Giulio Cerullo wins ERC Synergy Grant

Giulio Cerullo, professor at the Department of Physics, has been awarded an ERC Synergy Grant worth 10 million euros for the project CONCERT (Capturing and cONtrolling coniCal intErsections in Real Time).

The birth of CONCERT

The project stems from a collaboration among Giulio Cerullo, Caterina Vozzi (Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, CNR), Marco Garavelli (University of Bologna), Shaul Mukamel (University of California), and researchers at the ELETTRA Synchrotron in Trieste.
Combining expertise in physics, chemistry, and laser technology, the project brings together an international team of excellence.

The science behind the project

When light interacts with a molecule, it can trigger ultrafast chemical transformations that occur within just a few millionths of a billionth of a second. These processes, which underlie phenomena such as vision, photosynthesis, and DNA protection from UV radiation, still elude traditional observation techniques.

The goal of CONCERT is to reveal these processes by developing innovative laser tools capable of generating ultrashort light pulses that capture a sequence of “frames” of molecular evolution. This will make it possible to construct a genuine “molecular movie” and observe the so-called conical intersections—critical moments when two molecular energy states cross and the rules of classical chemistry no longer apply.

A portion of the experiments will be conducted at the ELETTRA Synchrotron in Trieste, using the FERMI free-electron laser. Here, ultrafast X-ray pulses will allow scientists to observe molecular changes in real time.

Looking ahead

CONCERT aims to develop tailor-made laser pulses capable of intervening precisely when a molecule passes through a conical intersection, thus steering the course of the reaction.

The outcomes of this research will pave the way for new approaches in green chemistry and materials science, promoting selective and sustainable synthesis of novel compounds.