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Veni grants for eight Radboud researchers

Date of news: 16 December 2021

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded a Veni grant to eight young researchers of the Radboud University and the Radboud university medical center. With this grant of up to 280.000 euro they can further elaborate their own ideas during a period of three years.

Veni is aimed at excellent researchers who recently obtained their doctorate. Together with Vidi and Vici, Veni is part of the NWO Talent Programme, and is awarded every year. 89 Veni grants for the domains ENW and ZonMw have been awarded, of which eight are going to researchers at Radboud University and the Radboud university medical center. The grants for the domains SGW and TTW will be announced in april 2022.

Unravelling and quantifying the impacts of viruses on greenhouse gas emissions from soils

P. Dalcin Martins, Radboud University

Viruses in soils infect diverse forms of life. However, it is not known how this impacts soil health and greenhouse gas emissions. This research will reveal the identity and role of soil viruses. This knowledge will help to counteract climate change.

Cutting edge roots

M. Dop, Radboud University

It is important for plant development that some cells let go of the plant. The plant ensures that the correct connections between cells are broken, otherwise the plant would fall apart. I will investigate how a plant cell determines which connections should be broken, and how this cell release happens.

Back in fear: Neuronal footprint of fear relapse in the brain

K. Gulmez-Karaca, Radboudumc

Memories are stored in the brain as changes in the connectivity between neurons. This project will develop a new technology to capture the neuronal connectivity footprints of specific memories in the brain and investigate the exact mechanisms by which fear memories are stored, erased and may relapse over time.

Dynamic changes in proteins during embryonic development

S. Stelloo (V), Radboud University

During early embryogenesis, stem cells develop into various different cell types. The development of different cell types involves changes in both protein expression levels and protein-protein interactions. The researchers will investigate the dynamic changes in protein expression and interaction during the development of embryonic stem cells into more specialized cells.

Slow SPEED: Slowing Parkinson’s disease Early through Exercise Dosage

Dr. Sirwan Darweesh, Radboudumc

Disease-slowing interventions have been ineffective in clinically manifest Parkinson’s disease (PD), when pathology is already advanced, but could succeed in prodromal PD, when pathology is limited. I will investigate the feasibility and search for efficacy of a gamified-enhanced, remotely delivered exercise intervention in prodromal PD by leveraging digital biomarkers.

ACCELERATE: ZebrAfish CanCer modEl Leading thE way towaRds treAtmenT dEvelopment for phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas.

Dr. M.A. Dona, Radboudumc

Mutations in the SDHB-gene are the most important risk factor for malignant phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas, endocrine tumours, for which no curative treatment is available. This project entails the development of a mutant zebrafish tumour model, in which treatment modalities will be tested leading to novel treatment possibilities.

Still puzzling: The genetic complexity of psychiatric conditions

Dr. M. Klein, Radboudumc

Both our genetic predisposition and environmental factors determine whether we are healthy or sick. Combined, they are key to the development of psychiatric disorders. This research studies the interplay of all these factors to personalize diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric conditions.

Respiratory mucosal immunity: gateway to advance the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of childhood respiratory infections

Dr. Lilly Verhagen, Radboudumc

Blood immune markers are used to diagnose children with respiratory tract infections. However, every respiratory infection starts with a local immune response in the airways. We will study innate immune cells that are crucial for the respiratory mucosal immune response to enable future mucosal treatment strategies without antibiotic overuse.

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