Nine researchers from Utrecht University receive NWO Open Competition ENW-XS grant

Nine researchers from Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht have received an Open Competition ENW-XS grant from the NWO domain Science (ENW). These grants are small, fast-track funding of up to €50,000 for bold, innovative, and potentially groundbreaking ideas.  

The awards go to Vivek Bhardwaj, Jelle van den Bor, Nora Gigli Bisceglia, Kubra Gülmez Karaca (UMC Utrecht), Danielle Krijgsman (UMC Utrecht), Rens Peeters, Freddy Rabouw, Arnaud Thevenon-Kozub, Tina Vermonden, and Jaco Zwanenburg (UMC Utrecht).

Dr. Vivek Bhardwaj

One in a million: mapping the genome of the rarest cells in our body

Our body is made of a large population of diverse cell types. However, a small number of cells perform highly specialised and critical tasks. Such “rare” cells (for example, blood-forming stem cells) are challenging to study, as finding them within a larger pool of similar looking cells is either very costly or impossible. In this XS-project, we aim to test a new idea to identify and study such cells using a combination of microfluidics and genomics. If successful, our approach could transform our understanding of how these rare cells work in health and disease.

Dr. Jelle van den Bor

Bugs with Brains: Gut-Brain Communication by Bacterial OMVs

We increasingly understand that gut bacteria influence brain health and behaviour. Tiny particles released by bacteria, called outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), can reach the brain and may play a role in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, no one knows how OMVs get there; through the blood, lymph, or both. In this XS-project, transparent zebrafish will be colonised by genetically engineered bacteria to produce OMVs with light activated proteins. This novel model will allow us to specifically visualise whether OMVs that have traversed the blood or lymph end up in the brain, opening new possibilities for treating brain disorders.

Dr. Nora Gigli Bisceglia

May the FER Be With Roots: Defining the molecular mechanism of how roots respond to mechanical stress

Plant cells are enclosed by a carbohydrate-rich cell wall that provides structural integrity and mediates interactions with the environment. How mechanical signals are sensed and integrated during growth remains largely unknown. Loss of the cell wall-associated receptor FERONIA (FER) causes hypersensitivity to mechanical stimulation. To investigate this mechanism, we will combine high-resolution live root imaging with microspheres-based mechanical stimulation followed by (phospho)proteomic profiling. In parallel, we will screen for and genetically characterise suppressors of the hypersensitive response of FER mutants under mechanical stress. These approaches will help define FERONIA’s upstream and downstream regulators and uncover key mechanosensory pathways.

Dr. Daniëlle Krijgsman (UMC Utrecht)

Novel antibodies to CD300ld to break immunotherapy-resistant cancers

Immunotherapy has transformed cancer treatment by harnessing the patient’s own immune system to attack cancer cells. Yet, up to 70% of patients do not respond, often because tumours contain suppressive immune cells that block effective immune responses. A recently identified protein, CD300ld, is uniquely expressed on these suppressive immune cells, making it an ideal target for their selective elimination. Currently, no antibody exists against human CD300ld. Therefore, this project aims to develop and validate the first high-affinity human anti-CD300ld antibody, paving the way for a new therapeutic strategy that could significantly increase the number of patients who benefit from immunotherapy.

Dr. Kübra Gülmez Karaca (UMC Utrecht)

MIMS: Molecular Identity of Morphology-defined Memory Spines

Memories shape who we are. They are stored in small groups of brain cells that become active during learning. These cells connect through tiny protrusions called dendritic spines. Spines come in different shapes, and especially the mushroom-shaped spines appear crucial for keeping long-lasting memories. In this project we will use cutting-edge technologies to address what has not been possible before: uncover the molecular features that make these memory-holding, mushroom spines unique. This high-risk but high-gain study will provide the first direct link between shape, location, and molecular identity of memory-holding spines, offering new insights into memory in males and females.

Dr. Rens Peeters

Cannibalistic B cells improve immune response: can B cells use phospholipases to extend their lifespan by consuming dying neighbours?

B cells defend us against pathogens by rapidly forming an army of immune cells upon infection. This requires a lot of building blocks, like fats, to grow and divide. Failure to obtain these building blocks will kill the B cell and can prevent an immune response, resulting in severe disease. This project investigates whether B cells can prolong their survival by producing molecular ‘scissors’, called phospholipases. This way, the cells may digest membranes of dying B cells and recycle them for essential building blocks. Understanding this process may enable us to assist the B cell in its task to provide protection.

Dr. Freddy Rabouw

Reshaping sunlight with coupled nanocrystals

Blue light is more energetic than infrared light but produces the same electrical energy in a solar cell. Photon cutting could offer a solution, maintaining the total power in sunlight but reshaping the spectrum to match the optimal solar-cell response. It requires a material, deposited on top of the solar cell, that converts each blue photon absorbed into two infrared photons emitted. Unfortunately, existing materials capable of photon cutting are bad at absorbing blue light. This project will explore coupling two types of nanocrystals as a new strategy to achieve efficient photon cutting and efficient absorption simultaneously.

Dr. Arnaud Thevenon-Kozub

Encryption with a twist: a new generation of organic dyes for anti-counterfeiting and imaging

Information encryption is indispensable for the safe transfer and storage of data and goods. Anti-counterfeiting, a type of information encryption, relies on the use of fluorescent chemicals to uniquely tag e.g. currencies and artworks. Often, these chemicals are heavy metals that are toxic, expensive and increasingly scarce. Organic fluorescent dyes have strong potential as alternatives to heavy metals, but their optical properties are typically insufficient to reach the high security levels required. This project aims at developing a new class of organic fluorescent dyes that have unique, stimuli-responsive optical properties making them excellent materials for information encryption and imaging applications.

Prof. dr. ir. Tina Vermonden 

Sticky Sugar for Kidney Tubules (SweetKid)

Chronic kidney disease affects nearly nine percent of adults in the Netherlands, yet current treatments remain inadequate. Functional in vitro kidney models can contribute to disease understanding and support treatment developments. These in vitro models require lab-grown tubular structures that mimic the functional units of the kidney. A major challenge lies in achieving complete cell coverage within a such a tubule. This project exploits an easy method, driven by the cells own metabolic machinery, to introduce sticky groups on the cell’s surface to facilitate their adhesion to the tubular structure, enabling organised tissue formation and thereby advancing functionality of these models.

Dr. ir. Jaco Zwanenburg (UMC Utrecht)

Unboxing the brain-beats: A novel approach to dissect vascular and tissue contributions to dementia-related neurodegeneration using heartbeat-driven magnetic resonance elastography

Dementia is not a disease but a symptom that can arise from many different underlying processes. A major challenge is separating effects of vascular disease from those of neurodegeneration in the brain. Intrinsic Magnetic Resonance Elastography is a promising MRI technique that separately maps tissue stiffness (reflecting brain tissue integrity) and permeability (reflecting vascular health) by observing natural brain pulsations. Current approaches, however, rely on assumptions that compromise accuracy. Our innovation is a mathematical approach that removes these assumptions by extracting information directly from MRI data, improving understanding of dementia mechanisms and enabling the development of more targeted, individualised treatments.