"Mutual trust is key"
Unique collaborations in science
Researchers work together a lot, but sometimes a collaboration is unique. Four of our scientists talk about such a special collaboration. How did it come about, and what was needed for it? "Mutual trust, listening carefully to each other and a willingness to share knowledge."
From Twitter friends to valuable partners
Virologists Joost Snijder and Daniel Hurdiss were Twitter friends for years but had never actually met. Snijder was a researcher in Washington and Hurdiss in the UK. Years later, by chance, they ended up working in the same building in Utrecht. That's where their collaboration started.
"It can be difficult meeting an online friend for the first time, but we just got along straight away," recalls Daniel Hurdiss. Their Twitter friendship proved to be a sound basis for collaboration. "We already had trust and respect for each other, and we valued each other's work."
They first met in person when they both started working for Utrecht 木瓜福利影视. Before that, they were only in contact via the Internet, where they followed each other's research with much interest. They commented on each other's posts and watched for progress in each other's work. Eventually, they agreed to go for a beer at a pub in Utrecht.
Our Twitter friendship proved to be a sound basis for collaboration
Taking on a scientific challenge together
"We鈥檝e been working together ever since," Hurdiss says. "Our collaboration intensified when we both started managing a research group. We needed expensive equipment, space for all those large appliances, computers to analyse data and a lot of knowledge." They agreed to share the costs and exchange knowledge. To this end, they created the 鈥淪nurdiss meeting鈥, an informal gathering for young researchers. "The expertise of our teams complements each other seamlessly, and as a result, we take science to the next level."
Among other things, the two virologists worked on potential new drugs for COVID-19, for example. Hurdiss and his colleagues tried to work out how a particular protein binds to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. They made several attempts but failed to figure it out. They then enlisted the help of Snijder and his team. Within a short time, they came up with the answer that allowed the research to move forward again. "This accelerated the development of the new medication. We call this team science: taking on a scientific challenge with researchers from different disciplines. Ultimately, my dream is to work together to develop drugs for humans or animals, and to make a positive impact on the world as a result."
Researchers and manufacturer develop new sensor together
One party researches the impact of air quality on our health, while the other develops smart devices to measure air quality. The great thing about this is that you join forces and work together. The result is a new sensor with more applications. "Collaboration is mutually beneficial!"
"The great thing about this collaboration is that the manufacturer, , listens carefully to what we need," says Roel Vermeulen, professor of Environmental Epidemiology and Exposome Science at Utrecht 木瓜福利影视. "Their sensor already existed, and we enhanced it together by adding more specifications. Previously, we only used the sensor on bicycles to measure air quality, but we wanted to be able to attach the sensors to the outside walls of houses too, so we could measure air quality in the living environment. To do that, the device must also be able to take measurements without there being any movement."
A collaboration like this benefits both companies and scientists
Special covers for rainwater
This brought with it new challenges. For example, how do you deal with rainwater that drips onto a sensor like this for long periods of time outside on the outside wall? "SODAQ then developed special covers," says Vermeulen. "We鈥檙e now using the sensors in various studies, ranging from the impact of air quality on post-COVID to people measuring air quality in the environment themselves. This is a great example of co-creation."
What do you need for a successful collaboration?
Vermeulen doesn鈥檛 have to think for long. "You need to listen carefully to each other, be open-minded and be willing to share knowledge. We want to help SODAQ with its product, and they are willing to adapt their product, so it鈥檚 a win-win. A collaboration like this benefits both companies and scientists."
Scaling up production
"Collaboration and knowledge sharing are important to get change done. Plus, you need companies to be able to scale up a product. We are quite capable of developing a sensor like this ourselves, but not on such a large scale. I can recommend a collaboration like this to anyone."
Rapid collaboration in mink research leads to prompt response in the Netherlands
Is the coronavirus spreading among minks? And if so, is this dangerous for humans? In a single weekend, researchers wrote a project proposal on this, allowing them to start work on it the following week. Without contracts or funding, but confident that things would work out. And it did. "We even got published in Science! That would never have been possible without this collaboration."
The idea originated on a Thursday afternoon in 2020, just before King's Day. Arjan Stegeman remembers it well. A global coronavirus pandemic was raging, and the pressure was on. In Hong Kong, the first dogs and cats got the coronavirus, and a sick cat turned up in Belgium. What about other animals, such as mink? Could they also get the coronavirus and potentially infect people?
"On 23 April, there were two reports of sick mink in the Netherlands," says Stegeman, professor of Farm Animal Health and Chair of the Expert Group on Animal Diseases, which advises the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. "They asked us to investigate this. Requests like this are often slow to get off the ground, but not in this case."
Without funding, but full of confidence, we set to work together
Taking samples from mink farms
In a single weekend, Stegeman wrote a project proposal, together with researchers from Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Erasmus MC, Royal GD and the Municipal Health Service (GGD). "We then got started on our research straight away. Without contracts or funding, although that came later. We were also dependent on the cooperation of the mink farmers. We had to engage effectively with them and convince them that this was important. We were then able to take samples from mink farms over the course of a month."
Many young mink pups had just been born, and the virus spread rapidly on the farms. But not outside them, so there seemed to be no risk of infecting humans.
Chaos in Denmark
But two weeks later, the first employees on mink farms fell ill. They were found to be infected with the same virus as the mink. "So we were the first to be able to demonstrate transmission from animals to humans," says Stegeman, proudly. "Our paper even made it into the leading scientific journal Science; we would never have managed this otherwise."
The government then decided to clear all mink farms in the Netherlands. "In Denmark, where there are a lot of mink farms too, they didn鈥檛 do this. They only started clearing them months later, by which time it was already total chaos. The government even had to resign."
What lessons can be learned from this successful collaboration?
"That you have to get started quickly and trust each other. Everyone played a role and did part of the research. This project was unique, and I felt privileged to be part of it."
Successful collaboration in spite of conflicting interests: Animal Rights and Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 show it can be done
Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 conducts research using laboratory animals, something animal rights organisation Animal Rights is fundamentally opposed to. In spite of this, they have been collaborating successfully for years. In the meantime, more than two thousand former laboratory animals have been adopted rather than killed.
The collaboration started as a result of the painstaking work of two passionate people: Monique Janssens from Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 and from . They succeeded in connecting the organisations, which, at first glance, have totally incompatible interests. They have both since moved on to other jobs, but the collaboration between the organisations is still ongoing.
Don't kill, adopt
"We started talking and discovered common ground," reflects Janssen, when asked. "We were both surprised that small former laboratory animals 鈥 such as mice and rats 鈥 were being killed, even though, in the case of large former laboratory animals 鈥 such as horses and dogs 鈥 we always looked for a home. Animals Rights immediately offered to help if the university was willing to put small former laboratory animals up for adoption.鈥 More than two thousand former laboratory animals have now been adopted at Utrecht 木瓜福利影视. Mice, rats, chickens, goats, hamsters, zebra finches, a python and an iguana. These are animals that have been bred but are not being used or animals that are no longer needed for animal testing.
Without Animal Rights, the adoption of former laboratory animals would never have succeeded
Added value of collaboration
Animal Rights wants to prevent animal suffering, but solutions are often out of reach. By working with the university, they can actually do something. The collaboration also has added value for the university. "Without Animal Rights, the rehoming of former laboratory animals would never have succeeded," says Janssens. "Their network is crucial. They recruit adopters from among their supporters, a large group of animal lovers. They also arranged for temporary shelter for the animals in rodent rescue centre Het Knagertje. The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals also helps. They place adverts for animals on the website for rescue and adoption animals ikzoekbaas.nl."
No hassle with money
Looking back, Janssens has some advice to ensure that a collaboration like this is successful. "Identify shared interests and ideals, and have faith in each other's genuine desire to work towards them. Start in a manageable way with a pilot to see what works. Neither of us was going to earn anything from this, so there was no hassle with money. If you want to communicate with the outside world, agree the wording carefully so that you鈥檙e both behind it."