Newsletter nr. 002 | December 2020

NWO newsletter for the Physics of Life research community

nr.002 | December 2020

Publication date: December 4, 2020

Events & meetings

What	When	Where	More information
KNAW BioPhysicsNL Talks Agnese Seminara, Leonid Mirny	8 Dec 2020, 15:30-17:30	Online	You can watch the seminar and tutorial by: Live streaming on the Youtube channel BioPhysicsNL Via Zoom with this link. Use passcode: +=y6VU If you would like to participate in the discussion with the speaker/the tutorial you can register here.
CHAINS	8 - 9 Dec 2020	Online	https://nwochains.nl/
Physics@Veldhoven	18 – 20 Jan 2021	Online	https://www.nwo.nl/en/meetings/physicsveldhoven
International Symposium on Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering	Deadline to organize a workshop: 15 Jan/15 Feb Meeting: 7-9 Sept 2021	Online/Bonn	https://www.cmbbe-symposium.com/2021/call-for-proposals/
Life2021	26, 27 and 28 May 2021	Online	https://nwolife.nl Keep updated on the latest news and deadlines via the Life Newsletter
International European Light Microscopy Initiative Meeting	22-25 June 2021	Noordwijker-hout	https://elmi2020.eu/

New appointments, grants, prizes, and other news.

5 October 2020: Kees Storm appointed new chairman of the Physics Round Table[1]
AMOLF group leader Kristina Ganzinger has been awarded this year’s Pieter Langerhuizen Lambertuszoon Fonds of the Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen (KHMW)[2]
KNAW Early Career Award for NKI group leader Tineke Lenstra[3]
ERC Starting grants for Riccardo Levato (UMCU), Ginny Farías (UU), Jacques Bothma (Hubrecht Institute)[4]
Koen Bastiaans wins the first Paul & Tatiana Ehrenfest physics thesis prize from the Dutch Physics Council. The Dutch Physics Council invites nominations for the 2021 Paul & Tatiana Ehrenfest thesis award. The award recognizes an outstanding Ph.D. thesis in the field of physics, defended at a Dutch university in the previous year (1 September 2020 - 1 September 2021). The prize is open to nominations in any subfield of physics, and for theoretical as well as experimental work. The winner receives € 5000 and is invited to present their research at the national Physics@Veldhoven meeting (January 2022). The deadline for nominations is 1 October 2021.[5]
30 Nov – 4 Dec: week of Spinoza laureate Nynke Dekker[6]

Granted projects NWO

OPEN COMPETITION

Caught in the act; unveiling lysosome-driven cancer cell invasion by correlative 3D live-cell electron microscopy
Dr Nalan Liv (UMCU)
Lysosomes are cell organelles that break down many kinds of biomolecules. There is a strong rise in the number of lysosomes in the spurs that invasive cancer cells extrude into their environment. How these lysosomes contribute to cancer cell invasion is poorly understood, as there is no way to follow this process with the extremely high resolution required. I will develop a new microscopy method and use it to characterize hundreds of lysosomes in cancer cells migrating in a 3D environment. My main objectives are to reveal the molecular processes underlying lysosome-driven cancer cell invasion, and to discover new points at which metastasis could be blocked.

ENW KLEIN[7]

The RAD51 paralog paradox: Essential functions in DNA repair depend on how proteins move and organize within the dynamic nuclear environment
Prof. Claire Wyman (Erasmus MC)
Genetic information is coded into the structure of DNA, so maintaining its structural integrity is essential. A break in both DNA strands is dangerous. Repairing the damage requires a large group of proteins to organize themselves into repair machines within the complex environment of the cell nucleus, and in competition with other genomic activity. In order to understand how this works we will determine how individual DNA repair proteins behave in the cell nucleus, and how they organize themselves at the locations of DNA damage. This understanding could yield new ways to treat cancer and optimize CRISPR/Cas gene modification.

TALENT

Anisotropic and deformable microswimmers

Dr. D.J. (Daniela) Kraft (f), Leiden University

Bacteria and algae use shape changes and elasticity to direct their motion. In this project, the researchers will model their behavior by fabricating synthetic elastic microswimmers of various shapes using a 3D printer, and study how they move and interact.

Finding a needle in the cellular haystack

Dr. T.H. (Thom) Sharp (m), Leiden University

Recent advances in microscopy now allow us to see individual proteins within whole cells. However, cells are so densely-packed with molecules that finding the desired protein is like looking for a needle in a haystack. This proposal aims to combine different microscopy techniques to solve this problem, and in doing so answer longstanding questions in immunology, such as “how does our immune system first interact with germs?”.

Vidi-2019[8]

Stopping protein aggregation in liquid droplets

Dr. E. (Evan) Spruijt (m), Radboud University Nijmegen

Cells must continuously keep their proteins from aggregating. Accumulation of certain aggregates is toxic and leads to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Liquid droplets that naturally occur in the cell may enhance protein aggregation. We will design simple model droplets to investigate this and screen drugs that can prevent aggregation.

Rubicon[9]

Giving voices to living matter

Dr B. (Beatrice) Adelizzi: TU/e -> France, École Normale Supérieure

NWO calls

OPEN COMPETITON	TALENT	Dutch Research Agenda (NWA)	*KIC 2020-2023 & Gravitation**	INFRASTRUCTURE
ENW-XS Temporarily closed	Rubicon ENW 30 March 2021	NWA-ORC 2020 14 Jan 2021 pre-proposals	Key technologies 10 Nov 2020 (appropriateness check)	Investment Grant NWO-Large Temporarily closed
ENW-M Continuous application	Veni 2021 20 May 2021 Full proposals	Support for NWA route management Temporarily closed	Gravitation 19 Januari 2021	National Roadmap for Large-Scale Research Infrastructure Temporarily closed
ENW-XL Call will open soon, deadline 15 April 2021	Vidi 2020 Temporarily closed	NWA Science communication Temporarily closed	Circularity 26 Jan 2021
TTW OTP Continuous application until 31 Dec 2020	Vici 2020 Temporarily closed		Innovations for wind and solar energy 28 Jan 2021
	Incentive Grants for Women in STEM 31 December 2020		Aquatic food production 26 Jan 2021
			Climate-robust production systems and water management 26 Jan 2021
			Demand-driven Partnerships for consortia 16 Feb 2021 (appropriateness check)
			Demand-driven Partnerships for partners Continuous application
			Strategic collaborations Call will open soon
NWO Scientific meetings and consultations Continuous application