is still available in the database.
I have always expressed my gratitude to the editor of the newspaper for the freedom of expression in the newspaper, so that the shameful story of Galileo and the Church will not be repeated.
This shameful story is coming back right now, with the Church of Mathematicians, and Avnioam in the role of Galileo.
Avinoam Abeba, known online as A. Abebar, or Abebar or Avinoam