Simulations using molecules, not simulations of molecules
Dr. Tijs Karman (Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials)
We live in an information society that relies heavily on computer simulations. Think of chemical and pharmaceutical industry, where drugs are discovered on the computer, automotive industry, for the design and testing of prototypes, and the optimization of production and logistics encountered in virtually any branch of industry. However, these optimization problems are often times complex and the computer resources required rapidly become intractable. Some of these optimization problems can be solved more efficiently using quantum simulation. This research will explore how the interactions between molecules can be controlled such that we can use molecules as quantum simulators.
Read also: NWO Open Competition Grant for research on controlling molecular interactions for quantum simulation.
Food for thought: Changing a deadly microbe’s diet to understand its weak spots
Dr. Robert Jansen (Radboud University, Radboud Institute for Biological and Ecological Sciences)
Tuberculosis (TB) has plagued humans for thousands of years and remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide today. We know that the bacterium that causes TB has many weak spots, but we do not know how to exploit them to fight TB. Researchers will now feed this deadly microbe different diets and test how they affect its weak spots. Understanding the weak spots will ultimately allow the development of new drugs to fight TB, a disease that still kills over a million people every year.
The mathematics of composite materials
Dr. Riccardo Cristoferi (Radboud University, Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics, and Particle Physics)
Modern materials combine different media to get desired features. The effect of such combination on the physical properties of the materials, though, is not easy to predict. Mathematical models help to unveil the intricate mechanisms behind such interaction, and serve as a theoretical foundation for numerical simulations and experimental observations. In this scientific proposal, we will advance the understanding of the mathematics of composite materials.
Source: NWO
Meer information
- Nineteen innovative research projects launched through Open Competition Domain Science-M programme (News article NWO, 8 March 2023)