Chemistry of Life - NWOChemistry+of+Life+FS+2016+def+v3-pdf… · Chemistry of Life Chemistry of...

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research

Chemical Sciences

Chemistry of LifeStrategic Research LineFactsheet 2015 - 2016

Reference date: August 2016

2 | Factsheet Chemistry of Life

This factsheet provides a comprehensive overview of the researchgranted in the strategic research line Chemistry of Life of NWOChemical Sciences. It shows highlights of projects and experts grantedwithin several funding schemes; an extensive overview is enclosed inthe annex.

The Council for Chemical Sciences of the NetherlandsOrganisation for Scientific Research (NWO) encouragesinnovative, fundamental, strategic and applied research.This is realized through the funding of research projectsand programmes and the organisation of scientificmeetings. NWO Chemical Sciences distinguishes threemain strategic research lines: Chemical Conversion,Chemistry of Materials and – subject of this factsheet –Chemistry of Life.

facilities• Investment Grant NWO Medium

• Investment Grant NWO Large• National Roadmap Large-scale

Research Infrastructure• Dutch-Belgian Beamline (DUBBLE)

thematic research• ChemThem• Science for Arts• Forensic Science• Astrochemistry• CO2 Neutral Fuels

NWOChemical Sciences

curiousity driven research

Open Competition• ECHO

• TOP • TOP-PUNT

Gravitation Programme

Talent scheme• Veni• Vidi• Vici

Graduate Programme

society inspired researchNWO Innovation Fund for Chemistry • KIEM • LIFT• TA • CHIPP

Thematic • Building blocks of life• Advanced Research Center (ARC) for Chemical Building Blocks (ARC CBBC)• Materials for Sustainability• Solar to Products

Community building • International collaboration • Transdisciplinary collaboration


Facts NWO Chemical Sciences

Funding NWO Chemical Sciences (2015)

Talent scheme€ 18 M

Scienti!c meetings and knowledge transfer € 0,4 M

Open Competition€ 15,3 M

International Calls€ 3,7 M

Thematic PPP Calls€ 6,6 M

NWO InnovationFund for Chemistry

€ 5,6 M

€ 49,6M

Research Funding 2015

Life kEuro Materials kEuro Conversion kEuro

CURIOSITY DRIVEN RESEARCHTalent Scheme

Veni 7 1750 2 500 3 750

Vidi (round 2014) 5 4000 3 2400 2 1600

Vici (round 2014) 2 3000 0 0 1 1500

Spinoza prize 2015 - - 1 2500 - -

Open Competiton

Echo 8 2080 5 1300 3 780

TOP 2 1560 1 780 1 780

TOP-PUNT 2 4000 1 2000 1 2000

SOCIETY INSPIRED RESEARCHNWO Innovation Fund for Chemistry

CHIPP - - - - - -

TA 2 1572 - - - -

LIFT 8 1678 4 694 8 1508

KIEM 7 105 2 30 2 30

Thematic PPP Calls

NEWPOL - - 6 1425 - -

PTA-COAST3 2 1363 - - 2 1398

TA-ISPT - - 1 297 3 1080

CATC1CHEM - - - - 4 1068

INTERNATIONAL

Cooperation China (NSFC) - - 6 1680 - -

ERA-NET (biotech, materials) - - - - 8 2000


Chemistry of Life

Chemistryof Materials

Chemical Conversion

Molecules assemble to

structures with new properties

Smart materials(self healing,responsive,dynamic)

Nano/biomaterials withcontrollableproperties

Biocompatiblematerials

Recycling &circular

economy

Factory ofthe future(smaller,cleaner)

Use of waste biomass

Energy forchemistry

Tools fortargeted

intervention

Pharmaceuticalsfrom non-fossil

resourcesMinimal

self-replicatingcell

EnablingHealthyAging

Materialsfor

energy storage

Reduce &recycle, e.g.

scarceresources

Organon achip

KIEM

CHIPPLIFT

TA

Community

Veni / Vidi

Sectorplan

NWO-mECHO

TOP

private sector

universities/institutes

sciencefor

science

sciencefor

industry

sciencefor

society

The Netherlands

other disciplines interdisciplinary collaboration

societal challenges

internationalother top sectors

innovation

Challenges for chemistry

Knowledge and innovation chainfor chemistry @ NWO


A doping test for cows withthe aid of a smartphone

KIEM prize for therapeutic nanogeland amino acids analogica

Simplifiedsynthesis methodacceleratesneurobiologicalresearch

Light-sensitivecompounds for bettercancer treatment

Utrecht University and NetherlandsCancer Institute coordinate Europeanproject for protein research

Protein mimicry is featured oncover of ChemBioChem – Sugarsstrongly influence membranes

2 million euros for molecular protein research in cystic fibrosis

Headlines news Chemistry of Life

Chemistry of Life

Understanding the natural world, the development of new medicines, molecular studies of

the human body and cellular processes in living organisms in general, and the use and change

of biological processes and biomimicry are main themes in the research line Chemistry of Life.

Researchers in molecular biochemistry, structural biology, parts of organic chemistry and certain

aspects of analytical and macromolecular chemistry find their challenges in this main research area.

Spinoza Prize Winners

The NWO Spinoza Prize is the highest Dutch award in science. NWO awards the NWO Spinoza

Prizes each year to researchers working in the Netherlands and who according to international

standards belong to the absolute top of science.

1998 Prof. J.H.J. Hoeijmakers (Erasmus University)

2010 Prof. P. Gros (Utrecht University)

2016 Prof. W.T.S. Huck (Radboud University Nijmegen)


Prof. J.H.J. Hoeijmakers Prof. P. Gros Prof. W.T.S. Huck


Open Competition

TOP, TOP-PUNT and ECHO grants

TOPNovel Nucleases for genome editing – beat their swords into ploughshares,

Prof. dr.J. van der Oost (Wageningen University).

Bacteria possess a defense system that can very specifically recognize and cleave viral DNA. Recently

this system has been applied successfully to accurately adjust DNA of human cells. In this project the

researchers will test a novel defense system, aiming for future gene therapy to become a reality.

TOP Grants are for excellent, established research groups active in this sub-area ofchemistry. The research group can use the grant to strengthen or renew challengingand innovative lines of research.

TOP-PUNTComplex enzymatic networks for the bottom-up construction of a synthetic cell,

Prof. W.T.S. Huck (Radboud University), Prof. B. Poolman (University of Groningen) and

Prof. C. Dekker (Delf University of Technology).

Living cells are characterized by complex networks of proteins and nucleic acids that sustain all es-

sential processes such as metabolic energy conservation, gene expression and cell division. One of

the grand challenges in chemistry is the construction of functional far-from-equilibrium systems,

which are essential in living systems.

Outstanding research groups can jointly set up, strengthen or renew lines of research in the established‘chemical centers of excellence’ with a TOP-PUNT grant.

ECHOSelective small-molecule inhibitors of glucansucrases as chemical probes and potential

toothpaste additives, Dr. A.K.H. Hirsch (University of Groningen).

The researchers in this project are developing new molecules that prevent the development of

polysaccharide layers. Bacteria use these layers to attach themselves to the dental surface.

Adding such molecules to tooth paste could be an effective approach for the prevention of

tooth decay.

ECHO grants offer excellent researchers the opportunity to carry out a high-quality, curiosity-drivenresearch project.



Public Private Cooperation

CHIPP*, TA, LIFT, KIEM and thematic grants

*CHIPP not yet granted in this research line.


TATargeting membrane proteins, Prof. P. Gros (Utrecht University), Dr. P.M.P. van Bergen en

Henegouwen (Utrecht University), Prof. P. van Diest (University Medical Center Utrecht).

In this project the researchers propose to use recent biochemical advances to express, purify and

characterize human (multi-spanning) membrane proteins that have been identified as possible

tumor markers. The purified membrane proteins will be used to provoke anti bodies to be selected

and characterized for diagnostic (including so called image-guided surgery) and therapeutical ap-

plications.

Synthetic Biology and Genomics Platform for New-to-Nature Bioactive Peptides,

Prof. G.P. van Wezel (Leiden University), Prof. O.P. Kuipers (University of Groningen),

Dr. P.H. Nibbering (Leiden University Medical Center).

New antibiotics are desperately needed. Animals produce a large variety of antimicrobial pep-

tides that play an important role in natural innate immunity and controlling microbial infections.

The researchers will identify peptides with antimicrobial activity in the venoms of snakes, scor-

pions and other animals, to obtain candidate drugs. These will then be synthesized, expressed,

modified and validated to obtain new-to-nature peptide antibiotics for therapeutic and nutri-

tional use to combat infectious diseases.

Technology Areas (TAs) are collaborations between at least two companies and at least two knowledgeinstitutions. The participating companie jointly contribute one-third of the project costs; NWO contributestwo-thirds. That means that for every euro contributed by industry, NWO contributes two euros.

LIFTChemoenzymatic synthesis and functional studies with human milk oligosaccharides,

Prof. G.J.P.H. Boons (Utrecht University).

Human milk contains a structurally diverse mixture of complex oligosaccharides that are not

found in milk of other species. These so called human milk oligosaccharides or HMOs have many

beneficial properties such as prebiotic, antimicrobial and immuno-modulatory activities. The

goal of this project is to identify complex carbohydrates derived from human milk that possess

the above mentioned properties thereby providing a scientific basis for the development of fu-

ture functional foods such as infant formula.

LIFT is intended for public-private co-operation of at least one company and at least one knowledgeinstitute. LIFT is funded for 1/4 by the industry and for 3/4 by NWO.


KIEM

One-step assay using bioluminescent sensor proteins for monitoring anti-rbST antibodies in

dairy cows, Prof. M. Merkx (Eindhoven University of Technology).

Recombinant bovine somatropine (rbST) is a hormone that can be used to increase the milk pro-

duction of cows. The use of this hormone is forbidden in the European Union. Because of that

there is a great need for a test that can prove the presence of rbST fast, inexpensive and easy.

The researchers will develop luminescent proteins that will change color in the presence of spe-

cific antibodies against rbST. The color of the proteins can be measured with a regular smart-

phone, so the test can be carried out at the farm if necessary.

A KIEM is a project involving an SME together with one or more knowledge institutions that is aimed at answering research questions in practice.


Gravitation Programme

The Gravitation Programme is intended for consortia of excellent scientistswho conduct innovative and influential research within their professionaldiscipline. The purpose is to encourage research that can be among the world’stop to actually achieve an international breakthrough.

The Institute for Chemical Immunology (ICI) Prof. J.J.C. Neefjes (Netherlands Cancer Institute), Prof. C.G. Figdor (RadboudUMC),

Prof. P. Gros (Utrecht University), Prof. A.J.R. Heck (Utrecht University), Prof. H.S. Overkleeft

(Leiden University), Prof. T.N.M. Schumacher (Netherlands Cancer Institute).

The Institute for Chemical Immunology (ICI) develops chemical compounds that can activate or

suppress the immune system precisely. By combining immunological knowledge with advances

in chemistry, the ICI is working on a new generation of medicines for common diseases such as

cancer and rheumatism. Our immune system protects us against infectious diseases and cancer.

Its failure to function properly can result in unpleasant consequences. However, if the immune

system unintentionally works too well then autoimmune diseases can develop where the im-

mune system attacks the body, as is the case with rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. In

the Institute for Chemical Immunology (ICI) the top in Immunology and Chemistry will join forces

to develop a new discipline: Chemical Immunology. The aim is to use chemistry to understand

immune diseases and to find solutions for situations where the immune system fails or is too

active. This combination of disciplines can bring about a radical change in the approach to au-

toimmune diseases, infections and cancer.

Cancer GenomiCs.nl Prof. R. Bernards (Netherlands Cancer Institute), Prof. J.L. Bos (University Medical Center

Utrecht), Prof. H. Clevers (Hubrecht Institute), Prof. R.H. Medema (Netherlands Cancer

Institute), Prof. R. Kanaar (Erasmus Medical Center), Prof. A. van Oudenaarden

(Hubrecht Institute).

Cancer GenomiCs.nl (CGC.nl) was established in 2013 as a ‘Center of Excellence’. CGC.nl combines

the expertise, knowledge and infrastructure of internationally established as well as junior basic

scientists and clinicians from seven research institutions in the Netherlands. The scientist want

to understand how specific genetic changes in individual tumors determine tumor behavior, in-

cluding their responses to cancer drugs, and bring this new knowledge into the clinic.


Talent Scheme

The Talent Scheme offers individual grants to talented, creative researchers. This enablesthem to conduct the research of their choice. The Talent Scheme has three fundinginstruments tailored to various phases in researchers’ scientific careers.

Veni Stick or Sprout in brain cancer? Unravel the biochemistry of adhesion-GPCRs,

Dr. S.Nijmijer (VU University Amsterdam).

The large superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprises important targets for

many (>30%) marketed drugs. Biochemical knowledge on the adhesion-GPCR subfamily is yet in

its infancy compared to our understanding of many of the well-studied GPCR drug targets. Ad-

hesion-GPCRs mediate cell adhesion (‘stick’) and migration to correctly position cells in our body.

Dysfunction (e.g. mutation or differential expression) of adhesion-GPCRs causes organ malfor-

mations (e.g. brain), tumor growth and metastasis (‘sprout’). The adhesion-GPCRs GPR56 and

ELTD1 are upregulated in brain cancer (i.e. glioblastoma), but knowledge on their exact biochem-

istry is lacking.

A Veni grant allows young talents to perform research for a period of three years.

VidiElucidation of kinase inhibitor resistance in lung cancer, Dr. S.M. Lemeer (Utrecht University).

Small molecule inhibitors are attractive therapeutics as they target kinases that are critical for

tumor cell survival and proliferation. Several small molecule inhibitors have been proven successful

in the clinic, but despite initial success most cancers eventually develop resistance against these

drugs. In addition, a large number of tumors appear to be irresponsive to drug treatment because

tumors find ways to circumvent the drug’s action. Resistance to the drugs, both intrinsic and ac-

quired is a major problem and is believed to be the major cause of failure of drug treatment. A

thorough understanding of the resistance mechanisms on a molecular level is still lacking.

The Vidi grant gives talented researchers the opportunity to develop their own line of research and to build up their own research group.

ViciUnderstanding membrane fusion at the molecular level using a biomimetic model system,

Prof. A. Kros (Leiden University).

In this project, the researcher aims to design a biomimetic model system able to induce for the

first time in-vivo membrane fusion and study its mechanism. Fusion of lipid bilayers in cells fa-

cilitates the active transport of chemicals. Non-viral membrane fusion is regulated by a cascade

of proteins as the process is highly regulated both in space and time. In eukaryotic cells, the so-

called SNARE protein complex is at the heart of fusion. How SNARE proteins promote fusion re-

mains a major question in cell biology. This is because SNAREs are large, complex, membrane

bound and therefore hard to handle, to modify and to manipulate. Inspired by SNARE-mediated

fusion, the researcher will develop a model system able to in-vivo induce fusion.

The Vici grant enables the laureates to do research for the next five years and to build up their own research group. Vici is one of the largest grants for individual scientists in the Netherlands.


European Grants of the European Research Council (ERC)

ERC Starting GrantProf. G.J.L. Wuite (VU University Amsterdam), Prof. M. Merkx (Eindhoven University of

Technology), Prof. H. Ovaa (Netherlands Cancer Institute), Prof. D.J. Slotboom (University

of Groningen), Prof. J.G. Roelfes (University of Groningen), Prof. D. Weijers (Wageningen

University), Prof. A.M. Van Oijen (University of Wollongong, Australia), Dr. F.J. Dekker

(Groningen University), Prof. N.H. Dekker (Delft University of Technology), Prof. M. Vermeulen

(UMC Utrecht), Dr. A.C.O. Vertegaal (UMC Leiden), Dr. D.A. Wilson (Radboud University),

Dr. J. Jacobs (Netherlands Cancer Institute), Dr. G. Van Den Bogaart (UMC Radboud),

Dr. P.E. Boukany (Delft University of Technology), Dr. M. Srinivas (UMC Radboud),

Dr. S.I. van Kasteren (Leiden University), Dr. E. de Wit (Hubrecht Institute), Dr. H. Youk (Delft

University of Technology), Dr. B.J.C. Janssen (Utrecht University).

ERC Starting Grants aim to support up-and-coming research leaders who are about to establish a proper research team and to start conducting independent research in Europe.

ERC Advanced GrantProf. R. van Grondelle (VU University), Prof. H.S. Overkleeft (Leiden University),

Prof. R. Agamie (Netherlands Cancer Institute), Prof. A.J.M. Stams (Wageningen UR),

Prof. H.G. Stunnenberg (Radboud University), Prof. W. Vermeulen (Erasmus MC),

Prof. J.C.M. van Hest (Radbout University), Prof. J.T. Pronk (Delft University of Technology),

Prof. A. Herrmann (University of Groningen), Prof. J.J.C. Neefjes (Netherlands Cancer

Institute), Prof. P.J. Schoenmakers (University of Amsterdam), Prof. C.A. van Blitterswijk

(University Maastricht), Dr. B. van Steensel (Netherlands Cancer Institute).

The ERC Advanced Grant funding targets researchers who have already established themselves as independent research leaders in their own right.

ERC Consolidator Grant (introduced in 2012)Prof. J.L.M. Cornelissen (Twente University), Prof. C. Hoogenraad (Utrecht University),

Prof. R.P. van Rij (Radboud MC).

ERC Consolidator Grants are designed to support researchers at the stage at which they areconsolidating their own independent research team or programme.


International Cooperation

InstructInstruct is a pan-European Research Infrastructure providing expertise and access to high quality

instruments for structural cell biology researchers. Structural biology is one of the key frame-

works on which we interpret molecular and cellular functions. The main experimental technolo-

gies are complementary, and increasingly link detailed atomic structure with cellular context.

Structural biology is currently in the middle of a revolution enabled by significant advances in

the tools (direct electron detectors in EM, advances in synchrotron sources and detectors, XFELs,

ultra-high field NMR, super-resolution cryo-light miscroscopy).

Instruct-NL NetworkThe membership of the Netherlands to Instruct has, over the past few years, been financially

supported by NWO Chemical Sciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands Cancer Institute,

Leiden University and the University of Groningen.

Infrastructures that are offered to the Dutch structural biology and cell biology community as

part of Instruct-NL are the NMR Large Scale Facility (NWO-CW NMR LSF) at Utrecht University

for solution- and solid-state NMR as well as biomolecular modeling, the protein native MS fa-

cilities that are embedded in the Netherlands Proteomics Center (NPC) in Utrecht, which are

also a Node of the Instruct Associate Centre for Mass Spectrometry of Native Proteins and Com-

plexes (MS-NPC), the NKI Protein expression and crystallisation facility in Amsterdam and the

Netherlands Centre for Electron Nanoscopy (NeCEN) in Leiden.

Instruct-NL infrastructures for scientists in the Netherlands

- SONNMRLSF: Biomolecular NMR infrastructure

- WeNMR: e-Infrastructure for NMR and structural biology

- NPC: Mass spectrometry based proteomics technology

- NKI Protein Facility: Protein expression, purification and crystallisation

- NeCEN: cryo-transmission electron tomography


Facilities and equipment

Investment grants for medium sized and large investments in scientific equipment.Investment Grant NWO Large is meant for the purchase of equipment and for thesetting up, linking and enriching of data collections.

BAZIS- Prof. H. Irth/Prof. W.M.A. Niessen (VU University), Instrumentation for targeted bioanalysis of living systems.

- Prof. J.C.M. van Hest (Radboud University), Fingerprints in chemical biology: focusing on mass and shape.

- Prof. Stefan Rüdiger (Utrecht University), Understanding the chemistry between biomolecules.

- Prof. P.J.M. van Haastert (University of Groningen), Upgrading of Biomolecule Production Pipeline.

- Prof. H. Irth (VU University), Amsterdam Laboratory for Computational Chemistry.

- Prof. E.W. Meijer (Eindhoven University of Technology), Mass spectrometry for identifying supramolecular

complexes.

NWO Medium - Prof. E.J. Boekema (University of Groningen), Exploring soft matter and protein structures by electron

microscopy.

- Prof. M. Ubbink (Leiden University), Breathing Proteins: Visualizing Enzyme Dynamics by NMR.

- Dr. F. Ariese (VU University), Scannable picosecond UV laser system for resonance Raman spectroscopy.

- Dr. D.T.S. Rijkers (Utrecht University), Peptide Synthesis: An Essential Tool for Chemical Biology.

- Dr. A.C. Terwisscha van Scheltinga (University of Groningen), Micro-scale protein purification and

characterisation workstation for protein structural biology.

- Prof. R.P. Sijbesma (Eindhoven University of Technology), Calorimetry for self-assembly of (bio)functional

molecules and materials.

- Dr. C.P.M. van Mierlo (Wageningen UR), Multi-mode confocal microscope for exploring single-molecule

protein folding, protein complex assembly, and transcriptional dynamics.

- Prof. M.W. Fraaije (University of Groningen), Facility for a multi-purpose stopped-flow system to unravel

enzyme kinetics.

- Prof. G.A. van der Marel (Leiden University), Automated synthesis of phosphate containing biopolymers.

- Prof. H. Ovaa (Netherlands Cancer Institute), Large Scale Peptide Synthesis and Purification.

- Prof. P. Gros (Utrecht University), Multivalent interactions studied by Surface Plasmon Resonance.

- Dr. W. Bras (DUBBLE), A new Pilatus SAXS detector for the DUBBLE beam lines.

NWO Large- Prof. B. Koster (Leiden University), Netherlands Center for Electron Nanoscopy (NeCEN).

- Prof. M.H. Baldus (Utrecht University), High resolution/sensitivity solid-state NMR: A new approach towards

in-situ structural biology.

National Roadmap for Large-Scale Research Facilities- Prof. A. Heck, (Utrecht University), Proteins@Work; A large-scale proteomics research facility for the life

sciences.

- Prof. M. Baldus (Utrecht University), An ultra-high field NMR facility for the Netherlands (uNMR-NL).

The National Roadmap for Large-Scale Research Facilities programme enables the building orrenovation of research facilities with international allure.

NWO Chemical Sciences

E: [email protected]

T: 070 - 344 05 56

www.nwo.nl/cw

@NWOCEW

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