The Villum Ascending Investigator programme provides substantial funding to researchers who have already established themselves internationally and are at the mid-stage of their career. In its first round, the foundation has awarded a total of DKK 162 million to nine researchers across Denmark.

Read about the recipients 

Professor Alexander Zelikin from the Department of Chemistry at Aarhus University is among the selected researchers, recognised for both scientific excellence and future potential. His project, Artificial molecular intelligence in synthetic cells, aims to develop new ways of building intelligence into artificial chemical systems. 

Explaining the ambition behind the project, Alexander Zelikin says:

“The overarching goal of this project is to engineer molecular and cellular intelligence in abiotic reaction networks and synthetic cells. Towards this goal, we will engineer artificial signaling pathways that are encoded to the highest specificity and potency at the same time. Pioneering tools of time-resolved, discrete transmembrane signaling and catalysis will be developed whereby signaling impulses are defined by amplitude and by duration in time. Molecular opportunities as these shape up the intelligence of cells in nature, enable adaptations and responses, comprise the mechanisms of evolution. We aim to engineer these opportunities in abiotic reaction networks and artificial cells. The results of this project will form the point of origin of molecular decision making and artificial evolution in synthetic cells.” 

The Zelikin Lab is open to collaborations and discussions and invite all those interested to contact Alexander N. Zelikin via email zelikin@chem.au.dk