Lars Dietrich was awarded a seed grant by the Hypothesis Fund. His group will characterize intriguing javelin-like structures produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that can cause infections in the lungs, blood, and other parts of the body. His lab will test the idea that such structures help this pathogen avoid eradication by host cells.
The Hypothesis Fund supports early-stage, innovative research aimed at tackling systemic risks to human and planetary health. They provide seed grants for projects without preliminary data, aiming to catalyze new discoveries. Their focus is on funding bold new ideas in basic research, rather than continuations of existing projects. They employ a unique approach, utilizing a diverse network of scientist Scouts to identify high-risk, high-reward ideas that might otherwise go unnoticed or lack funding.
