NWO has granted a maximum of 850.000 euros to three APH researchers. With the help of the Vidi grant, the talented scientists can start their own line of research and further develop their talent. The NWO Talent Programme gives researchers the freedom to pursue their own research based on creativity and passion, fostering innovation and curiosity. Curiosity-driven research contributes to and prepares us for tomorrow’s society.
Neurotransmitters and brain networks: key to psychiatric treatment
By dr. A. Schrantee – Amsterdam University Medical Center
Mental health disorders affect nearly 1 billion people worldwide, yet current treatments, like pharmacotherapy and neuromodulation, often have limited success and significant side effects. This project investigates how brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) influence communication networks in the brain, a key factor in these disorders. Using advanced brain imaging techniques, the researchers will map how these chemicals shape brain connections in healthy individuals and those with conditions like ADHD, OCD, and depression. By understanding how medications and brain stimulation treatments affect these chemical networks, this research could lead to more precise and personalized mental health treatments.
Clever use of blood pressure lowering medication for dementia prevention
By dr. J. van Dalen, Amsterdam University Medical Center
High blood pressure is an important risk factor for dementia. Bood pressure-lowering therapy reduces this risk. Studies suggest that individuals who use specific types of blood pressure-lowering medications develop dementia 10-35% less often than those using other types. These different medication types are widely used. Many dementia cases may be prevented if only dementia-reducing types would be prescribed. However, proving this through a clinical study is challenging, as it would require over ten thousand individuals to participate many years. This project uses advanced research techniques and large-scale existing datasets to identify which blood pressure-lowering medications are best for preventing dementia.
Can common bacteria protect babies from diarrheal disease and drug resistance?
By dr. V.C. Harris, Amsterdam University Medical Center
Babies in low-income countries often suffer from serious diarrheal illnesses and infections that don’t respond to antibiotics. My research shows that a common gut bacterium, E coli, increases in babies after their first year of life and contributes to antimicrobial resistance in low-income settings. Using data from 1,600 African infants, clinical studies, and computer models, the PATHO-SHIFT project explores how managing E. coli in the gut could reduce diarrheal illness and antibiotic drug resistance—helping create new microbiome-based treatments for at-risk babies.
Read more at NWO: 149 Vidi applications granted to talented researchers