Prof. Patrick Pausch Leads ERC-Funded Research on Jumbo Phages at VU
Prof. Patrick Pausch from the Life Sciences Centre—European Molecular Biology Laboratory (LSC-EMBL) partnership institute at Vilnius University (VU) has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant of €1.5 million for his innovative research project "Jumbo Phages in Translational Enzyme Research" (JUPITER). Over the next five years, Prof. Pausch and his team at VU will explore jumbo phages—a class of large viruses that infect bacteria—by studying their uncharacterized genes and potential applications in biotechnology.
Advancing Biotechnology
Jumbo phages are viruses with genomes up to ten times larger than typical phages. Only recently has the diversity of jumbo phages been recognized, and much of the genetic content remains unexplored, considerably limiting the understanding of their biology and potential applications. The JUPITER project aims to bridge this gap by employing a novel high-throughput strategy to annotate the functions of unknown genes within jumbo phages.
"This grant offers a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of what we know about jumbo phages. I believe it could lead to groundbreaking molecular tools and methods that may be biotechnologically valuable," said Prof. Pausch.
Prof. Pausch's research is expected to provide new insights into how jumbo phages modulate genetic material and hijack the gene expression machinery of their bacterial hosts. By understanding these processes, the project aims to inspire new antimicrobials, particularly against drug-resistant bacteria, and to create innovative genome-editing tools with wide-ranging applications—from treating genetic diseases to improving agricultural crops.
"Phages are remarkably skilled at taking control of bacterial cells," explained Prof. Pausch. "By studying underexplored genes, we hope to discover new mechanisms and functions that could lead to exciting applications in biotechnology."
Expanding Phage Diversity for Future Discoveries
The large genomes of jumbo phages contain many genes of unknown functions, potentially holding the key to major scientific advancements. "Jumbo phages are big viruses that attack bacteria, and understanding their genes at a large scale will help us to understand their biology in greater detail," said Prof. Pausch. He also noted that the term "jumbo" comes from the famous giant elephant named Jumbo, a name now used to describe other large things, such as jumbo jets.
A key goal of the JUPITER project is to expand the known diversity of jumbo phages. This could accelerate scientific discovery by revealing a broader range of biological mechanisms. Prof. Pausch's collaborative work will include leading researchers from Vilnius University, Drs. Eugenijus Šimoliūnas and Darius Kazlauskas, and provide opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students to participate, contributing to the development of future scientific talent.
"Together with my team, we are planning to explore the environments of Lithuania to discover new phages and their host bacteria. I am particularly excited to sample previously overlooked environmental niches across the country."
Lithuania and Vilnius University: A Growing Hub for Life Sciences
Prof. Pausch's selection marks a significant achievement for Lithuania and VU. The ERC Starting Grant is one of Europe's most prestigious research funding opportunities, awarded to early-career researchers. For the 2024 ERC Starting Grants, 3500 applications were submitted, and only 495 were selected for funding after two selection rounds. These grants are awarded to researchers 2-7 years after the award of their Ph.D. degree.
"Receiving an ERC Starting Grant is a unique opportunity since grants that fund 'high-risk, high-gain' research at such a scale are quite rare. To succeed in an ERC project, everything needs to align perfectly: the principal investigator, the team members and their institution. Securing another ERC grant further demonstrates that Vilnius University, its researchers, and Lithuania are at the forefront of European research." concluded Prof. Pausch.
This year, two Vilnius University scholars became ERC grantees. Apart from Prof. P. Pausch, another Starting Grant was awarded to Prof. Mantas Šimėnas, working in the Faculty of Physics. Before then, Lithuania had only received one other ERC research grant for early-career researchers in 2022 by Prof. Stephen Knox Jones from Vilnius University, LSC-EMBL.