Grants for fundamental research in Leiden
NWO Open Competition
Three fundamental research projects at Leiden in physics, chemistry and medical science have received funding from the Dutch Research Council (NWO). They involve research on magnetic fields in the universe, the role of myeloid cells in cancer immunotherapy and the evolution of ancient proteins.
The research grants have been awarded within the NWO’s Open Competition ENW-XL and ENW-M programmes. The funding in both programmes is intended for fundamental research. The ENW-M grants (between 150,000 and 500,000 euros) give researchers the opportunity to develop creative, speculative ideas and drive scientific innovation. The ENW-XL grants (1 to 3m euros) are for advanced research and the funding is awarded to consortia.
The three Leiden awards are below. These are projects where researchers from Leiden University are the main applicants.
The magnetic universe (ENW-XL)
Main applicant: Alexey Boiarskyi (Leiden Institute of Physics)
Co-applicants: Ana Achúcarro, Elisa Chisari, Emanuela Dimastrogiovanni, Matthieu Schaller, Subodh Patil, Daniel Meerburg, Tomislav Prokopec, Marieke Postma
Our universe is one giant magnet. Invisible lines traverse it across tremendously big distances. Where did they come from? And what story do they tell about the beginnings and the nature of our universe? Our project, which combines theoretical and numerical methodologies to compare predictions with state-of-the-art astrophysical data, aims to explore and distinguish between possible mechanisms for their appearance. This knowledge will help us advance our understanding not only of our universe, but also of the laws of physics.
Understanding the role of myeloid cells in cancer immunotherapy failure or success (ENW-XL)
Main applicant: Sjoerd van der Burg (LUMC)
Co-applicants: Miao-Ping Chien, Tineke Lenstra, Karin de Visser, Sarah Derks, Leila Akkari, Jolanda de Vries, Linde Meyaard
Current cancer immunotherapies activate the immune system to fight tumors but are effective only in some patients. Certain types of immune cells, called myeloid cells, can impact treatment success by either helping or hindering immunotherapy. We aim to understand which myeloid cells are crucial for successful treatment; when and how these cells interact with each other and with the tumor; what are their roles in the tumor and in response to treatment; and how to use machine learning to predict treatment responses. By studying this, we will improve our understanding of myeloid cells in cancer treatment effectiveness and tumor control.
Bringing ancient proteins to life: Was everything once better than today? (ENW-M)
Applicant: Marcellus Ubbink (Leiden Institute of Chemistry)
Based on the amino acid sequences of protein families, those of their ancestors, of hundreds of millions of years ago, can be reconstructed and analysed. In this project laboratory evolution will be performed on these ancestral proteins to determine what happens to their extraordinary properties when they evolve to be more similar to their modern counterparts. Do they become less stable and does their activity change? These insights will contribute to the design of new enzymes for human applications.