ERC funding for research on the atmospheric effects of pollen
The project has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant. The five-year grant amounts to approximately EUR 1.5 million.
Pollen is best known for causing seasonal allergies, but it also plays a role in atmospheric processes. Pollen grains release tiny particles containing proteins and other biological material that can interact with water and contribute to ice formation in clouds. However, the molecular composition of these particles and the mechanisms behind their interactions with the environment are still poorly understood.
The project has a multidisciplinary approach
The ILMATICS project will investigate how molecular-level processes shape the atmospheric effects of pollen. The project will use emerging nanopore technology to identify and sequence proteins released from pollen, including proteins associated with allergic reactions and ice formation.
The researchers will also develop new AI-based molecular simulation methods to study how these proteins interact with water and how their molecular structure may promote ice formation. The simulation results will be tested against laboratory experiments and used to improve theoretical models of atmospheric ice formation.
“By combining atmospheric science, molecular biology, artificial intelligence, molecular simulations and experiments, ILMATICS aims to connect the molecular properties of pollen with their wider effects on human health and the atmosphere,” says Golnaz Roudsari, Researcher at the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
The ERC Starting Grant supports promising researchers who are starting or have recently started their own independent research team or programme.
More information
Researcher Golnaz Roudsari, Finnish Meteorological Institute, tel. +358 50 301 7531.
The email address is in the format: firstname.lastname@fmi.fi.
