Open Competition Domain Science funds curiosity driven fundamental research form all the disciplines of the Science Domain. M-grants are intended for innovative, high-quality, fundamental research and/or studies involving matters of scientific urgency.

The UvA Faculty of Science projects that receive a grant are:

A deep dive into matter, the cosmos and the sea

Ronald Bruijn (UvA-IoP & Nikhef)

At the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, there is a telescope, built to capture neutrinos, the hardest-to-detect particles flung out by stars, to learn about the most energetic processes in the universe. Researchers will use this unique detector, called KM3NeT, to study the fundamental building blocks of nature and their interactions. They will also learn about the nature of so-called 'cosmic rays' – mostly atomic nuclei – that are shot from the cosmos onto Earth. 

Streamlined methods for building complex ring structures

Tati Fernández Ibáñez (UvA-HIMS)

This project focuses on the development of new chemical methods for building ring structures found in natural products and pharmaceuticals. Traditionally, these transformations require pre-prepared starting materials, which is time consuming and inefficient. We aim to develop innovative methods that allow the use of starting materials in their natural, unmodified state. This will make the process more efficient and general, enabling direct modification of advanced substrates with potential biological activities that could lead to new drugs. 

More about this research

Brain injury-associated dementias: Unlocking cellular mechanisms for prevention and new treatments

Carlos Fitzsimons & Evgenia Salta (UvA-SILS/NIN-KNAW)

We want to uncover novel cellular mechanisms behind head trauma-associated memory decline and dementia and establish a link between long-term neuroinflammation and memory impairment. We'll study how head trauma impacts new brain cells and their communication with other neighboring cells. Using state-of-the-art techniques on mouse models and human samples, we'll trace cellular and functional changes induced by head traumas in females and males. By identifying new therapeutic targets, we will benefit TBI patients and populations at risk of head trauma, such as professionals with occupational hazard and athletes, domestic violence and victims, and advance treatments for head trauma-associated dementias.