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Dr Ajasja Ljubetič, a researcher at the Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology of the National Institute of Chemistry, has succeeded in the European Research Council (ERC) call for Consolidator Grants (CoG) with his project PROPEL, a grant aimed at consolidating an independent research career. The evaluation panel was impressed by his innovative scientific proposal to design the first completely artificial protein motor, opening new avenues and pushing the boundaries of bionanotechnology. For this breakthrough project, which will among other things enable highly targeted medical therapies of the future, Dr Ljubetič has obtained €2 million in funding for a period of five years. For the National Institute of Chemistry, which will host the project, this is already the seventh ERC research project in total, and in addition the Institute also holds two ERC Proof of Concept (PoC) projects for assessing innovation potential.

The aim of the PROPEL (Protein Rigid Organization for Powered Engineered Locomotion) project is to create the first completely de novo designed protein motor. Dr Ljubetič and his team will design the proteins using advanced artificial intelligence tools, and their movement will be studied with extremely sensitive single-molecule measurements. The motors will be powered by the principle of a diffusion ratchet (Brownian ratchet), which converts random motion into directed motion with the help of an external energy source and asymmetry in the track. These tiny motors will travel along specially designed protein tracks.

The project leader, Dr Ajasja Ljubetič, commented on the award of the ERC project as follows:

“In my research I am often guided by a thought of the famous physicist Richard Feynman: ‘What I cannot create, I do not understand.’ My goal is therefore to develop protein motors or machines that can perform useful work. I believe that such molecular machines have enormous potential, similar to that of the first transistors at the dawn of electronics. Creating an energy-driven protein motor completely de novo, from scratch, is the first step on this path, and it has not yet been achieved to date.”

The PROPEL project in more detail

Proteins act as tiny machines in our cells that make life possible. They copy DNA, reshape cellular membranes and transport important molecules to where they are needed. Natural protein motors have evolved to function in cells, but they are not adapted to many of the new applications that scientists are envisioning. The design and construction of synthetic protein machines could fundamentally transform medicine and materials science in the future, but building such complex systems remains a major scientific challenge.

Dr Ajasja Ljubetič aims to address this challenge by designing the first completely artificial protein motor—one designed entirely de novo, not based on templates found in nature. Artificially designed protein machines are more stable and easier to control than natural ones, paving the way for advances in bionanotechnology. Completely de novo designed protein motors could further deepen our understanding of molecular motion and could, for example, function as motors in synthetic cells. In the future, protein nanorobots could also be used, thanks to their biocompatibility and programmability, in smart materials and in personalised or targeted medicine.

The importance of ERC Consolidator Grants

ERC projects support the most pioneering and bold research ideas within an already excellent research environment. The ERC Consolidator Grant is intended for researchers who wish to strengthen their independent career while building or expanding their research group. Applicants must have 7 to 12 years of experience since the defence of their first doctoral thesis and a track record that demonstrates strong research potential.

For host institutions, these projects are extremely important, as a successful ERC project brings new research activities, co-funding and the development of research groups, which in the long term strengthens their reputation and research capacity. In the history of Slovenia, only six ERC CoG projects have been awarded so far.

“We are extremely proud that Dr Ajasja Ljubetič has obtained the PROPEL project, which he will carry out at our Institute. Such achievements are proof that researchers with remarkable vision, courage and dedication to science are growing in our environment. Ajasja’s success inspires us and confirms that the community we are building fosters excellence. The Consolidator Grant obtained is a valuable boost for the development of his research group and an important step towards even greater international recognition of our Institute. I am convinced that this achievement will leave a strong mark on the Slovenian and global research landscape,” said Prof. Dr Gregor Anderluh, Director of the National Institute of Chemistry, about the newly awarded ERC project.

Some figures on this year’s ERC Consolidator Grants

The ERC Consolidator Grant 2025 call attracted a total of 3,121 project proposals, of which 349, or 11.2%, were selected for funding. Altogether, €728 million will be allocated to the selected projects, which will be carried out at host institutions in 25 EU Member States and associated countries. In the life sciences alone, the panel evaluated as many as 823 projects, of which only 93 were successful, including the project of Dr Ajasja Ljubetič.

The President of the European Research Council, Prof. Maria Leptin, commented on the results of this call as follows: “It is truly inspiring to see so much talent with a bold vision working in Europe. Such ambitious research can lead to the development of new industries, improve people’s lives and strengthen Europe’s global position. This call was one of the most competitive in the history of the ERC. Demand was record-high, and many excellent projects remained unfunded. This again shows how crucial it is to increase EU investment in frontier research.”

The PROPEL project was also selected to be featured among the most interesting projects on the ERC website.

Short biography of Dr Ajasja Ljubetič

Dr Ajasja Ljubetič is a research fellow at the Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology at the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana. He is an expert in the design of new proteins that do not exist in nature. He is particularly interested in dynamic protein systems that can change their structure or move in other ways. In 30 years’ time, he hopes to live in a world where designed protein robots are as commonplace as mobile phones.

Dr Ljubetič is also active in science communication. In 2016, he won the first Slovenian Science Slam competition; together with Maja Stepančič he recorded three episodes of the programme Frekvenca X on proteins titled “Proteins, the building blocks of life”; and in 2023 he received the Prometheus Award for Excellence in Science Communication. This year, he organised in Ljubljana the 4th European Rosetta Conference on protein design.

He studied biochemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology in Ljubljana and, for two years, also studied physics in parallel. He completed his PhD at the Jožef Stefan Institute and then spent three years researching protein origami structures under the supervision of Prof. Roman Jerala at the National Institute of Chemistry. In 2018, he received the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Fellowship, which enabled him to spend three years researching proteins in the laboratory of Nobel laureate Prof. David Baker in Seattle, USA. In 2021, he returned to Slovenia to the National Institute of Chemistry, where he now leads a team of protein researchers.

More information about Dr Ljubetič’s research is available at: https://ljubetic-lab.si/

You can also read more about the project in the frequently asked questions, which are available here.

For any additional questions, please feel free to contact us.

Contact: dr. Ajasja Ljubetič, ajasja.ljubetic@ki.si

^{Nosilec projekta: dr. Ajasja Ljubetič}