ERC Starting Grant · 2020
Why complex life evolved on Earth has puzzled scientists for as long as sufficient oxygen has been deemed vital. Motivated by recent discoveries, however, this project will investigate the dawning paradox that multicellular life requires low oxygen (hypoxia) internally to thrive in the oxic niche. Central biological mechanisms in animals and plants need protection from oxygen and appears to depend on hypoxic niches. I have previously reconciled geological and medical observations to demonstrate how biological innovation to harness hypoxia would have allowed animals to conquer the previously inaccessible oxic niche. Although life must have invented several solutions to the paradox, the only…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.