NWO Approves Seventeen Groundbreaking Grant Applications for Scientific Research in the Open Competition Domain Science-M Programme

NWO Approves Seventeen Groundbreaking Grant Applications for Scientific Research in the Open Competition Domain Science-M Programme

(IN BRIEF) The NWO Executive Board has approved seventeen groundbreaking grant applications aimed at advancing fundamental, high-impact scientific research. These projects cover a diverse range of topics, from cancer research and immune systems to climate change and sustainable technology, all working toward addressing pressing global challenges.

(PRESS RELEASE) THE HAGUE, 17-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The NWO Executive Board has approved seventeen new grant applications under its Open Competition Domain Science-M programme, designed to support high-quality, fundamental research with innovative and scientific urgency. This funding enables researchers to push boundaries and explore creative, high-risk ideas that could lead to transformative scientific advancements.

These approved proposals span a wide range of cutting-edge topics, from enhancing our understanding of dissociative chemisorption reactions on metal surfaces to developing revolutionary techniques in optical coherence tomography. Other research focuses include investigating bacterial immune systems, exploring the genetic underpinnings of colon cancer, and studying the intricate mechanisms of the inner ear.

Notable funded projects include:

Synthetic Sugar Barcodes for a Healthy Gut Immune System
Dr. Christian Büll and Dr. Jochem Bernink (RU/AMC)
This project explores the role of mucin sugars, which act as molecular barcodes in the intestine, and how they interact with immune cells. The researchers aim to investigate these sugar barcodes and their potential therapeutic applications, particularly in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.

How Transcription Begins: Catching RNA Synthesis at the Start
Dr. David Dulin (VU Amsterdam)
Focusing on the essential process of ribosomal RNA synthesis, this study will utilize advanced biophysics techniques to uncover the precise regulation of RNA polymerase I activity, a critical process in cell growth and cancer development.

The Origin of Colon Cancer and Western Dietary Habits
Dr. Riccardo Fodde and Dr. Fränzel van Duijnhoven (EMC/WUR)
This project examines how chronic inflammation driven by a Western-style diet influences colon cancer development, focusing on identifying the cell of origin to improve cancer treatment and prognosis.

Age-Related Skeletal Muscle Decline: Molecular Insights for Treatment
Dr. Richie Goulding (VU Amsterdam)
By using innovative techniques, including near-infrared spectroscopy and phosphoproteomics, this study will explore the molecular mechanisms of age-related muscle dysfunction and evaluate the impact of endurance training on mitochondrial function in middle-aged individuals.

Advancements in Flexible and Adaptive Statistical Inference
Dr. Rianne de Heide and Prof. Dr. Jelle Goeman (University of Twente/LUMC)
This proposal aims to develop flexible mathematical models for hypothesis testing, allowing researchers to adapt their analysis based on real-time data while maintaining strong statistical guarantees.

Exploring the Inner Ear: From Animal to Animal
Dr. Marcel van der Heyden (EMC)
With a focus on the complex and often poorly understood mechanics of the inner ear, this project will use new mobile technology to study the auditory systems of various animals, including crickets and lizards.

Super-speed Optical Coherence Tomography for Faster, Affordable Imaging
Dr. Dierck Hillmann and Dr. Lyuba Amitonova (VU Amsterdam/ARCNL)
By developing a super-speed OCT technique, this research will significantly enhance imaging systems used in ophthalmology and potentially reduce the costs of OCT systems, paving the way for broader applications in medical diagnostics.

Unraveling the Secrets of Genomes: Evolutionary Cell Biology in Fungi
Dr. Jolien van Hooff (WUR)
This study will examine the evolution of genome organization in fungi and their close relatives, offering new insights into the biodiversity of cells and the mechanisms that drive cellular function.

Understanding Magnetism and Electronic States in Materials
Dr. Machteld Kamminga (Utrecht University)
This project will explore the interplay between magnetism and electronic states in materials with square atomic nets, studying their potential for use in fast, energy-efficient computer components.

Innovative Theoretical Approaches to Dissociative Chemisorption Reactions
Prof. Dr. Geert-Jan Kroes and Dr. Jorg Meyer (LEI/LEI)
By developing new methods to predict dissociative chemisorption reactions on metal surfaces, this research could have significant implications for energy transition technologies, particularly in chemical production processes.

Understanding Stratified Shear Flow Instabilities
Dr. Rene Pecnik and Prof. Dr. Ir. Jerry Westerweel (TU Delft)
This study will investigate the behavior of stratified fluid flows using supercritical fluids, improving our understanding of complex phenomena in environmental and engineering systems.

Molecular Insights for Advancing Nitrogen Reduction
Prof. Dr. Jana Roithová (RU)
Focusing on electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction, this project will utilize advanced spectrometry to gain real-time insights into reaction mechanisms, with the aim of improving catalyst design for more efficient nitrogen reduction.

The Amazon’s Resilience to Fires: A Historical Perspective
Dr. Masha van der Sande (WUR)
Using past and current data, this project will analyze the long-term resilience of the Amazon’s forests to fire, offering critical insights for future conservation efforts.

Bacterial Immune Systems: The Kill-Switch Mechanism
Dr. Daan Swarts and Prof. Dr. Chirlmin Joo (WUR/TU Delft)
This research will explore the SPARTA immune system in bacteria, examining how bacterial cells identify and eliminate viral DNA, potentially leading to the development of programmable virus-detection tools.

Biosensing with Liquid Crystals: Chiral Interactions and Molecular Specificity
Dr. Lisa Tran and Dr. Siddharth Deshpande (UU/WUR)
By studying the interactions of chiral liquid crystals with target molecules, this project aims to create affordable, sensitive, and specific biosensors that could have broad applications in biological research.

The Voter Model on Riemannian Manifolds: A Mathematical Approach to Opinion Dynamics
Dr. Ir. Rik Versendaal (TU Delft)
This project develops a new mathematical framework for studying how individuals form opinions in social networks, accounting for physical distance, and investigates how opinions spread and evolve over time.

Grass Microclimate: Uncovering the Heat-Insulating Properties of Grass Vegetation
Prof. Dr. Ir. Bas van de Wiel and Dr. Ir. Marie-Claire ten Veldhuis (TU Delft)
By exploring the complex microclimates of grass vegetation, this research aims to improve climate and weather predictions by developing more accurate, physics-based models of grass and its heat-insulating properties.

About the NWO Open Competition Domain Science-M

M-grants are intended for realising curiosity-driven, fundamental research of high quality and/or scientific urgency. The M-grant offers researchers the possibility to elaborate creative and risky ideas and to realise scientific innovations that can form the basis for the research themes of the future. There are three categories of M-grants: M-1 (one scientific position), M-2 (two scientific positions in collaboration) and M-invest (investments) that are assessed in competition with each other.

In this M-round (package 23-4), a total of 84 grant applications were evaluated, of which 48 M-1 proposals, 33 M-2 proposals and 3 M-invest proposals. The NWO Executive Board decided to award ten M-2 proposals and seven M-1 proposals.

>Media Contact:
Open Competition Domain Science – M

Olivia Muthsam or Merijn Blaakmeer
ENW-M@nwo.nl
+31 (0)70 349 4399
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SOURCE: NWO