TU/e secures two NWO Big Chemistry grants to drive AI and robotics innovation in sustainable dairy and biomedical coatings

TU/e secures two NWO Big Chemistry grants to drive AI and robotics innovation in sustainable dairy and biomedical coatings

(IN BRIEF) TU/e has received funding for two research projects under the NWO Big Chemistry program, each worth €400,000. The projects, led by Jan van Hest and Nadia Erkamp in partnership with Arla, and by Ghislaine Vantomme with SupraPolix, both rely heavily on AI and robotics to process large datasets and accelerate materials development. CASEIN focuses on understanding milk protein to develop sustainable dairy products, while BioSoftCoat explores ultrasoft biomedical coatings that balance softness with durability. With this funding, TU/e strengthens its position as a leader in AI-driven chemistry and reinforces its contribution to sustainable industrial and medical innovation within the framework of the National Growth Fund.

(PRESS RELEASE) EINDHOVEN, 9-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) has secured two new research grants from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) under the National Growth Fund initiative Big Chemistry. Each project will receive €400,000, enabling the appointment of postdoctoral researchers and strengthening TU/e’s position in the rapidly growing field where artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming chemistry.

The funding recognizes TU/e’s pioneering role in applying AI to analyze and process vast amounts of chemical data. Out of the eight projects supported nationally, two are based in Eindhoven, underscoring the university’s leadership in combining fundamental research with practical solutions for societal and industrial challenges.

CASEIN: understanding milk proteins with AI and robotics
The first project, CASEIN: Casein Assembly Systematically Engineered with Integrated Neural networks, is led by professors Jan van Hest and Nadia Erkamp in collaboration with the Swedish-Danish dairy company Arla. The research focuses on casein, a milk protein that plays an essential role in dairy products. By using robotics and AI to study its properties in detail, the project will generate insights that could lead to innovative dairy products blending milk with plant-based ingredients. Such products can reduce the ecological footprint of the dairy sector while offering new options for consumers.

BioSoftCoat: advancing biomedical coatings
The second project, BioSoftCoat: Balancing Softness and Durability in Ultra-Soft Coatings: A Robotics and Machine Learning Approach, is led by TU/e researcher Ghislaine Vantomme. Her work addresses the challenge of creating biomedical coatings that are both soft enough to integrate with human tissue and durable enough to maintain stability. By combining robotics, AI, and high-throughput experimentation, her team aims to map the relationship between molecular structure and material performance. This could lead to improved coatings for implants, wound dressings, and drug delivery systems. The project is carried out in collaboration with SupraPolix, a young TU/e campus company specializing in innovative polymers.

Big Chemistry: linking science and industry
The Big Chemistry program, supported by the National Growth Fund, aims to transform the chemical industry by integrating high-throughput experimentation with AI-driven analysis. This approach allows researchers to predict material properties such as solubility, taste, or durability with unprecedented speed and precision. While the fully automated RobotLab that forms the core of the broader Big Chemistry vision is not part of this call, these new projects feed directly into its long-term goals.

In total, nearly €2.8 million in NWO funding, plus €556,000 in co-funding from Dutch and international partners, has been allocated across the eight selected projects. TU/e’s success in securing two of these highlights its role as a frontrunner in shaping the future of chemistry through AI, robotics, and cross-industry collaboration.

About Big Chemistry

Other researchers receiving funding from NGF Big Chemistry are based at TU Delft, the University of Groningen and Radboud University Nijmegen.

The eight new research projects all aim to contribute to a more sustainable and efficient chemical industry. Through high-throughput experiments and artificial intelligence (AI), large datasets are generated and analyzed at high speed. This enables researchers to identify patterns and predict properties of new chemicals, such as taste, smell or solubility. Ultimately, this knowledge this will be integrated into a fully automated RobotLab. The RobotLab itself is not part of this call.

2.8 million euros awarded

The call, set up by NWO together with the National Growth Fund project Big Chemistry, connects scientific research directly to industrial practiceNearly €2.8 million in NWO funding has been allocated, complemented by €556,000 in co-funding from Dutch and international partners.

The Big Chemistry project itself is developing a fully automated RobotLab where high-throughput experiments and AI converge. This lab will enable countless experiments to be conducted simultaneously, providing insights into complex molecular systems. In 2023, the project already received €96.9 million in funding from the National Growth Fund.

National Growth Fund programs

NWO implements several thematic programs financed through the National Growth Fund. These programs bring together public and private partners, support innovation, and contribute to the Netherlands’ sustainable earning capacity and broad prosperity.

Media Contact:

Martijn van Best
(Press Officer)
+ 31 (0)6 484 226 35
m.m.h.v.best@tue.nl

SOURCE: TU/e