Leiden Science - Universiteit Leiden

Fighting cancer with light 🔦? Best Thesis Award for Xuequan Zhou 🏆   👏🎉Congratulations to our former PhD candidate Xuequan Zhou from the Leiden Institute of Chemistry! 🎉👏 During the 29th PHOTOIUPAC IUPAC Symposium on Photochemistry in Valencia, Spain, Zhou received the Best PhD Thesis Award from the European Photochemistry Association. He also gave a talk on his research. During his time in Leiden, Zhou developed molecules that efficiently kill cancer cells, but do not harm healthy tissue. The trick: upon injection into the bloodstream, the molecules self-assemble into nanoparticles that accumulate in the tumour. Targeted irradiation with visible light then attacks the tumour thoroughly 💥. All 5 chapters of Zhou’s thesis were published in high-impact journals 📖. One of his papers made it to the front cover of the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Former supervisor Sylvestre Bonnet finds the award for Zhou entirely deserved: ‘Xuequan has a profound understanding of chemistry and an exceptional talent for inspiring and engaging others in his research. He is now starting his work at Tsinghua University in Shenzhen. I wish him the best of luck in his independent career.’ 🧑🔬 Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen

Congratulations to Leiden Professor Theoretical Astrophysics Elena Maria Rossi for joining the LISA Science Team!🎉 The LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission will be the first space-based observatory dedicated to studying gravitational waves🛰️. These are emitted during the merging of supermassive black holes and other large sources out of reach of current ground-based detectors.  The planned launch of the observatory is mid-2030.   The members of the LISA Science Team work to ensure the correct implementation of the scientific goals of the mission and its maximum science return. Rossi: ‘This is the first ESA LISA Science Team. We need to define our relationship with the broader community, and specifically with the existing consortia that are working towards realising the LISA data analysis and science usage. It is all new! Exciting and challenging of course.’  #LeidenScience #LISAmission #ESA #gravitationalwaves 

🎉 Yay! No less than 6 Veni grants for our young Leiden Science researchers! 👏 Congratulations to Anne-Grete Märtson, Valerio Barbarossa, Willem Jespers, Iain Muntz, Annebelle Kok and Jordy van Velthoven with your Veni grant from NWO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek)🏅. From singing fish to potential new cancer treatments, find out what topics these scientists will be exploring in the upcoming years. Valerio Barbarossa (CML): ‘Freshwater biodiversity is highly impacted by mining activities ⛏️👷. The shift to a carbon-neutral economy ♻️ may worsen this due to increased needs of raw materials. I will study how mining activities impact freshwater biodiversity globally 🐟 and assess how different energy transition scenarios affect biodiversity to help source materials sustainably and avert the impending biodiversity crisis.’ Iain Muntz (Leiden Institute of Physics): ‘Protein condensates are tiny droplets 💦 in cells that play key roles in gene activation and cell communication. I will create lab setups that mimic the crowded conditions inside cells to better understand how these droplets behave and improve our knowledge of cell processes and diseases.’ Annebelle Kok (Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL)): ‘How healthy are our oceans? I will develop a new way to measure marine biodiversity at high resolution: by listening to it 👂. Marine animals such as fish sing during vital parts of their life, allowing us to observe which species are thriving. Fish song will enable us to assess biodiversity change, and direct conservation efforts.’ 🎤🐠 Willem Jespers (Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research): ‘G proteins are crucial for proper functioning healthy cells, but mutations in these proteins can lead to cancer. There are currently no drugs that target these mutated forms. My research will use artificial intelligence 🖥️ to find molecules that can specifically block these mutated G proteins, potentially leading to new cancer treatments.’ 💊 Anne-Grete Märtson (LACDR): ‘Existing and emerging viruses create a big need for better, safer treatments 😷. I will use new lab models and computer methods to improve these treatments, prevent viruses from becoming resistant and cut down on animal testing and clinical trials.’ 👩⚕️ Jordy van Velthoven (MI): ‘Harmonic analysis breaks down complex signals into simpler ones.🔍These basic signals vary based on the geometric properties of the environment 📐. I will explore how different geometries affect signal breakdowns, hoping to bridge the gap between practical and abstract theories.’ Also congrats to David Doelman (Leiden Observatory) and Tim Coopmans (LIACS) who receive a Veni grant for projects at respectively SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research and Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica.

🐝 Why is environmental researcher Joeri Morpurgo lying on the sidewalk? 🐛 They are often little more than a square metre of plants, yet pavement gardens are a source of life 🏡. PhD candidate Joeri Morpurgo conducted research in the centre of Amsterdam and The Hague and discovered how important small green spaces are, especially for cities 🏙️. Morpurgo: 'We found 235 plant and 154 insect species in around 100 m2 of pavement garden 🐞🌼. That's important, because it serves as an extra genetic reserve if things go wrong with insect populations in agriculture 🚜. And insects serve as food for other animals in the city.' Out with the tiles 🧱 and in with the planters 🌱! Read the whole story: https://lnkd.in/esMKtC9J

🧰 'I work with go-getters who know what needs to be done' 🛠️ Her office is a bit tucked away in a corner of the building, but her department is always buzzing with activity. Since May 2024, Renate Rijbroek has been our new Head of Facility Management. There was no slow start: ‘We are working hard towards the official opening in September.’ 🎉 As Head of Facility Management, Rijbroek is responsible for three teams. 🦺🦺🦺 ‘Our package is quite broad,’ she says with a laugh. ‘We basically do everything that other departments don’t.’ Curious about what these teams are working on and what's happening on our campus? Read the full interview with Rijbroek on the staff website.

From research to impact💪 Congratulations to Leiden Science researchers Rob van Nieuwpoort and Michael K. Richardson for receiving funding from NWO’s Open Technology programme for their projects🎉 The SuperCode project aims to develop an AI-driven methodology to generate effective code for computer hardware under development 🖥️ With more efficient code, we are able to realise the full potential of data-intensive scientific applications with less computing power and thus less energy 🌍🌿 Van Nieuwpoort (LIACS) and co-applicant Chris Broekema of ASTRON will validate their methodology using two radio astronomy applications. The project of Michael Richardson (Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL)) intends to develop a new ethically responsible test to identify male chick at an early stage of the incubation period, so the incubation of male eggs can be halted in a pain-free way 🐣 Richardson works together with Martien Groenen (Wageningen University & Research) and Martin Giera (Leiden University Medical Center). Dutch company In Ovo will implement this new technology in its automated egg screener and launch this onto the world market. Read more about the NWO Open Technology programme and the funded projects ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eJsRPHQT #LeidenScience #impact #NWO #funding

🦟  ‘I've never heard people talk about midges and red larvae with so much excitement’ 🐌   From plain container to lively landmark: Animation/illustration student Evita Julia has brought the research of the Living Lab to life with a beautiful mural. 🎨 Evita: ‘The mural is an ode to the ditch and all the organisms within, inspired by medieval tapestries and antique botanical illustrations. It highlights how ditches are full of surprising invertebrates, insects, and microorganisms integral to our ecosystem." 🌾 Evita dedicated 97 hours over two weeks to painting everything by hand. Working on location, she had lots of contact with the researchers and incorporated their suggestions into the painting. ‘I aimed for the artwork to be both visually appealing and anatomically accurate. It was amazing to see lab members recognize the creatures with such enthusiasm! 🤗 I've never heard people talk about midges and red larvae with so much excitement. The result is a great example of how art and science can go hand in hand.’  If you’re in the area, be sure to drop by and see this cheerful piece in person! 📸 #levendlab #livinglab #botanicalart #invertebrates #biodiversity Martina Vijver Henrik Barmentlo  

🦠🧴 How some of the world's smallest organisms could play a significant role in solving the problem of plastic pollution. Leiden biologist Jo-Anne Maurits-Verschoor discovered that nearly 20% of her studied bacterial strains could degrade plastic, though they needed some encouragement to do so 📣. 'Bacteria are just like people,' Verschoor says. 'When it's not needed, they won't do something that requires too much effort.' However, if they are ‘hungry’, they will. This was evident during lab experiments where Verschoor added plastic models to plates with bacteria. At one point, she even ‘fed’ the bacteria perforated pieces of plastic! 🍽️ Read the whole story about Verschoor's research: https://lnkd.in/e6AkMdTk Gilles van Wezel Marjolein Crooijmans

Wij steunen onze medewerkers die in actie komen!

Can we make fuel in a sustainable, circular way? 🌿 Our researchers and technicians work hand in hand to make this a reality! Felix Smits from the Bouwmeester group at the Leiden Institute of Physics is developing a special reactor to convert CO2 into CO and make fuel out of that. He can't do it alone though, so the technicians of the Fine Mechanical Department come to the rescue and turn a simple block of plastic into an advanced component required for the study. 🙏 Read the article to find out how this will contribute to the energy transition 👉 https://lnkd.in/gCmzHg9J Maurice Heemskerk