ERC Starting Grants for two UG researchers

Two UG researches, both working at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, have been awarded an ERC Starting Grant: Jingxiu Xie and Gosia Wlodarczyk-Biegun . The European Research Council's (ERC) Starting Grants consist of €1.5 million each, for a period of five years. The grants are meant for outstanding researchers with the aim of stimulating cutting-edge research in Europe.

Jingxiu Xie - Intensified processes for CO2 conversion to sustainable synthetic fuels

In this project, Jingxiu Xie aims to develop intensified catalytic processes for converting CO2 to synthetic fuels. Synthetic fuels have the potential to serve as sustainable aviation fuels, making their successful production from CO2 a solution to two critical societal challenges and a significant step towards realizing a truly circular economy.

Traditionally, metallic cobalt catalysts are used in the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis technology to convert syngas (CO and H2) into synthetic fuels, but they produce primarily methane when applied to CO2. To address this, Xie proposes a novel concept called reactor zoning, which customizes the catalyst’s environment within the reactor. This approach contrasts with conventional methods that focus on tailoring catalyst materials and active sites, signifying a paradigm shift in catalysis, reactor engineering and process intensification research. Therewith, this will be the first demonstration of metallic cobalt catalysts ‘converting’ CO2 to synthetic fuels in a single reactor.

Gosia Wlodarczyk-Biegun - Jam with the flow: Microgel-based (bio)inks that assemble during printing

Many materials found in nature, such as spider silk to mention the best-known example, have remarkable properties due to their unique structure achieved via the precise processing of material precursors. Inspired by this phenomenon, Gosia Wlodarczyk-Biegun will apply a similar principle in extrusion-based 3D printing to obtain new materials with interesting properties for medical applications. Extrusion 3D printing is a booming approach in tissue engineering allowing to build patient-specific constructs, including artificial tissues or organ mimics. However, a portfolio of advanced printable biomaterials is limited and new approaches are still needed.

In her project, Wlodarczyk-Biegun will develop a new type of material composed of gel microspheres that can change dimensions and interact together (jam) during printing. The printed constructs will closely resemble real tissues and will be used to study breast cancer progression.

Xie and Wlodarzcyk-Biegun are Rosalind Franklin Fellows. Both researchers were appointed to the RUG with funding from the sector plans: a structural strategic investment program in the Netherlands aimed at strengthening higher education and scientific research. The sector plans are designed to improve the quality of education and research and to promote cooperation between universities.

About ERC

The ERC wants to encourage promising young researchers in Europe to set up a research team and start an independent research project to facilitate possible cutting-edge research. An ERC grant allows the researchers to start their research project confidently.