The NWO has allocated Vidi funding of up to €850,000 to researchers Guido van Mierlo, Pascal Miesen, Giesje Nefs en Lilly Verhagen from Radboud university medical center. With the help of the Vidi grant, the talented scientists can establish or expand their own line of research and further develop their talent.
Guido van Mierlo - How leukemia hides from the immune system
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer that can evade the body’s immune defenses. Natural Killer cells are immune cells that can destroy leukemia, but they rely on specific 'signals' on cancer cells to recognize their targets. Researcher Guido van Mierlo will create the first detailed map of how these signals are arranged in tiny clusters on AML cells and test how these patterns help cancer cells to hide or resist treatment. This knowledge will guide the design of smarter therapies that boost patients’ own immune responses and improve their chances of beating the disease.
Guido van Mierlo
Pascal Miesen - Watching how viruses infect mosquitoes
Mosquitoes spread viruses such as dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya, which affect millions of people each year. These viruses must first infect the mosquito's gut, but how this process begins is still unknown. In this project, mosquito researcher Pascal Miesen will create a 'MOVIE' of infection in the mosquito gut to see which cells become infected, where this happens, and how infection spreads. This will allow him to identify cells that may play a key role in establishing infection within the mosquito. He will test this by specifically strengthening antiviral defenses in these cells to determine whether virus transmission is blocked.
Pascal Miesen
Giesje Nefs - ‘A-I-D&Me’: Facilitate human-technology collaboration in type 1 diabetes
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. Psychologist Giesje Nefs examines how concerns such as mistrust and anxiety lead to actions that disrupt automation. Based on these insights, she develops tools that support more effective technology use, in co-creation with people with diabetes and healthcare providers.
Giesje Nefs
Lilly Verhagen - Stopping respiratory infections where they start: strengthening airway immunity in children
Respiratory infections are very common in young children. In up to 15%, infections remain 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 defense overlooked. In this project, pediatric infectious disease and immunology specialist Lilly Verhagen 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.
Lilly Verhagen
About the Vidi grants
The NWO Talent Programme offers researchers the freedom to pursue their own research driven by creativity and passion. It encourages innovation and curiosity. Vidi, together with the Veni and Vici grants, is part of the NWO Talent Programme. The evaluation focuses on the scientific quality and innovative nature of the research proposal, the scientific and/or societal impact of the proposed project, and the quality of the researcher. Almost all Radboudumc researchers who receive the Vidi grant are or were part of the talent track, the Radboudumc talent programme for exceptionally talented researchers.
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