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NWO Domain Science has awarded four Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� researchers an Open Competition Domain Science-XS grant: Elarbi Chatir, Apostolos Liakopoulos, Yang Song (all Faculty of Science), and Remco Westerink (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine). XS grants provide up to € 50,000 to support promising ideas and to facilitate innovative, exploratory initiatives.

More information about the projects:

Dr. Elarbi Chatir

Switch, Catch, Release: PFAS removal with light-Controlled extractants

PFAS are man-made chemicals used in many products for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. Their strong stability makes them persist in the environment and living organisms, raising health concerns like cancer and immune issues. Current methods for removing PFAS from water are not very efficient, they often trap other substances too, are hard to reuse, and require energy-intensive processes. This project proposes a sustainable solution using light-responsive molecules that can selectively capture PFAS from water and release them when exposed to light. This approach aims to improve efficiency, recyclability, and environmental safety in PFAS removal technologies.

Dr. Apostolos Liakopoulos

No strings attached: targeting bacterial mating to halt resistance gene spread

Antibiotic resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest threats to global health, rendering once-treatable infections impossible to cure. Most bacterial pathogens acquire resistance by mating with one another, a process that requires direct contact through a pilus, a stringy tube-like structure that enables the transfer of resistance genes. If mating pilus attachment is blocked, this gene transfer is halted, leaving bacteria vulnerable to antibiotics. Our goal is to identify and exploit innovative molecules that act as bacterial “contraceptives”, helping to preserve the effectiveness of existing life-saving antibiotics.

Dr. Yang Song

Discovering Microbial Drought Fighters Using Machine Learning

Drought, increasingly intensified by climate change, poses a significant threat to global food security. Plant-associated microbiomes are crucial in enhancing plant resilience to drought. However, conventional screening approaches for identifying beneficial microbes are time-consuming and labor-intensive. We propose a novel strategy that leverages machine learning (ML), metagenomic sequencing and high-throughput phenotyping to efficiently predict and select optimal microbiome consortia for drought resistance. This approach will accelerate the high-throughput identification of beneficial microbes based on their functional profiles, addressing the urgent need for microbe-assisted agriculture.

Dr. Remco Westerink

Wired to move: reconnecting the human neuromuscular junction

Movement begins with a spark – a signal jumping from nerve to muscle. This spark is made possible by the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a vital connection that enables muscles to contract. In disorders like ALS, this junction is disrupted, contributing to progressive muscle weakness. In this project, we will create a human based model of the NMJ to investigate how this connection is impaired and how it might be restored. By testing protective compounds and tracking NMJ activity in real-time, this project will offer new insights into neuromuscular dysfunction and accelerate the search for effective treatments without using test animals.