The ERA Chair FOODOMICS project aims to significantly strengthen research and education capacities at the University of Ljubljana by introducing new competencies in cutting-edge areas of metabolomics. The project is led by ERA Chair holder dr. Urška Vrhovšek, an internationally recognized expert in food metabolomics, who will bring expertise in advanced high-throughput techniques for chemical profiling of food and metabolic products.

Through interdisciplinary collaboration among various faculties of UL and national research infrastructures, the project will serve as a platform for integrating fragmented expertise, aligning national R&D capabilities with the latest international developments, and fostering scientific excellence. The formation of a diverse research team—comprising established researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and junior scientists—ensures a strong foundation for long-term knowledge generation and sustainability.

dr. Urška Vrhovšek

In parallel, education and capacity building will be key components of FOODOMICS. Training programmes, workshops, and mentorship schemes will be developed to support early-stage researchers and students, promoting skill development in advanced analytical techniques, bioinformatics, and open science practices. The collaboration with international partners will further enhance opportunities for mobility and internationalisation.

To maximise impact, knowledge transfer to both research networks and industry will be supported by an expert Advisory Board and a strong stakeholder engagement strategy. Scientific results will be disseminated through open access publications and made available via the ERA Chair website and relevant repositories, ensuring wide accessibility and transparency.