Six UT scientists have been awarded Veni grants of up to €320,000 from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). Anouk Bomers, Jolien Wolbert, Marcella Hoogeboom, Jannis Kraiss, Remko Fermin and Florian Lucas can further develop their own research ideas over the next three years.
Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences (AES)
SNAPFLOOD: Stochastic Neural network APproach to forecast river FLOOD probabilities in real-time
The risks of river flooding are expected to increase due to climate change. The consequences of river flooding can be reduced through early-warning systems in such a way as to enable timely evacuation and implementation of mitigation measures. Hydrodynamic models provide accurate overviews of the areas at risk, but their long computational times mean they cannot be used for short-term forecasting. Therefore, this project develops a fast machine-learning approach producing real-time flood probability maps. Using the latest weather forecasts as input, this means that crisis teams can make informed decisions on evacuation strategies and mitigation measures during river flooding events.
The fundamental mechanism of hierarchical transmission of Parkinson’s disease pathology from gut to brain using organ on chip technology.
Dr J. Wolbert - Faculty of S&T
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disease caused by toxic protein accumulations inducing damage to brain cells. Research suggests Parkinson’s disease may start outside of the brain because intestinal symptoms often appear decades before diagnosis. It is now thought that the toxic protein accumulates migrate from the gut to the brain through the vagus nerve, a nerve bundle that connects both organs while coinciding with inflammation. This project uses advanced lab models, like organ-on-chip technology, to study how Parkinson’s disease precisely spreads and induces inflammation in the brain, aiming to uncover new insights and potential treatment.
Domain Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH)
Navigating the chaos: Capturing and catalyzing team coordination processes in crisis situations
Emergency response teams —police, firefighters, and medical— must effectively coordinate their actions in high-stress situations. Current training programs primarily focus on technical skills and rigid communication protocols, yet maintaining or flexibly adapting coordination under stress is equally critical. By using a novel multi-channel approach that synchronises video-coded coordination behavior and physiological measurements across three contexts, I examine complex coordination dynamics in high-stress scenarios. Insights from this research will inform the development of intervention and training methods to support teams in maintaining effective coordination under stress.
Just-in-time adaptive interventions for bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a severe mental health condition characterised by strong shifts in mood. Current treatments mainly focus on acute episodes, while daily mood instability remains an important symptom in bipolar disorder. This project develops and evaluates just-in-time adaptive interventions, which are interventions delivered via mobile devices that provide timely and tailored support in daily life. By identifying optimal moments for intervention and evaluating the effectiveness of just-in-time adaptive interventions, this VENI aims to improve patient well-being and to advance research in personalised mental health care.
Domain Science (ENW)
Realising functional superconducting spintronics based on altermagnets
dr R. Fermin
Magnetic materials form the cornerstone of technological development and fundamental physics. As such, the discovery of a new class of magnets is not an everyday occurrence. In recent years, however, altermagnets surprisingly emerged as a novel class of magnets, promising to combine favorable properties of both ferromagnets (known since antiquity) and antiferromagnets (known since a century). Although altermagnets are studied in depth theoretically, their experimental realisation remains disputed. By combining altermagnets with superconductors in microscopic devices, the researcher will provide a state-of-the-art tool to identify and study altermagnets and simultaneously enable a new paradigm in functional materials: Superconducting Altermagnetronics.
Molecular Analysis Needle
dr F.L.R. Lucas
Analysing molecular compositions is fundamental for advances in chemistry, biology and medicine. Tiny protein structures called nanopores allow real-time analysis of single molecules. A not-well studied property of these nanopores is that they create strong ion effects. This effect can be used to create a molecular magnet to capture nearby molecules. This project aims to create a sensor smaller than a needle that captures, purifies and measures a wide range of molecules. This “all-in-one” device allows the detection of low concentrations, with many applications and potentially allowing fast and affordable medical diagnostics.
Talent programme
The aim of the NWO Talent Programme is to create creative space for adventurous, talented, pioneering researchers, in which they can conduct research of their own choosing, develop a line of research and further develop their talent.
The Veni target group consists of researchers in the transition phase to independence, for whom the Veni can contribute to the development of the researcher in this field. Researchers eligible for a Veni grant have academic qualities that clearly exceed what is usual. The Veni grant is intended to fund scientifically innovative research and thereby enable these researchers to develop as independent researchers.
