UNIVERSITAT BASEL

Their core work

University of Basel is a leading Swiss research university with deep strengths in neuroscience, quantum physics, life sciences, and computational biology. They are heavily involved in flagship EU initiatives like the Human Brain Project and Graphene Flagship, contributing expertise in brain simulation, nanomaterials, and quantum sensing. Their research spans from fundamental science (molecular biology, mathematics, quantum mechanics) to translational work in cancer biology, vaccine development, and artificial metalloenzymes. With 68 projects as coordinator — nearly half their portfolio — they are a confident research leader who regularly designs and drives major European research agendas.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014-2018), Basel was heavily focused on large-scale brain science — the Human Brain Project drove work in neuroinformatics, brain reconstruction, neuromorphic computing, and high-performance computing. Graphene and nanosensor research also featured prominently. By the later period (2019-2022), the focus shifted noticeably toward biomedical applications (cancer, inflammation, cartilage regeneration, zebrafish models) and quantum technologies (quantum dots), with AI and machine learning emerging as cross-cutting tools applied to their existing strengths.

Basel is moving from computational neuroscience toward applied biomedical research augmented by AI/ML, while maintaining a strong parallel track in quantum sensing — expect future projects combining these threads.

How they like to work

Basel operates as both a project leader and a trusted consortium partner, with a near-even split between coordinator (68) and participant (79) roles. Their 1,079 unique partners across 42 countries indicate a hub-style collaborator who builds diverse, wide-reaching consortia rather than relying on a small circle of repeat partners. This breadth makes them an excellent anchor partner for new consortia — they bring extensive network connections and credibility with EU funding bodies, particularly in ERC and MSCA schemes.

With 1,079 unique consortium partners spanning 42 countries, Basel has one of the broadest collaboration networks in Swiss academia. Their reach extends well beyond the usual Western European axis, reflecting participation in large flagship programs and infrastructure projects with genuinely pan-European and global scope.

What sets them apart

Basel combines Swiss precision in fundamental research with an unusually broad thematic range — from quantum mechanics to cancer biology to computational neuroscience — all within a single institution that actively leads projects rather than just participating. Their position as an Associated Country institution that still secured EUR 86M in H2020 funding and coordinated 68 projects demonstrates exceptional competitiveness. For consortium builders, Basel offers both scientific depth and a massive existing partner network, making them a high-credibility anchor for ambitious proposals.

Highlights from their portfolio

• INTEGRAL
  EUR 2.5M ERC grant on gene regulatory landscapes — one of their largest single awards and exemplifies their strength in fundamental molecular biology.
• HOLDING-HANDS
  EUR 1.7M ERC grant coordinated by Basel on breast cancer metastasis — bridges their molecular biology expertise with direct clinical relevance.
• DrEAM
  EUR 2.5M for directed evolution of artificial metalloenzymes — a distinctive project combining chemistry and synthetic biology that few other groups attempt at this scale.