Dr. Anna Czarkwiani, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) at TUD Dresden University of Technology, has been awarded a prestigious Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). With two million euro in funding spread across five years, she will investigate the biology of gravisensation, the sense of gravity, and its associated disorders.

Our ability to stand upright, walk, or even simply know which way is up depends on the sense of gravity. In humans and other animals, this sense is rooted in the inner ear, where tiny biomineral crystals called otoconia act like “little stones.” As they shift within the ear’s fluid-filled chambers, they send signals that allow us to perceive motion and orientation. However, over time or in response to certain environmental triggers, otoconia can deteriorate, which may result in balance problems such as vertigo, along with nausea, blurred vision, and difficulties walking.

“We know surprisingly little about how otoconia form and degenerate. Starting from the very basics, there is still much we don’t know about the genes and cells, which drive their development,” says Dr. Czarkwiani. “The sense of gravity is our most ancient sensory system, yet it remains the least understood. Now, with the help of the ERC Starting Grant, I would like to change that,” says Dr. Anna Czarkwiani.

Dr. Czarkwiani plans to study the biology of gravisensation with the help of the axolotl. “The axolotl, a Mexican salamander, is an ideal model organism.  In contrast to humans, its inner ear is very accessible, making it easier to perform experiments and to image under the microscope. At the same time, the inner ear’s morphology is very similar to humans. Most excitingly, the axolotl has the ability to regenerate the otoconia which might inform our efforts in restoring the sense of balance,” explains Dr. Czarkwiani.

Her research will focus on three key areas. First, she wants to explore otoconia as a biomaterial to understand their formation and unique properties. Then, taking a cell and molecular biology approach, she will characterize genes and cells that are responsible for the restoration of gravisensation in the inner ear. Finally, she will establish a behavioural screening platform, which could in the future allow researchers to test potential drugs for restoring otoconial function.

About Dr. Anna Czarkwiani

Anna Czarkwiani completed her Bachelor of Science in Human Genetics and Master of Research in Stem Cells and Development at University College London. In 2012, she was awarded a Wellcome Trust PhD Studentship to pursue her doctorate in developmental and stem cell biology, working with Prof. Paola Oliveri on the regeneration of the skeleton in the brittle star. In 2018, she received a Humboldt Research Fellowship to join the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), where she worked with Dr. Maximina H. Yun on thymus regeneration in axolotls. During her postdoctoral years, she also welcomed two children. Her achievements have been widely recognized. In 2022, she received the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science award. In 2023, Dr. Czarkwiani was awarded a Maria Reiche Postdoctoral Fellowship from TU Dresden to support her in establishing her independent research on the regeneration of the gravisensation organ in the axolotl.

ERC Starting Grant

The European Research Council (ERC) has selected 478 early-career researchers across Europe to receive this year’s Starting Grants. With a total funding of €761 million, these grants support excellent research across diverse fields, including physical sciences and engineering, life sciences, and social sciences and humanities. The backing will help researchers at the beginning of their careers to launch their own projects, build research teams and pursue their most promising ideas.

About the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD)

The Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) of TUD Dresden University of Technology is an academic home for scientists from more than 30 nations. Their mission is to discover the principles of cell and tissue regeneration and leverage this for the recognition, treatment, and reversal of diseases. The CRTD links the bench to the clinic, scientists to clinicians to pool expertise in stem cells, developmental biology, gene-editing, and regeneration towards innovative therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, hematological diseases such as leukemia, metabolic diseases such as diabetes, bone and retina diseases. The CRTD was founded in 2006 as a research center of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and funded until 2018 as a DFG Research Center, as well as a Cluster of Excellence. Since 2019, the CRTD is funded by the TU Dresden and the Free State of Saxony.

The CRTD is one of three institutes of the central scientific facility Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB) of the TU Dresden.
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