Martin Beck Receives Prestigious ERC Advanced Grant
The funded project involves the investigation of huge pores in the nuclear membranes of eukaryotic cells.
A research proposal aiming to address the mechanical properties of nuclear pore complexes has earned Martin Beck, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, one of the highly prestigious Advanced Grants from the European Research Council (ERC). Having already been funded twice by the ERC in his early career, this is his third time being awarded an ERC grant.
Text: Katharina Kaefer
253 Top Researchers in Europe Receive a Total of 624 Million Euros
The ERC announced Martin Beck as one of 253 awardees of an ERC Advanced Grant, who prevailed among more than 1700 applicants. Their innovative research ideas will be funded with a total of 624 million euros over the next five years.
The ERC was launched in 2007 by the European Union to promote cutting-edge research by the best and most creative minds across Europe. ERC Advanced Grants are awarded annually to excellent scientists of all disciplines who have a recognized track record of publications, are well established in the scientific community and leading in their field.
Martin Beck Investigates Pores in the Cell Nucleus
Martin Beck studies very large macromolecular complexes in cells. To investigate their structure, dynamics, and function in their native environment, he uses cryo-electron tomography, biochemical methods, live cell imaging, and computational modeling in a holistic approach.
After receiving an ERC Starting Grant and an ERC Consolidator Grant in his early career, Martin Beck is now receiving his third ERC grant as senior research group leader. His research addresses the function of nuclear pore complexes, which consist of about 1000 proteins and form huge channels in the nuclear membrane of eukaryotic cells. By regulating the exchange of material between nucleoplasm and cytosol, they protect the genomic integrity. Martin Beck's research project will investigate how mechanical properties of nuclear pores interplay with their transport function.
