European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants are among the most competitive awards in European research.

Of thousands of applications this year, only about 11 percent were funded, including three University of Tartu faculty members: associate professor in climate physics Velle Toll, associate professor of molecular plant physiology Hanna Hõrak and associate professor of genomics and reproductive genetics Triin Laisk.

Turning smokestacks into test labs

Associate professor Velle Toll will investigate how human-made air pollution particles interact with clouds — an effect known to cool the planet, but whose true magnitude remains uncertain.

His team will expand analysis from hundreds of polluted cloud fields to millions, making it possible to isolate weaker but important signals buried under natural weather noise.

The findings could significantly influence climate projections. Pollution currently offsets an estimated one-third of greenhouse gas warming, and Toll said it's important to test whether the cooling effect has been underestimated.

"This question strongly affects international climate science and policy," he noted.

Toll also hopes to turn factory smokestacks into real-world climate test labs and build an open research platform for various working groups and researchers. He added that the grant will strengthen Estonia's climate research community by supporting both current and incoming experts.

Plants' hidden breathing pores

Associate Professor Hanna Hõrak studies stomata — microscopic pores on leaves that regulate gas exchange. Most plants have them only on the underside, but some species also have upper-surface stomata, a feature that to date has drawn little attention in research.

"The few studies conducted suggest that plants with stomata on the upper side of their leaves absorb carbon dioxide more efficiently and are better at photosynthesis," Hõrak noted. "So upper-side stomata should be highly beneficial for plants, which raises the question: why do most species lack them?" 

Only about three labs worldwide study this trait, including Hõrak's. Since launching her group in 2020, she said they've become "pioneers" in the field.

Her project seeks to uncover how stomata form differently on each leaf surface, knowledge that could guide the breeding of more water-efficient, higher-yield crops. Still, she emphasized that "innovation doesn't come from optimization; it comes from entirely new knowledge."

Women's health and hormonal sensitivity

Associate Professor Triin Laisk will explore why women respond so differently to normal hormonal fluctuations. Some experience no symptoms; others see significant impacts on their quality of life. The topic, she noted, remains clouded by stigma and stereotypes.

"There's a lot of negative talk about women and hormones," she said, adding that evidence-based insight could help break through the stereotypes and leave less room for misconceptions about hormonal health.

Her team will combine Estonian Biobank data, health trajectories and functional experiments — examining hormonal sensitivity across a patient's entire lifetime rather than as isolated conditions. This broader approach will allow them to study how hormone shifts influence gene expression and may activate certain genetic predispositions.

Ultimately, the findings could help advance precision medicine by helping clinicians select treatments or contraceptives tailored to each woman while reducing the risk of side effects.

"It is important to me that this project leads to a better understanding of women's hormonal health, and that fewer women face a situation where their symptoms are dismissed as merely part of being a woman," Laisk added.

Competitive mark of excellence

ERC Consolidator Grants target researchers 7–12 years post-PhD who have demonstrated independent leadership potential. The competition is fierce: out of 3,121 applications, only 349 were funded this year.

All three University of Tartu projects run for five years. Laisk's project is funded at €1.86 million and Toll and Hõrak's projects at €1.99 million each.

Read here for more in-depth information about the winning Estonian projects.

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