Great success for the Regensburg Center for Ultrafast Nanoscopy (RUN): Prof. Dr. Gerti Beliu, head of the Bioimaging group at the University of Regensburg and RUN member, has been awarded a prestigious ERC Starting Grant 2026. With funding of €1.5 million over five years, Beliu will lead the project NEUROCLICK, which aims to uncover how receptor proteins are organized and behave within living human neurons at unprecedented molecular resolution.
The project combines innovative tools from chemical biology, genetics, and advanced fluorescence microscopy to visualize and track individual proteins in their native environment. Going beyond static snapshots, NEUROCLICK aims to capture the dynamic behaviour of receptor proteins in living neurons, revealing how they move, interact, and reorganise over time. A particular focus lies on autoimmune encephalitis, a neurological disorder in which antibodies target receptors in the brain and disrupt neuronal communication. By making previously inaccessible molecular processes visible, NEUROCLICK seeks to advance our understanding of both healthy brain function and disease.
“I am convinced that we can fundamentally improve our understanding of biological processes if we are able to observe them directly. With NEUROCLICK, we want to gain unprecedented insight into the molecular events at human synapses that have so far remained largely hidden from view.” Prof. Dr. Gerti Beliu
The project reflects RUN’s interdisciplinary approach, bringing together expertise in chemical biology, molecular imaging, and neuroscience to explore not only the molecular architecture of synapses, but also their dynamics in living cells. The European Research Council (ERC) supports highly ambitious and innovative frontier research through its prestigious Starting Grant programme, enabling early-career researchers to establish and pursue independent research projects over five years.
Following the ongoing Grant Agreement Preparation phase, work on NEUROCLICK is expected to commence in Q1 2027.
