Objective
Chirality is not only a fascinating feature of the molecules of Life; it influences biological activity, optical behavior, and the performance of pharmaceuticals and functional materials. Mass spectrometry (MS) excels at resolving molecular stoichiometries and complex mixtures, yet it remains blind to chirality. In contrast, circular dichroism (CD), especially in the UV-visible range (optical CD or OCD), is a key technique for probing molecular folding and chirality in solution. CHIRAMASS will integrate both approaches and directly probe the chirality of ions in the mass spectrometer using chiral light. Although we previously managed to record electronic CD spectra of DNA structures in the gas phase by monitoring electron detachment upon irradiation with circularly polarized laser light (Science, 2020), electron photodetachment remains limited to multiply charged anions. CHIRAMASS aims to develop a much more broadly applicable concept of OCD ion spectroscopy: by implementing cold ion tagging and monitoring photodissociation, we will be able to study singly charged and positively charged ions—greatly expanding the scope of gas-phase chiral analysis. Beyond inert gas tagging, we will also explore creative tagging strategies, such as ion–molecule complexes with aromatic or chiral compounds, to probe chirality transfer and diastereoisomer formation. CHIRAMASS will address fundamental questions (e.g. What determines the balance between tag loss, photodissociation, and electron photodetachment? How does the chromophore identity influence this competition?), and the coupling of MS with OCD and ion mobility spectrometry will enable us to explore hot topics, such as the secondary structures of soluble oligomers of amyloid-forming proteins, the ligand binding modes of DNA complexes, solvent and aggregation effects on amino acid CD signals, and practical applications such as assigning absolute configurations of drugs and natural products directly in MS.
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Keywords
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-ADG
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1211 Geneve
Switzerland
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