Interdisciplinary Research Platform

The Interdisciplinary Research Platform (IRP) promotes pioneering research ideas in emerging interdisciplinary themes within the Faculty of Science, by stimulating creativity and innovation across the borders of the research institutes. To maximise the societal impact, the IRP will actively involve industrial and societal stakeholders to solve complex research problems, create significant impact and build an innovative interdisciplinary research environment.

Highlights

Workhop members Neuromorphic Computing

Radboud voucher project evolves into consortium on neuromorphic computing

With a voucher from the Interdisciplinary Research Platform (IRP), Johan and his colleagues had the opportunity to investigate if it was possible to make scientific calculations more efficient and faster using neuromorphic hardware.

Letters NWO met een trofee icoon in het midden

Grant for research into neuromorphic computing

NWO is awarding a grant to Johan Mentink's research into neuromorphic computers. These computer systems could drastically reduce the energy consumption of hardware in the future.

IRP Voucher winners 2024

Twelve interdisciplinary research groups receive an IRP voucher

Twelve research groups of the Faculty of Science have received a voucher of €50,000 each to work on an interdisciplinary research project.

Events

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Focus areas

The current focus areas of the Interdisciplinary Research Platform are:

Green Information Technology

The IRP aims to promote novel projects that contribute to ‘Greening of IT’ – for example materials for efficient data storage – or ‘Greening by IT’ where data and computing innovations contribute to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Machine Learning in the Natural Sciences

Machine learning has emerged as an essential tool for fundamental and applied research in disciplines such as astrophysics, computer science, atomic and molecular physics, mathematics, neuroscience, chemistry, and biology. The IRP will realise interactions between these disciplines, exploring new scientific area’s and methods.

Experimental Laboratories in Life Sciences

The IRP also stimulates interdisciplinary projects in the life sciences. Advanced technologies such as sequencing facilities with single cell and proteomics capabilities, genomics and new bioinformatics research have great potential for integrative research and to address complex issues in environmental, biological and health sciences.

Projects

The IRP is committed to the development and support of pioneering interdisciplinary collaborations within the Faculty of Science.

brain

Neuromorphic Scientific Computing: Towards New Hardware

This project will quantify the actual and potential energy reduction of scientific computing with current and near-commercial neuromorphic hardware and benchmark the potential of new neuromorphic hardware platforms for scientific computing.

Research setting ALS research

RNA Sequencing of the Neuromuscular Junction in FUS-associated ALS

The project's goal is to gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie neuromuscular junction defects in ALS in order to identify potential therapeutic targets.

Board members IRP

Management Board

The Management Board of IRP is accountable to the Faculty Board and consists of the previous Vice Dean of Research and four core members with a specialisation in interdisciplinary research.

Richard van Wezel (Previous Vice Dean of Research, Faculty of Science)
Bert Kappen (Machine Learning in Natural Sciences)
Jeroen Jansen (Green Information Technology)
Michiel Vermeulen (Experimental Laboratories in Life Sciences)
Isabel Rijk (Radboud Innovation Science).

The Management Board is supported by two research coordinators: Eduardo Domínguez Vázquez and Anna Jurackova. Previous coordinator: Neha Awasthi (until October 2023)

 

Contact information

Visiting address
Heyendaalseweg 135
6525AJ Nijmegen
Postal address
Postbus 9010
6500GL NIJMEGEN
Contact person
I. Rijk (Isabel) MSc