"The main objective of the proposed research projects is to obtain early-time optical observations of nearby bright Type Ia and Type Ic Supernovae (SNe) and to perform detailed analysis of the collected observations. The main goals of the project are: i) to gain more insights into the physics and the progenitors of these SN types; ii) through detailed spectral analysis of selected normal SNe Ic to look for hints for the origin of the peculiar and more enegetic members of the class, the hypernovae, and their connection to the long Gamma-Ray Busrs (GRBs). Specifically, I will look into the question whether there is a continuum of objects from the ordinary SNe Ic to those connected to GRBs, or these are two separate classes of objects. iii) to understand why some SNe Ic produce GRBs and others don't; iv) through detailed studies of Type Ia SNe to achieve better understand and control the systematic uncertainties that currently limit use of Type Ia supernovae in cosmology. As a result, new basic knowledge about the observed properties and explosion mechanisms of SNe Ia and Ic, and hints to their progenitors will be created. The expected impact of our SN research is (i) to provide means for accurate measurement of the cosmological parameters with the ultimate goal to unveil the nature of the ""dark energy"" and ii) to help to unveil the origin of the link between the SNe Ic and the GRB, and possibly the physical mechanism responsible for the GRBs."