Two ENW-M grants for Utrecht Science Faculty researchers
Fundamental research into H5N1 transmission and photon avalanching
Two research projects from Utrecht University’s Faculty of Science have received an ENW-M grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO). These grants support curiosity-driven and high-risk ideas. The funded proposals address two very different questions: how the 2.3.4.4b variant of the H5N1 virus adapts to new host species, and how nanocrystals can trigger a cascade of light.
Moo-tating Threats: Decoding HA and NA functionalities to unmask H5N1 infections in novel hosts
In this project, Robert de Vries and El-Sayed Abdelwhab (Friedrich-Löffler-Institut) investigate how the H5N1 virus adapts to unexpected host species. A specific variant, H5N1 2.3.4.4b, has now spread worldwide and can cause infections year-round.
Alarmingly, this variant has recently been detected in cows, suggesting an increased capacity for further adaptation. The researchers study the virus’s HA and NA proteins, which must operate in balance to enable effective transmission. By understanding this interplay in detail, they aim to identify which changes might bring the virus closer to spreading to, or between, humans. Such insight is crucial for recognising emerging risks at an early stage.
This collaboration gives us the opportunity to better understand how H5Nx viruses adapt and which changes increase the risk of transmission to humans.
Triggering an avalanche of light
Freddy Rabouw’s ENW-M project focuses on the photon avalanche: a chain reaction in which nanocrystals containing lanthanides emit an intense burst of light after absorbing only a small amount of energy. By examining the internal dynamics that lead to this effect, Rabouw aims to gain fundamental insight into how such a light avalanche emerges. This knowledge can support the development of new materials and future applications, including super-resolution microscopy and advanced sensing technologies.
This grant allows us to understand a promising class of light-emitting materials in detail. Potential applications include optical imaging with super-resolution or energy-efficient computing using light.
The NWO Open Competition M grant enables researchers to pursue creative, high-risk ideas and to realise scientific innovations that may lay the groundwork for the research themes of the future.