Pliny the Younger first reported volcanic lightning in his description of the Pompeii eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Yet, to this day we cannot decipher electrification processes and lightning in volcanic plumes. The brightest clue from volcanoes remains a dark gap to fill. Electrostatics permeates our life just as it does in volcanic plumes, driving processes from the micro to the global scale. Charging impacts the way ash is transported, sedimented and remobilized, and how it chemically reacts in the environment. Like in thunderclouds, volcanic lightning can be readily detected from safe distance, allowing for real-time mapping of ash plumes. Pioneering laboratory experiments and multi-parametric measurements at active volcanoes, I showed a link between electrification and first-order source parameters like mass eruption rate, grain-size distribution and overpressure, suggesting that electrical monitoring can also describe the initial conditions and evolving structure of volcanic plumes. Testing this ground-breaking hypothesis requires an unprecedented interdisciplinary approach that merges knowledge and practice of volcanology, atmospheric sciences, electrostatics and electrical engineering. In VOLTA I will deliver a comprehensive 4D electrical model of volcanic plumes and consequently provide a game-changing tool for volcano monitoring. To this end, I will: 1) design new electrostatic sensors to measure real-time electrical activity at target volcanoes, 2) design and build a unique apparatus to constrain the electrification of gas-particle jets in scaled laboratory experiments, 3) quantify the effect of charging/discharging on the ash lifecycle, and 4) generate a multiphysics numerical model of volcanic plumes incorporating fluid dynamics and electrostatics. Beyond volcanology, VOLTA will provide fundamental understanding of electrification processes in dusty environments, relevant to industrial processing, Earth and planetary electricity and the origin of life.

Tuberculosis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current TB treatments are inadequate, requiring patients closely adhere to multi-drug regimens that are long, complex, and often poorly tolerated. These concerns are greatly magnified in rifampicin-resistant (RIF-R) TB, an urgent global and EU public health priority. WHO estimates that only 54% of patients who began RIF-R TB treatment in 2016 were cured. In addition to these well-recognized shortcomings, current TB treatments, particularly those for RIF-R TB, leave a majority of cured patients with permanent, clinically significant lung impairment and radiographic evidence of bronchiectasis and fibrosis. This project will determine if two adjunctive host-directed therapies (HDTs) can prevent these poor outcomes. 330 patients with RIF-R TB and baseline risk factors for poor outcome will be enrolled in a randomized, controlled, 3-armed multi-centre trial, with clinical sites in Romania, Moldova, Georgia, Mozambique, and South Africa. All patients will receive standard multidrug therapy according to national guidelines. Those patients randomized to the experimental arms will in addition receive either CC-11050 or metformin. These selected HDT candidates represent 2 complementary HDT strategies: reducing inflammation vs inducing host cell anti-microbial activity, respectively. Both candidates are supported by data from preclinical and clinical studies. Co-primary efficacy endpoints will examine effects on lung function (measured by spirometry) and infection (measured as time to stable sputum culture conversion). A sub-study will examine quantitative change in lung radiodensity by CT scan. If successful, this ground-breaking project will increase Europe’s capacity to control RIF-R-TB by developing new treatments that increase the likelihood of cure and reduce the risk of life-long disability.

Research topics in theoretical physics at Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI) are broad, from understanding the basic constituents of the Universe, to the study of new materials and complex systems. The research is performed within the Division of Theoretical Physics (DTP), mostly in collaboration with European research institutions. However, the effectiveness and impact is increasingly suffering from a strong limitation of resources, in terms of funding for students, collaboration and dissemination, in addition to the low salaries. In this context, RBI recently made significant efforts to increase its research capabilities in the applied sector, in line with the Smart Specialization Strategy. This is planned through two projects, the major infrastructure project O-ZIP (high priority in the Croatian Operational program for the European Structural Funds) and a recently granted ERA Chair project. Both will impact the theoretical community and call for a rise in its level. RBI-T-WINNING will provide the complementary funding for theoretical physics, with the aim of raising the research profile to that of excellent institutions. This aim will be pursued by supporting strong links with leading European research institutions. Intensive exchange of knowledge and experience will be organized with SISSA, CNRS/University of Paris-Sud Orsay, Ludwig Maximilian University and Niels Bohr Institute, excellent european institutes and altogether cover the investigations within theoretical physics. The set of measures include staff exchanges, training, conferences, summer schools, dissemination and outreach activities for impact on the local community. The project also enables active participation of Croatian researchers in top-level physics research programs, for increasing their experience and visibility. In synergy with other related projects RBI-T-WINNING will maximize the overall impact on the research & innovation potential of Croatia in theoretical physics and overall.