109 Vidi grants awarded to talented researchers

19 granted ZonMw Vidi projects

• Read more about the projects here

  Biomarker development in a euthanasia-autopsy study targeting neurodegenerative diseases 
  Dr C. Groot, Amsterdam UMC
  In most forms of dementia, harmful proteins accumulate in the brain. Biomarkers can measure these proteins using imaging, and blood, but for many dementias such markers are still lacking. The BEACON study aims to change this. In this unique study, 100 individuals who have chosen euthanasia and have protein accumulation participate. Biomarkers are measured shortly before death. Immediately afterward, brain tissue is examined to determine how well these measures reflect protein accumulation. In this way, we test the reliability of biomarkers and improve diagnosis, prognosis, and the development of effective treatments.

  MODERNART: personalized care for congenital kidney anomalies
  Dr R. Westland, Amsterdam UMC
  Congenital kidney anomalies are the leading cause of kidney failure in children and young adults (5 out of every 10 patients). At the time of diagnosis, it is difficult to predict who will develop kidney failure and who will not. Researchers at Amsterdam UMC are combining advanced laboratory techniques, imaging, and artificial intelligence to clarify the molecular markers of disrupted kidney development. In doing so, they are painting the way toward patient-friendly prognoses and targeted treatments for children with congenital kidney anomalies.

  Stopping respiratory infections where they start: strengthening airway immunity in children
  Dr L.M. Verhagen, Radboudumc
  Respiratory infections are very common in young children. In up to 15%, infections keep recurring, leading to frequent antibiotic use and lung damage. Current care looks at the immune system in blood, while infections start in the airways, leaving an important part of the body’s defence overlooked. This project studies immune protection directly in the airways. By studying children from the Netherlands, Caribbean and Africa, the researchers will define when this protection is insufficient and identify how it can be strengthened. This will enable earlier identification of high-risk children and support new treatments that prevent respiratory infections at their source.

  When lactate turns toxic: a metabolic waste product reprogrammes the immune system in sepsis 
  Dr H.R. Bouma, UMC Groningen
  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. We 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.

  ‘A-I-D&Me’: Facilitate human-technology collaboration in type 1 diabetes
  Dr G.M. Nefs, Radboudumc
  Technology that automates insulin delivery offers the best health outcomes for people with type 1 diabetes. However, users often intervene in the system’s decisions, even when it is functioning as intended. The researcher examines how concerns such as mistrust and anxiety lead to actions that disrupt automation. Based on these insights, the researcher develops tools that support more effective technology use, in co-creation with people with diabetes and healthcare providers.

  The Secret Recipe of an Immune System Gone Rogue
  Dr M.G.M. Huijbers, Leiden University Medical Center
  Autoimmune diseases arise when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. Despite advances in knowledge and treatment, many patients still experience severe symptoms, and disease severity and treatment response vary widely. This project investigates how these differences between patients arise by using advanced techniques to analyse the precise mix of harmful antibodies in the blood. It also maps how these antibodies disrupt normal bodily functions. In addition, a new model that mimics chronic autoimmune diseases will be developed to test therapies more realistically. The results may contribute to improved diagnostics and more personalized treatments.

  Harnessing the early-life metabolome to reduce the burden of childhood asthma
  Dr O.IJ. Perdijk, Utrecht University
  Allergic asthma is one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children and remains a major public health challenge. Research shows that the gut microbiome, the collection of bacteria and other micro-organisms in our gut, plays an important role in the development of allergies and asthma. The microbiome influences how our body processes nutrients and shapes immune responses, partly through molecules that act on the airway epithelium, the lining of the airways. In the first years of life, the airway epithelium is still actively developing, which may make it particularly sensitive to these microbe-derived signals. By identifying and testing the underlying mechanisms and key molecules involved, this project lays the foundation for the development of new preventive strategies.

  Do similarities attract? Unravelling why psychiatric disorders cluster in romantic partners
  Dr H.M. van Loo, University Medical Center Groningen
  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. This project 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.

  Preeclampsia’s Lasting Legacy: Uncovering Early Heart Damage
  Dr C. Ghossein-Doha, Erasmus MC
  Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious pregnancy complication that increases women’s long-term risk of heart failure, yet early detection and prevention are lacking. Subtle changes in heart structure can appear within a year after PE and often progress silently. This project focuses on these early stages by combining data from the placenta, heart, blood vessels, and circulating biomarkers to identify high-risk women. The applicant investigates how PE leads to early cardiac damage, develops new tools for early detection, and explores safe preventive therapies. By enabling earlier intervention, Dr Ghossein-Doha aims to reduce heart disease and improve long-term health in women.

  Why the gut stays inflamed in Crohn’s disease and colitis 
  Dr V. van Unen, Leiden University Medical Center
  The prevalence of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is rising worldwide. In many patients, gut inflammation persists despite treatment. I hypothesize that a specific group of intestinal immune cells plays a key role in this ongoing damage. This project will investigate how these cells malfunction, why some patients do not respond well to therapy, and how this process might be redirected. Using gut biopsies, advanced cell analysis, and mini-gut models, the researchers aim to identify new leads for more targeted treatment and to better predict which therapy will work for which patient.

  Hearing voices in the age of ChatGPT
  Dr E. van Dellen, UMC Utrecht
  A growing number of people who hear voices turn to chatbots such as ChatGPT during the evenings or moments of crisis to talk about their experiences, often when professional support is unavailable. Whether these conversations help or harm, and for whom, remains unknown. Researchers and clinicians at UMC Utrecht will analyse chat conversations shared with consent and follow participants with brief daily smartphone surveys. This allows them to map how chatbot use relates to voices, mood, and the relationship with clinicians. Together with voice-hearers, relatives, and clinicians, they will develop guidance for the safe and responsible use of AI chatbots.

  The morphogenetic origins of human monozygotic twin development
  Dr E.J. Vrij, Maastricht University
  Identical (monozygotic) twinning remains one of the great mysteries of human development. When identical twins share a single placenta, they face high risks of severe complications, including unequal growth and loss of one twin. Because early implantation cannot be directly observed, the causes of these imbalances remain unknown. This project will uncover how identical twins arise and how early placental imbalance begins. Using stem cell-based twin blastoids and a bioengineered, perfusable womb-on-chip, I will recreate twin implantation in the lab. These insights may support safer IVF and earlier identification of high-risk twin pregnancies.

  The Hemodynamic Envelope, aviation-grade safety for cardiogenic shock
  Dr C.L. Meuwese, Erasmus Medical Center
  Cardiogenic shock is a severe form of acute heart failure in which more than half of patients die because several organs stop working. This not only occurs due to the disease itself but also to treatments that can cause harm when patients receive too little or too much. Doctors lack real-time tools to weigh risks and benefits for each individual, so they rely on “one-size-fits-all” targets and adjust treatments after damage has already occurred. Inspired by aviation’s “flight envelope,” this project aims to create a “hemodynamic envelope” to guide safe, personalized treatment early and prevent organ injury.

  Targeting the Metabolic Divergence between Normal and Malignant Hematopoiesis
  Dr S.E. Mansell, Erasmus Medical Center
  Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer that mostly occurs in the elderly population. We are investigating the role that mitochondria, the energy-producing factories in our cells, play in the development of AML. Our goal is to develop new drugs that can inhibit mitochondria in AML cells. Currently, such drugs do not yet exist. This would add a completely new treatment option, which could offer possibilities for patients who do not benefit from current therapies.

  SHIELD: Advancing cancer immunotherapy to preserve protective immunity against infections.
  Dr M. Cuenca, UMC Utrecht 
  Immunotherapy harnesses the exceptional potential of the immune system to fight cancer. However, current cancer immunotherapies deplete certain immune cells that protect the body against viruses. As a result, one in ten patients treated with immunotherapy dies from a viral infection. In SHIELD, researchers will develop cancer therapies that activate various types of immune cells continuously produced in our bodies, while maintaining virus control. To this end, researchers will develop a culture model with patient cells to test the effectiveness of this approach.  This work advances the development of effective anti-cancer therapies with fewer side effects.

  Hip Osteoarthritis subgroup identification and prediction of outcomes (Hip Hop)
  Dr R. Agricola, Erasmus MC 
  Hip osteoarthritis is a common and disabling condition that is usually detected only at a late stage, when joint damage is already irreversible. In this project, I develop new methods to detect and predict osteoarthritis much earlier. Using artificial intelligence, I analyse radiographs and combine them with clinical data to estimate an individual’s risk of developing the disease. This enables early identification and targeted prevention, with the aim of delaying or preventing disease progression and improving quality of life.

  Hidden communication inside heart cells: a new key to treating arrhythmia and heart failure
  Dr D. Zhang, Wageningen University
  Heart rhythm disorders and heart failure affect millions of people and are rapidly increasing worldwide. Wageningen University researchers are now focusing on a surprising cause: tiny communication points inside heart cells that are essential for energy production and heart function. When this internal communication breaks down, the heart can become diseased. This project will uncover how this happens using advanced technologies and innovative models. The findings could open the door to new, targeted treatments, with specific attention to differences between women and men.

  Healthy aging with multiple sclerosis (MS) 
  Dr E.M.M. Strijbis, Amsterdam UMC
  The average age of people with MS is increasing. More than 50% of all people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are now over 50 years old. However, treating MS at an older age presents challenges, because we know surprisingly little about aging with MS. For example, it is unknown how the diagnosis can best be made, whether the benefits and drawbacks of treatment are weighed differently than in younger people, and how normal aging affects the course of the disease and quality of life. With this research, we are taking a step toward care that truly matches the needs of this growing group of people with MS.

  Predicting sudden cardiac death with artificial intelligence and computer models
  Dr M.J.M. Cluitmans, Maastricht University
  Every year, thousands of people in the Netherlands die suddenly from dangerous heart rhythm disorders after a heart attack. Doctors currently struggle to predict this risk. Researchers will use detailed heart scans to investigate how scar tissue and disrupted electrical signals together cause cardiac arrest. They will build digital copies of the heart in which artificial intelligence rapidly tests millions of scenarios, uncovering patterns that previously remained hidden. The goal is to create a personal risk profile for each patient, so that doctors can deploy life-saving treatments for exactly the right individuals.