KEMIJSKI INSTITUT

Their core work

The National Institute of Chemistry (NIC) in Ljubljana is Slovenia's premier chemistry research centre, specializing in catalysis, electrochemistry, protein engineering, and advanced materials. They design and characterize electrocatalysts for fuel cells and CO2 conversion, engineer synthetic protein nanostructures using coiled-coil origami, and develop next-generation battery materials. Their work spans from fundamental computational chemistry (density functional theory) to applied industrial processes like methanol synthesis and plastic recycling.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014–2018), NIC focused broadly on nanomaterials, advanced materials characterization, and battery chemistry — projects like NANORESTART, HELIS, and LiRichFCC reflect a materials-science generalist profile. From 2019 onward, the institute sharpened its focus dramatically around two pillars: electrocatalysis for green energy (CO2 reduction, fuel cell degradation, electrochemical characterization) and designed protein nanostructures (coiled-coil origami, CRISPR tools). The shift from passive nanomaterials work to active electrochemical and synthetic biology leadership — evidenced by multiple coordinated ERC grants — marks a transition from contributing partner to research frontier leader.

NIC is consolidating around green hydrogen electrocatalysis and programmable protein nanostructures — two fields with strong EU funding trajectories into Horizon Europe, making them an increasingly attractive partner for energy transition and biotech consortia.

How they like to work

NIC balances leadership and partnership effectively: they coordinate 15 of 47 projects (32%), including high-value ERC grants, while remaining a reliable participant in large industrial consortia. With 451 unique partners across 40 countries, they operate as a well-connected hub rather than a closed-circle institute. Their mix of RIA (14), CSA (8), and MSCA (9) projects shows they engage across the full research lifecycle — from training networks to large demonstration projects — making them flexible collaborators who can adapt to different consortium roles.

NIC has built one of the broadest collaboration networks for a Slovenian research institute, with 451 unique consortium partners spanning 40 countries. Their network is thoroughly pan-European with no strong geographic bias, reflecting their position as a bridge between Central/Eastern European and Western European research communities.

What sets them apart

NIC occupies a rare dual-expertise position: world-class electrocatalysis research (with in-situ electron microscopy capabilities few labs can match) combined with a pioneering protein design group building molecular machines from scratch. For consortium builders, this means access to both green energy and biotech expertise in a single partner — unusual for an institute of this size. As Slovenia's national chemistry institute, they also offer competitive cost structures compared to Western European counterparts while delivering research at the same level.

Highlights from their portfolio

• MaCChines
  Largest single grant (EUR 2.4M ERC), pioneering molecular machines built from coiled-coil protein origami — a field NIC essentially co-created.
• 123STABLE
  ERC-funded (EUR 1.4M) electrocatalyst stability research with advanced IL-TEM characterization methods, positioning NIC at the forefront of fuel cell and electrolyzer durability science.
• RNPdynamics
  EUR 1.8M ERC grant on RNA-protein dynamics and liquid-liquid phase separation — signals NIC's expanding reach into fundamental molecular biology.