Nieuws

De CW Nieuwsbrief bericht over ontwikkelingen en activiteiten binnen het NWO- gebied Chemische Wetenschappen (CW) en wordt gratis toegezonden aan alle relaties van CW. De nieuwsbrief verschijnt drie tot vier keer per jaar.

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19 April 2012

NWO starts unique Sino-Dutch cooperation for research and innovation

NWO and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) will jointly invest in an international cooperation between companies and science in areas such as LED technology, semiconductors, sustainable new materials, quality of healthcare, food production and food safety. Four parties will work together in the research projects of this programme: a Chinese industrial partner, a Dutch industrial partner, a Chinese academic research institution and a Dutch academic research institution. With this approach both countries can benefit from each other's strengths in order to accelerate innovation.
5 April 2012

New boost for cyber security research

Four Dutch government ministries (Security and Justice; Interior and Kingdom Relations; Defence; Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation) are joining forces with NWO to give a boost to cyber security research. A tender to this effect will soon be organised. Within the framework of the Top Sector policy, NWO as indicated that it will make € 3.8 million available for this initiative, including an in-kind contribution. The government ministries involved will top up this amount to € 6.3 million. NWO and NL Agency will be responsible for realising the tender.
3 April 2012

NWO offers 29 young researchers foreign experience with Rubicon

Twenty-nine starting researchers will carry out research abroad thanks to the Rubicon programme of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific research (NWO). With Rubicon, NWO gives researchers who have recently gained their PhD the opportunity to gain research experience at international top institutes.
26 March 2012

Quantum mechanical switching at room temperature

Elektrongolven kunnen elkaar versterken, maar ze kunnen elkaar ook tegenwerken. Dit heet destructieve interferentie. Uit metingen aan kleine structuren bij lage temperaturen was het al bekend dat dit kan leiden tot een lagere geleiding. Een team van wetenschappers van onder andere de Universiteit Leiden en de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen heeft nu experimenteel bewijs gevonden dat dit effect ook kan plaatsvinden bij kamertemperatuur.
28 February 2012

NWO invests 10 million euros in medium-sized research facilities

Within the Investment Subsidy NWO Medium programme, NWO has awarded 28 grants for the purchase of equipment and setting up of data collections. These research facilities make unique research possible. The total investment amounts to 9.9 million euros.
16 February 2012

Science gives boost to top sectors

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has presented its plans for a substantial contribution to the top sectors policy of the Dutch cabinet. The plans contain a broad package of activities for the next few years with which NWO will link science to the strategic research and innovation agendas that have been compiled for the nine top sectors. In the current financial economic situation, science definitely has a crucial role to play as a source and motor for renewal and innovation.
6 February 2012

Call for proposals Technology Area Biomass

31 January 2012

Thirty-one top researchers receive 1.5 million euro grants

Thirty-one leading scientists will each receive 1.5 million euros to carry out research over the next five years. They have been awarded a Vici grant from NWO's Innovational Research Incentives Scheme. Vici is one of the largest individual scientific grants in the Netherlands.
24 January 2012

World-famous works of art unravelled with the help of science

NWO is bringing scientists, museums and curators from throughout the world together to do research into the conservation and restoration of works of art. The Science4Arts programme has awarded funding to six projects. Works such as paintings by Van Gogh and Rembrandt, ancient Mexican pictographic stories and modern photographic art will be examined in greater detail. A total of 3.6 million euros has been made available for the research.
13 December 2011

Young scientific talent gains foreign experience thanks to NWO

Twenty-eight starting researchers will carry out research abroad thanks to the Rubicon programme of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific research (NWO). With Rubicon, NWO gives researchers who have recently gained their PhD the opportunity to gain research experience at international top institutes.
1 December 2011

Rembrandt replacement in Royal Palace Amsterdam an exalted party decoration

For centuries a sombre painting of more than five by five metres has hung in one of the galleries of the Royal Palace Amsterdam. NWO researcher Margriet van Eikema Hommes discovered together with art restorer Emilie Froment that the mysterious work was never created to hang in the hall for hundreds of years. Their technical research revealed that Rembrandt’s pupil Govert Flinck made the painting as a temporary decoration to mark the occasion of a visit from the Orange family.
18 November 2011

Changes to the NWO Talent line

The Governing Board of NWO has decided to make several changes to the Talent line. These will enable NWO to use the resources for the Talent programmes in a more effective and efficient manner. The Talent line includes all NWO-wide programmes aimed at encouraging talented researchers. With the changes NWO is meeting the request of the Ministry for Education, Culture and Science to establish priorities within the Talent line.
13 September 2011

Top Sectors benefit from open scientific research

NWO will award the funding for scientific research within the Top Sectors on a competitive basis by means of independent evaluation and on the basis of scientific quality. NWO's contribution is focused on fundamental research. During the allocation, the expected societal impact and the participation of industry will also play a role. NWO will continue to direct its efforts towards the entire spectrum of academic endeavour. That is apparent from the industry letter 'To the Top' that the Dutch cabinet presented on 13 September.
9 September 2011

NWO Spinoza laureates use prize for education

Heino Falcke, Patti Valkenburg and Erik Verlinde, the NWO Spinoza laureates of 2011 have announced how they will each each use their prize of 2.5 million euros. Enthusing young people for science is a top priority for the researchers. The NWO Spinoza Prize is the highest Dutch award in science.
8 September 2011

Fourteen full proposals for TA-COAST

In the first round is M€ 6.75, financed by ACTS and by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and M€ 2.25 is to be funded by cash and in-kind contributions from private partners (industry, research institutes, SMEs).
5 September 2011

15 million euros for development of young top talent

Nineteen research schools will each receive 800,000 euros from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) for the training of young researchers. With this financial boost, each school can appoint four PhD students. The funding is part of NWO’s Graduate Programme and is aimed at encouraging the development of Dutch PhD courses.
5 July 2011

NWO offers scientific talent foreign experience

NWO has awarded 28 young, promising researchers funding from the Rubicon programme. Through Rubicon, NWO aims to offer Dutch scientists who have recently obtained their PhD the chance to gain research experience in other countries and equally to attract talent from abroad to the Netherlands. The programme is therefore a vehicle that allows NWO to stimulate the international mobility of scientific talent.
6 June 2011

NWO-Spinoza Prize for Heino Falcke, Patti Valkenburg and Erik Verlinde

Astronomer Heino Falcke, communication scientist Patti Valkenburg and theoretical physicist Erik Verlinde receive the NWO Spinoza Prize 2011, the highest Dutch award in science. This has just been announced by NWO. Each of the laureates receives 2.5 million euros to spend on research of their choice.
7 April 2011

Successfull sustainable hydrogen symposium

Under the motto ‘let yourself be inspired by Dutch research into hydrogen and fuel cells’ more than seventy people, including a large number of participants from the Sustainable Hydrogen programme, gathered on 24 March 2011 in Eindhoven for an in-depth discussion of the latest developments within the programme research.
5 April 2011

NWO offers international experience to young scientific talent

NWO has awarded 29 young, promising researchers funding from the Rubicon programme. Through Rubicon, NWO aims to offer Dutch scientists who have recently obtained their PhD the chance to gain research experience in other countries and equally to attract talent from abroad to the Netherlands The programme is therefore a vehicle that allows NWO to stimulate the international mobility of scientific talent.
2 March 2011

NWO invests 12 million in large research facilities

NWO) has awarded 32 grants in the programme Investment Subsidies NWO Medium for purchasing equipment and setting up data collections. These research facilities make unique research possible. The total investment is 12.2 million euros.
1 March 2011

Hans de Groene new Director General NWO

The Governing Board of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has appointed J.H. (Hans) de Groene as Director General of NWO with effect from 1 May 2011. He will succeed Dr Cees de Visser, who will retire in May.
10 February 2011

NWO supports project for open access books

NWO is making a one-off investment of 360,000 euros in the Dutch successor to the OAPEN project, Open Access Publishing in European Networks. The funding of this project falls within NWO's open access policy.
1 February 2011

Millions of euros in grants for 32 top researchers

Thirty-two innovative scientists will each receive 1.5 million euros to carry out research over the next five years. They have been awarded Vici grants under NWO's Innovational Research Incentives Scheme and with this funding round NWO is investing about 48 million euros in top talent. Vici is one of the largest individual grants in the Netherlands.
20 January 2011

Research highlights at TransACTS

At TransACTS, the meeting of the ACTS programmes at January 12 & 13, 2011, all the current ACTS programmes presented a research highlight. Below you will find a summary of each presentation.
21 December 2010

70 million for innovative science

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a Vidi grant to 88 researchers. Each scientist will receive a maximum of 800,000 euro to develop his or her own line of research and to build up a research group. Altogether NWO will divide more than 70 million euro among the laureates.
20 December 2010

ICTRegie hands over its activities

ICTRegie will cease to exist as from 31 December 2010. Its ongoing projects will be handed over to NWO, STW and NL Agency. These parties will initiate new activities where necessary. The decision was taken by the contracting partners: the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (EL&I), the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).
15 December 2010

NWO offers young scientific talent foreign experience

NWO has awarded grants under the Rubicon programme to 31 promising young researchers. Through Rubicon, NWO aims to offer Dutch scientists who have recently obtained their PhD the chance to gain research experience in other countries.
18 November 2010

Trained bacteria convert bio-wastes into plastic

Researcher Jean-Paul Meijnen has ‘trained’ bacteria to convert all the main sugars in vegetable, fruit and garden waste efficiently into high-quality environmentally friendly products such as bioplastics.
2 November 2010

Over 40 million for young researchers

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) recently awarded 161 young postdoctoral researchers a Veni grant. Each researcher will receive 250,000 euro. This grant will allow these young talents to perform research for a period of three years.
29 October 2010

NWO takes the first steps to combat the scarcity of mineral resources

NWO has set aside 8 million euro for research into solutions concerning the scarcity of rare mineral resources. The money is intended for multidisciplinary research focusing on recycling, alternative materials, behavioural influence and logistics.
15 October 2010

Dick Stufkens Prijs 2010 awarded to chemist Niels Elders

Holland Research School of Molecular Chemistry honors innovative PhD-thesis work : Dick Stufkens Prijs 2010 awarded to chemist Niels Elders
30 September 2010

Han de Winde new chair ACTS Executive Board

Vanaf 1 oktober 2010 is prof. dr. Han de Winde de nieuwe voorzitter van de Executive Board van ACTS, het publiekprivate samenwerkingsorgaan op het gebied van duurzame chemie en katalyse.
20 September 2010

One step closer to green catalysis

Mirror image catalysis in water with water is effective and produces no waste. Researchers have now succeeded in imitating this marvelous trick of nature. NWO researchers Gerard Roelfes and Ben Feringa made a hybrid catalyst of metal complexes and DNA. This catalyst allows the selective formation of a single mirror image molecule in a chemical reaction with water in water.
13 August 2010

Impuls research cooperation Hong Kong and The Netherlands

On 12 August 2010 the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong and NWO signed an agreement to establish a joint research scheme.
10 August 2010

Eight million for top PhDs

Ten research schools will each receive 800,000 euro for talented young researchers. The schools can use the grants to set up an excellent education and research programme for the development of young scientific talent. This grant, the Graduate Programme of the Netherlands Organisation for scientific Research (NWO), is contributing to a stronger development of Dutch PhD students.
20 July 2010

Top young researchers from ethnic minorities receive PhD grants

NWO has awarded 21 young, talented graduates from ethnic minorities a grant from the Mosaic programme. The budding scientists can use this grant to carry out their PhD research over a period of four years. On 4 October 2010 the certificates will be awarded at a special ceremony.
6 July 2010

NWO sends young researchers abroad

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 31 young, highly-promising scientists a grant from the Rubicon programme. Dutch scientists who have recently gained a PhD can use Rubicon to gain research experience abroad. Foreign researchers can use this grant to do research in the Netherlands.
23 June 2010

Themes and talent for the future

More opportunities for scientific talent and a greater role for scientific research in society. These are two important priorities in the new strategy of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). NWO will therefore invest in talent and societally-inspired themes and it will place greater emphasis on knowledge utilisation.
7 June 2010

NWO Spinoza Prize for psychologist, astronomer, chemist and classicist

On 9 June 2009, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) announced which three researchers will receive the NWO/Spinoza Prize for 2009. The prize is the highest Dutch award in science.
26 May 2010

NWO investing 26 million in national research facilities

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) is investing 25.8 million euro in large-scale equipment, data collections and software. This funding comes from the Investment Subsidy NWO Large, which is used by NWO to finance substantial infrastructure that will facilitate research on a national scale.
11 May 2010

NWO researcher makes a revolutionary chemical compound

Soft drink bottles and fleece blankets are set to become more environmentally friendly. NWO researcher Frank Koopman has made a bio-based compound that can act as a substitute for one of the most important raw materials for plastic products. The American Department of Energy has awarded the new material a place in the top 12 of the most promising biological materials for the chemical industry.
7 April 2010

NWO sends young researchers into the big wide world

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded Rubicon grants to 33 young and promising researchers. Dutch researchers who have recently gained a doctorate can use the grant to gain research experience abroad. Foreign researchers can use it to undertake research in the Netherlands.
22 March 2010

Altered virus becomes medicine

Dutch researchers Roeland Nolte and Jeroen Cornelissen have successfully converted a virus into a unique drug distributor. They removed all of the dangerous material from the virus so that empty, semipermeable particles remained. They subsequently joined these particles together, yet even more important: they also succeeded in separating them again.
4 March 2010

Crude oil no longer needed for plastics

Each year the world produces about 130 million kilo of ethene, the most important raw material for plastics. This gigantic industry is currently dependent on crude oil. And that is running out. Dutch researcher Tymen Tiemersma might have found a solution for this problem. With his new reactor we can produce ethene from natural gas and, therefore, in the future from biogas as well.
3 March 2010

NWO invests 10 million euro in large research facilities

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 31 grants in the Investment Subsidy NWO Medium programme for the acquisition of equipment, the setting up of data collections and the production of software and bibliographies. The total investment amounts to 10 million euro.
25 February 2010

Biologists and medics will link knowledge

NWO and ZonMw are investing 13 million euro in three Dutch centres for system biology. In these centres biologists, medics, chemists, physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists shall join forces to gain a better understanding of living organisms. The centres shall be located at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam and the Radboud University in Nijmegen.
11 February 2010

Marianne de Visser joins NWO Governing Board

Prof. Marianne de Visser will join the Governing Board of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) on 1 February 2010. De Visser is a neurologist at the Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam and professor of neuromuscular diseases at the University of Amsterdam. She succeeds retiring member Charles Buys.
2 February 2010

31 top Dutch researchers receive a Vici grant

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 31 innovative scientists a Vici grant. This grant is worth a maximum of 1,500,000 euro per person and with this is one of the largest individual grants in the Netherlands. Researchers can use the grant to build up their own research group over a period of five years.
21 January 2010

Cinderella is found at last

Recent research at the DUBBLE beamline has proved the existence of liquid crystals with two main axes. Liquid crystals with a single main axis are already used in LCDs (liquid crystal displays), but crystals with two main axes can make computer monitors and optical switches much faster, as well as opening doors to new 3D technologies.
24 December 2009

Blind date for proteins

Most proteins do not function in isolation, but form complexes. Vici grant winner Marcellus Ubbink has become the first researcher to measure an important step in the formation of these complexes. Before the final complex forms, two proteins first form an encounter complex. They then test each other out, as if on a blind date. This blind date turns out to last a lot longer with some proteins than was previously thought.
17 December 2009

Super yeast is a first-class penicillin factory

Dutch researchers have rebuilt the yeast Hansenula polymorpha to become a first-class penicillin factory. Penicillin is still one of the most commonly used antibiotics in the world. However, the medicine is produced by a fungus, which makes large-scale production far from easy. Using the yeast instead will allow a far easier and more sustainable production of penicillin in the future.
16 December 2009

Cees Veerman joins NWO Governing Board

Prof. C.P. Veerman has been appointed a member of the Governing Board of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). The professor and former government minister has been appointed with effect from 1 November 2009.
15 December 2009

NWO sends young scientific talent out into the big, wide world

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded grants from the Rubicon programme to 35 young and promising scientists. The grant enables Dutch researchers who have recently gained their PhDs to gain research experience in other countries, and foreign researchers to gain research experience in the Netherlands.
17 November 2009

Minor faults in catalyst impose an obstacle to the chemical industry

One of the most important catalysts in the modern chemical industry is a troublemaker. The building blocks of zeolite ZSM-5 crystals, which are a sort of Swiss cheese with molecular size holes, are not joined together perfectly. The materials that have to pass through the crystals therefore often get stuck and don’t react well. Dutch researcher Marianne Kox discovered the deviations in the miniscule but indispensable particles.
16 November 2009

Improved recipe for catalysts

Baking the perfect soufflé depends on timing, good ingredients and the right proportions. Exactly the same thing applies to catalysts – the materials that make a chemical reaction work faster or better. Dutch-sponsored researcher Leticia Espinosa Alonso now knows how to make a perfect catalyst, thanks to new techniques.
11 November 2009

A top researcher on your bookshelves with EXPERIMENT NL 2

Following the major success of the first part of EXPERIMENT NL, EXPERIMENT NL 2 is now in the shops. The fourth NWO book for the general public, Experiment NL 2, describes the most remarkable, brilliant, amusing and exciting research projects over the past year, in easily accessible language. Read how we can help shy people, why some sportsmen and women shave themselves, and how a baby chimpanzee grows up without being attended to.
10 November 2009

Auxin, the multi-tasker, is unmasked

Auxin, the jack-of-all-trades among plant hormones, has the ‘auxin response factors’ (ARFs) to thank for its multi-talented nature. One of the actions of these ARFs is to prevent a non-embryonic cell from changing into an embryonic cell. Dutch researcher Eike Rademacher has shown that without ARFs, a cell like this can actually form the basis for a new embryo.
2 October 2009

Sustainable gas can be obtained from waste

According to Dutch researcher Guus van Rossum energy can be obtained from biomass more quickly and efficiently than is currently the case. He has developed a new method for the low-temperature extraction of hydrogen from biomass, such as forestry and agricultural waste. Up until now only fuel gas could be extracted. The hydrogen produced by Van Rossum can be used in far more ways.
22 September 2009

Blueprint from the interior of a catalyst

Irregularities in industrial catalysts can inhibit the conversion of crude oil, Utrecht University chemists have concluded.
15 September 2009

Oxygen exchangers increase propene yield

Dutch researcher Jurriaan Beckers has shown that the yield of propene can be increased by adding cerium oxide during the production process. Propene is an important raw material for the chemical industry and its uses include the production of medical equipment. However, it is difficult to produce.
15 September 2009

Small hairy balls make food healthier

Dutch researcher Saskia Lindhoud has discovered a new way to package enzymes by causing charged polymers to form a 'ball of hair' around these. Her approach significantly increases the utility of the enzymes. For example, healthy enzymes with a foul taste can be packaged in such a way that they are released in the stomach without being tasted.
25 August 2009

New light on the SARS virus

Using novel techniques, Dutch researcher Matthijs Raaben has cast new light on the replication of coronaviruses, a family of viruses including the cause of SARS. He has shown, using luminescent viruses, how coronaviruses use host cells and how we can use the intracellular processes to attack the virus.
12 August 2009

Seven million for Graduate Programme

The Dutch Minister of Education, Science and Culture, Mr Ronald Plasterk, has announced which nine research schools are to participate in the first Graduate Programme. The subsidy is intended for the creation of an excellent educational and research environment for highly talented young researchers.
22 July 2009

Top-class ethnic minority graduates to receive doctoral grants

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded grants under the Mosaic programme to twenty young, talented ethnic minority graduates. The budding researchers can use the grant to conduct doctoral research over a four-year period. The certificates will be presented at a ceremony in October.
7 July 2009

NWO sends young researchers into the big wide world

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a Rubicon grant to 34 young, highly promising scientists.
16 June 2009

Athena premium for Dr Adone Mohd Sarip (Erasmus Medical Centre)

Dr Adone Mohd Sarip is to receive the Athena premium worth 100,000 euro from NWO Chemical Sciences (CW). The premium is linked to her lectureshipappointment, with effect from this year, at the Rotterdam Erasmus Medical Centre. The official presentation will take place later this year. This is the second time that NWO-CW has awarded the Athena premium.
16 June 2009

Twelve million euro to innovative chemical research

The TOP grant is part of the Free Competition held by the NWO’s Division for the Chemical Sciences. The research group can use the grant over five years to enhance or extend its excellent, challenging and innovative research line. In the current round, applications were received from 28 research groups.
7 June 2009

Chain reaction of the immune system frozen

A team of scientists led by chemist and NWO Pioneer laureate Piet Gros and medical microbiologist Jos van Strijp from Utrecht University have succeeded in freezing a chain reaction of the immune system. This achievement marks a breakthrough in the field of immunology. The researchers from Utrecht University, University Medical Centre Utrecht and the University of Pennsylvania, published their findings on 7 June with two simultaneous articles in Nature Immunology.
26 May 2009

Over 0.5 million euro for partnerships between SMEs and science

Two partnership projects between SMEs and science shall together receive about 650,000 euro from the IBOS programme (Integration of Biosynthesis and Organic Synthesis). IBOS has now invested more than 2.2 million euro in eleven SME projects in the area of biological and organic synthesis. This initiative is a unique form of public-private partnership.
28 April 2009

Hoeijmakers new board member NWO Division for the Chemical Sciences

The Governing Board of NWO has appointed Prof. J.H.J. (Jan) Hoeijmakers (1951) as a board member of the Division for the Chemical Sciences with effect from 1 April 2009.
28 April 2009

A total of 9.7 million euro for eight transnational research projects

Fifty-one research groups have received a grant from the first joint call of ERA-IB, the ERA-NET for Industrial Biotechnology. A total of about 9.7 million euro will be invested in 8 projects. The first joint-call of ERA-IB offers researchers the chance to form unique transnational partnerships. Eight projects were selected from the 32 applications submitted. Within these 8 projects, 51 different research groups will cooperate. A further 7 partners will fund their own participation.
20 April 2009

Self-assembly now easier to control

Nature has long perfected the construction of nanomachines, but David González and his fellow researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology and Utrecht University under the leadership of Spinoza Award winner Bert Meijer, have brought the construction of artificial supramolecular structures a step closer by. The researchers managed to carefully control the self-assembly of guanosine, one of the building blocks of our DNA.
30 March 2009

DNA gripped in nanopores

Molecular biologists, including the cool dudes from CSI, use gel electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments from each other in order to analyse the DNA. A team of researchers under the leadership of Vici winner Serge Lemay, has now shown for the first time how the gel influences the movement of the DNA. The researchers drove a single DNA molecule through a nanopore in order to analyse the forces on the DNA. The results of the research were published on 29 March in Nature Physics.
27 March 2009

Permanently high level of ambition needed to tackle constraints in education and science

On Wednesday 25 March the Dutch Cabinet presented its declaration about the social agreements and the measures to be taken to ensure that the Netherlands emerges stronger from the current economic crisis. KNAW, NWO and VSNU are happy that the key words education, innovation and knowledge are in the investment package, yet at the same time they are concerned about the lack of ambition.
12 March 2009

Focus on the formation of bones, teeth and shells

Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) for the first time have shown the earliest stages in biomineralisation, the process that leads to the formation of bones, teeth and sea shells. They used the world’s most modern electron microscope to capture a three-dimensional image of the nanoparticles that form the basis for this process. The results provide a greater understanding of the formation of bones, teeth and shells. This creates a prospect of better materials and processes for industry, based on nature. The findings featured as the cover story for the scientific journal Science on Friday 13 March.
10 March 2009

Ten million euros for scientific investments

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 88 grants in the NWO Medium investment programme, for the purchase of equipment, setting up data collections and writing software and bibliographies. The projects include investment in MRI equipment, a mass spectrometer and an infrastructure concerning the well being of present and former cancer patients.
13 January 2009

Mimicking bacteria might lead to less infections

A group of Dutch and Spanish researchers, led by NWO-funded researcher Dr Maarten Merkx of Eindhoven University of Technology, might have found a new and effective method for controlling bacterial infections. By mimicking the cell wall of a bacteria, the bacteria's division and spread can be prevented.
9 May 2008

Hs and OHs in the spotlight

Dutch researcher Mark van der Loo has investigated the influence of light on the behaviour of small molecules and has calculated the effect of light for several types of molecules.
14 April 2008

First-class protein crystals thanks to weightlessness on earth

Dutch chemist Paul Poodt has developed two attractive alternatives for allowing protein crystals to grow under weightless conditions.
11 March 2008

Hydrogen storage in nanoparticles works

Dutch chemist Kees Baldé has demonstrated that hydrogen can be efficiently stored in nanoparticles. This allows hydrogen storage to be more easily used in mobile applications.
7 March 2008

ESF Exploratory Workshops - 2008 Call for Proposals

De ‘European Science Foundation’ (ESF) brengt Europese wetenschappers ertoe samen te werken aan onderwerpen met een gemeenschappelijk belang
6 February 2008

Clicking synthetic and biological molecules together

Dutch researcher Joost Opsteen has developed a method to click polymers together in a controlled manner. Using this method, he can even attach proteins to nanoballs. For instance, this approach could be used to transport medicines in the body.
14 January 2008

Chopped up proteins trigger autoimmunity

Dutch biochemist Geurt Schilders has mapped several proteins that can regulate the activity of the human exosome and which play a role in the degradation of RNA molecules.
11 June 2007

Mathematical model improves reactor efficiency

During his PhD project at Eindhoven University of Technology, Dutch researcher Vinit Chilekar developed a mathematical model for the design of a so-called slurry bubble column.
9 February 2007

Natural bacteria clean up contaminated soil

Naturally-occurring bacteria slowly clean up contaminated soil and water at a waste site near Boxtel. Dutch researcher Sabrina Botton concluded this after her research into the breakdown of environmentally-harmful BTEX chemicals by bacteria indigenous to the contaminated soil. Bacteria were able to break down benzene, toluene and each of the xylene isomers with iron as terminal electron acceptor.
29 January 2007

Liquid crystals stabilised

Dutch-sponsored researcher Ioan Paraschiv has stabilised new columnar discotic liquid crystals by making use of hydrogen bonds. This stabilisation approach yielded well-ordered, column-shaped aggregates that can transport charges.
29 May 2006

11 million euros for chemistry research

NWO Division for the Chemical Sciences (NWO-CW) has awarded a TOP grant to seven research groups. The groups work across the full spectrum of (bio)chemical and chemical engineering research. Each research group receives EUR 675,000 to strengthen and extend its line of research. In addition to this NWO-CW has awarded an ECHO project grant of EUR 225,000 to 29 researchers for high-quality, science-driven research.
29 May 2006

Joint European strategy for Industrial Biotechnology

Sixteen research organisations from twelve European countries have joined forces in the area of industrial biotechnology. The recent award made by the European Union to the network ERA Industrial Biotechnology (ERA-IB), is an essential contribution to improving Europe's competitive position. ERA-IB was launched in Brussels on 30 and 31 May 2006.
9 May 2006

One million for state-of-the-art chemical research facilities

In the subsidy programme 'Investment Subsidy NWO Medium' from the Division for the Chemical Sciences (CW) four applications have been honoured. A total of 1 million euros has been awarded. The projects cover an EPR machine for novel materials and catalytic processes, vibrational spectroscopy for molecular structures, equipment for gasoline production analyses and a new facility for unravelling molecular aggregation.
9 May 2006

Functionalised membranes for sustainable processes

Dutch researcher Kitty Nijmeijer of the Membrane Technology Group of the University of Twente has received a MEERVOUD subsidy from the NWO Division for Chemical Sciences (CW) for research on functionalised membranes which can separate gases in a sustainable and efficient manner. The separation of gases, for example CO2 to reduce the greenhouse effect or ethylene and ethane for the production of plastics, is one of the most important processes in the chemical industry.
15 March 2006

Launch NWO strategy on May 22nd

14 February 2006

First Dutch success in European chemistry network

Two Dutch chemists have received a research subsidy from ERA-Chemistry. ERA-Chemistry is a network of scientific organisations from 10 European countries and its first priority was to grant research proposals. The Research Council for the Chemical Sciences (CW) of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) represents the Netherlands in the network.
11 November 2005

Natural chemistry finds its way to market

Faster reaction rates, a substantially higher yield and a cleaner production process than is currently possible in the chemical industry. That is the result of a new sustainable chemical process that researchers from Universiteit van Amsterdam and Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen have developed with support from NWO ACTS (Advanced Chemical Technologies for Sustainability).
13 September 2005

Water management in cells

Water management is the key to regulating cell volume says Dutch researcher Bas Tomassen. He investigated the uptake and secretion of water by the plasma membrane of animal and human cells.
Dat stelt NWO-promovendus Bas Tomassen op basis van zijn onderzoek naar de opname en afgifte van water door het plasmamembraan van dierlijke en menselijke cellen. Bas Tomassen promoveert op 31 augustus aan de Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam.
15 March 2005

Better bubbling slurry

Dutch-sponsored researcher Keshav Ruthiya has made considerable improvements to a so-called slurry bubble column. The chemical industry uses these bubble columns for reactions between gases and liquids, for example, for organic wastewater purification or the synthesis of hydrocarbons. Various companies are interested in using Ruthiya's results in commercial reactors.
15 February 2005

Loss of sulphur atom reduces activity of catalyst

Chemical catalysts used to produce clean fuels gradually become less active. Dutch researcher Bas Vogelaar believes that the loss of sulphur atoms might be an important cause of this.
He investigated hydroprocessing catalysts which remove sulphur compounds from petrol and diesel.
11 January 2005

Oxygen sponge saves energy during the production of plastics

Dutch researcher Bart de Graaf has developed a solid oxygen carrier, a sort of oxygen sponge. The oxygen from the sponge reacts with hydrogen to produce water. With De Graaf's discovery a lot of energy can be saved during the production of raw materials for plastics.
19 October 2004

Europeans join forces for Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry

The European Commission has granted the ACENET ERA-NET network 2.7 million euros to allow nine European countries to join forces for scientific research in the field of applied catalysis and sustainable chemistry.
27 January 2004

European chemists unite

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has a key role in a new European chemistry initiative, the ERA CHEMISTRY network.