Sepsis is a severe response to infection that kills millions each year. Moreover, survivors of sepsis often remain vulnerable to new infections. During sepsis, cells switch to an emergency energy mode that produces lactate, which can modify proteins in immune cells through a process known as lactylation, impairing their ability to fight infection. Hjalmar Bouma will investigate whether lactylation causes immune failure and whether it can be reversed. If successful, this could lead to treatments that restore immune function to better fight infection during sepsis and reducing the risk of recurrent infections and re-admission to the ICU, significantly improving patient care.
Read more abbout Hjalmar Bouma.
Contrary to the popular adage ‘opposites attract’, romantic partners are often similar in their mental health. It is currently unknown why psychiatric disorders cluster in partners. Insight into the causes of partners’ similarities will help in predicting the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in future generations, and in deciding whether partner-based, family-based, or societal interventions are most effective to prevent and treat them. For this project, Hanna van Loo uses an innovative approach to unravel the causes of partner similarity in psychiatric disorders by investigating similarities in mental health in the extended family and their environment instead of in couples only.
Read more about Hanna van Loo.
As part of their Talent Programme, NWO annually awards Vidi grants. The Vidi is an individual research grant aimed at researchers who are in the process of transitioning to leadership roles. Researchers who are eligible for a Vidi grant have academic qualities that clearly exceed the norm. With the help of the Vidi grant, these researchers can further develop their own line of research and set up or expand their own research group. The projects that receive funding cover a wide range of topics. This year NWO has awarded Vidi funding of up to €850.000 to 109 researchers. Read more about the Vidi grants.
