Three researchers from Leiden University have secured highly competitive Starting Grants from the European Research Council (ERC), enabling them to launch independent projects and build their own teams. Across this ERC funding round, a total of €761 million was awarded, with 44 grants going to researchers in the Netherlands, including these three talents from Universiteit Leiden.
Meet the Laureates:
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Nathalie Brusgaard (Archaeology)
Her project investigates how the transition from foraging to farming in Western Europe reshaped human–wild animal relationships. Unlike most studies that focus on animal husbandry, Brusgaard emphasizes sustained interactions with wild species as food sources, tool materials, and cultural symbols. She combines archaeological and biomolecular methods across three regions—the Netherlands, Central Germany, and Southern Scandinavia- to uncover hidden traces of these dynamics. -
Alisa van de Haar (Center for the Arts in Society)
Her project LangPro explores the early modern language economy between 1550–1650, amid the rise of the printing press, education, and bureaucracy. It examines “language professionals”, readers, writers, editors—especially women, and the social and economic opportunities their literacy enabled. She will construct a database and analyze historical records to deepen understanding of how language skills shaped careers and societal change. -
Rajagopal Murugan (LUMC)
His B-SELECT project examines how helminth (worm) infections, which affect nearly a quarter of the global population, may interfere with B-cell development and vaccine responses. Using unique human clinical samples alongside advanced lab and animal models, Murugan aims to understand how these infections alter immune responses and to develop strategies to mitigate these effects, ultimately improving vaccine effectiveness
Congratulations to Nathalie Brusgaard, Alisa van de Haar, and Rajagopal Murugan for advancing Leiden’s research excellence on the European stage.
For more details, visit Leiden University’s news release.
