TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY

Their core work

Tel Aviv University is Israel's largest and most prolific research university in EU framework programmes, with deep strengths in fundamental science spanning mathematics, physics, computer science, and life sciences. Their researchers lead frontier investigations in cancer biology, neuroscience, cryptography, and nanotechnology, frequently winning competitive ERC grants. The university serves as a critical bridge between European research networks and Israel's innovation ecosystem, contributing advanced computational, biomedical, and materials science capabilities to international consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2014-2018, TAU's H2020 portfolio was anchored in neuroscience (brain simulation, neuroinformatics, neurorobotics, consciousness), cancer research, and pure mathematics/cryptography — reflecting its strength in ERC-funded fundamental science. By 2019-2023, a clear shift emerged toward genomics, bioinformatics, immunotherapy, and biomarkers, signaling a move from observational and structural biology toward data-driven, translational biomedical research. A secondary trend shows growing engagement with climate change and sensor technologies, broadening beyond the university's traditional life-science and mathematics core.

TAU is pivoting from structural neuroscience toward computational genomics and immuno-oncology, making them an increasingly strong partner for precision medicine and data-intensive biomedical projects.

How they like to work

TAU overwhelmingly leads its own projects — 60% of its 185 H2020 projects are coordinator roles, almost all funded through individual ERC grants (Starting and Consolidator). This reflects a university powered by independent principal investigators rather than consortium-driven research. When joining as a participant, TAU contributes specialist expertise to large multi-partner networks (AIDA-2020, ESMERALDA, HELIS), but its natural mode is PI-led frontier research with modest consortium obligations.

With 916 unique consortium partners across 60 countries, TAU maintains one of the broadest collaboration networks of any Israeli institution in H2020. Their reach spans the full EU membership plus associated countries, with participation in projects ranging from intimate ERC teams to large infrastructure consortia.

What sets them apart

TAU stands out as Israel's most ERC-successful university, with 81 Starting and Consolidator grants — a concentration of individual research excellence rarely matched even by top European universities. This makes them uniquely valuable as a source of world-class principal investigators who can anchor specific work packages in frontier science. For consortium builders, TAU offers access to Israel's deep tech ecosystem alongside European-grade research rigor, particularly at the intersection of computation and biomedicine.

Highlights from their portfolio

• LeukoTheranostics
  Largest single grant at EUR 2.5M, combining nanotechnology with immunology for inflammatory bowel disease — exemplifies TAU's translational ambition.
• FOC
  Foundations of Cryptographic Hardness — representative of TAU's globally recognized cryptography school, with direct implications for cybersecurity applications.
• SmartCardiacPatch
  Self-regulating cardiac tissue engineering patches — a flagship bioengineering project bridging materials science, electronics, and regenerative medicine.