Two talented Utrecht researchers go to foreign institutions with Rubicon grant
Two Utrecht-based researchers who have recently received their PhDs can do their research at institutes abroad thanks to a Rubicon grant from NWO. They will study radicalization in young conspiracy thinkers, and how a benign cell transforms into a malignant tumor cell.
For many researchers, experience abroad is an important step in their career. The Rubicon programme gives young, highly promising researchers the opportunity to gain international research experience at an institute that offers the best environment for their research. In total, fifteen Rubicon grants were awarded. The two Utrecht researchers that will receive a Rubicon grant are Hanne Duindam from the faculty of Social Sciences and Lieke van de Haar at UMC Utrecht.
Consumed by Conspiracy? Examining the Risks and Solutions of Radicalization in Youth
Misinformation and conspiracy theories can be disruptive to a democracy. A small group of conspiracy thinkers justifies the use of violence in support of their conspiracy beliefs. This project focuses on the youth in this group. What makes them vulnerable to conspiracy-radicalization? And what can we do about it? Hanne Duindam will work at Cambridge University for a period of two years to study this.
Studying nevus-associated-melanoma in space and time
Sometimes benign moles transition into malignant melanoma. How does a benign cell transition into a malignant tumor cell? By analysing the RNA of many of these cells, Lieke van de Haar aims to reconstruct the transformation process. She will work at the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology for a period of two years to study this.