The Dutch Research Council (NWO) is investing about 22.7 million euros in seven projects for innovative scientific infrastructure. These awards will be used to develop high-value equipment, data collections and software. For the University of Twente over 3 million euros will go to the Organ-on-Chip Development Centre led by dr. Andries van der Meer.
Organs-on-chips are cultured mini-organs that are used to study the safety and efficacy of food and medical drugs. The development of new organs-on-chips is complex, because it relies on expertise in microfabrication, microfluidics, cell culture, tissue engineering and microscopy. The new facility ‘hDMT INFRA OoCDev’ will enable the development of innovative organs-on-chips by bringing together groundbreaking infrastructure and technical expertise. The facility will be embedded in a national organization and will play an important role in boosting the development of even more realistic organs-on-chips.
Research Infrastructure: national consortia
The projects are awarded in the research programme ‘Research Infrastructure: national consortia’, the new name of NWO Investment Grant Large. With this funding, NWO is strengthening the scientific infrastructure that Dutch knowledge institutions can make available to the research community. Scientists from throughout the Netherlands often work together and with international partners within the projects where the new facilities will be realised. Other investments from NWO are for: Phased array radar for extreme weather analysis and prediction (PHARA), Shining light on atomic-scale processes (SHINE), The Africa Millimetre Telescope: Making colour movies of black holes, The Dutch Comprehensive Childhood Cancer Commons: A national resource for tackling pediatric cancer worldwide, Expanding the new window upon our Universe: gravitational-wave discoveries with Advanced Virgo Plus and Pulsed Laser Deposition Lab for Energy Research: New materials for green chemistry and transport.
MORe INFORMATIon
Dr. Andries van der Meer (Faculty S&T): https://people.utwente.nl/andries.vandermeer
TechMed Centre: https://www.utwente.nl/nl/techmed/
MESA+ Institute: Organ-on-Chip Centre Twente | MESA+ Institute | University of Twente (utwente.nl)
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