BAR ILAN UNIVERSITY

Their core work

Bar Ilan University is a major Israeli research university with deep strengths in fundamental science, particularly in cryptography, nanotechnology, biomedical imaging, and computer science. Their H2020 portfolio reveals a faculty winning prestigious ERC grants at high rates (24 ERC awards across Starting, Consolidator, and Proof of Concept schemes), indicating world-class individual researchers across multiple disciplines. They bridge hard physics and materials science with medical applications — developing nano voltage sensors, gene editing therapies for immunodeficiency, and copper-based radiotracers for cancer diagnosis. They also contribute to European research infrastructure through open science initiatives and researcher mobility programs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014–2017), Bar Ilan focused heavily on fundamental physics and materials — complex oxide interfaces, nano particles for medical devices, and foundational cryptography. The later period (2018–2021) shows a shift toward applied and interdisciplinary work: machine learning appears as a recurring theme, innovation ecosystem building gains prominence, and biomedical projects move toward clinical translation (retinal prosthesis, CRISPR gene correction). There is also a growing engagement with open science infrastructure and European research policy.

Bar Ilan is moving from purely fundamental research toward applied machine learning and clinical translation, making them increasingly relevant for industry partnerships in med-tech and AI.

How they like to work

With a near-even split between coordinator (31) and participant (38) roles, Bar Ilan is comfortable both leading and contributing. Their 24 ERC grants (which are single-PI by design) show that much of their coordination stems from individual researcher excellence rather than large consortium management. When they do join consortia, they connect with a remarkably wide network — 539 unique partners across 53 countries — suggesting they are a highly sought-after specialist partner rather than a repeat-collaboration hub.

Bar Ilan has collaborated with 539 unique partners across 53 countries, making them one of the most broadly connected Israeli institutions in H2020. Their reach spans well beyond Europe into a truly global academic and industrial network.

What sets them apart

Bar Ilan stands out as Israel's most ERC-dense university in H2020, with 24 ERC grants signaling exceptional individual researcher quality across disciplines. Their unusual combination of cryptography, nanotechnology, and biomedical expertise under one roof makes them a rare partner who can contribute to security, health, and deep-tech projects simultaneously. For consortium builders, they offer a gateway to Israel's innovation ecosystem with proven European collaboration experience and no language or administrative barriers.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NVS
  Largest single grant (EUR 2.7M ERC Consolidator) for nano voltage sensors — represents their peak funding and core nanotechnology strength
• CRISS
  CRISPR gene correction for severe immunodeficiency (EUR 1.37M) — demonstrates their move into precision medicine and clinical translation
• LightCrypt
  EUR 1.49M ERC grant for lightweight cryptanalysis — positions them at the frontier of post-quantum and IoT security research