Cabinet allocates more than 142 million euros for scientific top research | news item

News item | 02-05-2022 | 08:30

Seven consortia with top scientists from various Dutch universities will receive a total of 142.7 million euros to conduct scientific research in the coming years as part of the Gravitation programme. Minister Dijkgraaf (OCW) makes this funding available to scientific consortia that can participate in pioneering research in their field among the world’s best.

The following seven research projects have been selected for a grant from the Gravitation 2022 programme:

  • IMAGINE!: Viewing and controlling cells in our tissues (20.8 million euros, main applicant: Utrecht University). The aim of this research is to develop important knowledge and tools for regenerative medicine (replacing or externally repairing damaged tissue), treating diseases and repurposing existing medicines.
  • The Dutch Brain Interfaces Initiative (21.9 million, main applicant: Radboud University Nijmegen)† To understand how the brain works, we need to understand how each part, from neuron to brain region, interacts with the rest of the brain and with the outside world. The aim of this research is to develop principles, devices and methods to take these interactions into account and thus to understand more about brain disorders, but also moods, emotions and compulsions.
  • GUTS: Growing Up Together in Society (22 million, main applicant: Erasmus University Rotterdam). The aim of this project is to discover how young people can grow up successfully and contribute to the current and future society. The researchers study how young people develop in terms of education, social networks, and social norms.
  • The algorithmic society (21.3 million, main applicant: University of Amsterdam). This project investigates how we can safeguard the so important public values ​​and human rights within the development of (semi-)automated processes (including Artificial Intelligence).
  • Sustainable Artige Substances (15.6 million, main applicant: Eindhoven University of Technology). In the Interactive Polymeric Materials Research Center the aim is to develop a new generation of intelligent, dynamic plastics that perform better through interaction with the environment, and are easily degradable and reusable.
  • Stress-in-Action: Advancing the Science of Stress by Moving the Lab to Daily Life (19.6 million, main applicant: VU University Amsterdam). With new knowledge, methods are being developed to monitor and reduce stress in daily life and thus to prevent the development of stress-related diseases.
  • Materials for the quantum age (21.5 million, main applicant: Utrecht University). Silicon transistors are the basis of our information society. There is a rapidly increasing demand for more powerful forms of calculation and information processing. The aim of this research is to provide new materials with stable quantum states, making the existing ways of information processing much more powerful and at the same time more energy efficient.

International top level research

The Gravitation program allows researchers to conduct top university research and collaborate in a multidisciplinary manner for a period of ten years. One of the pillars of the program is collaboration across disciplines and universities. Together, the scientists set up excellent scientific research programs in consortia. The aim of Gravitation is to promote the development of centers of gravity of an international top level.

‘Researchers from these scientific consortia, who are among the world’s best in their field, can use Gravitation to work on groundbreaking research’

Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf (OCW): “Peace and space are essential for conducting research at the highest international level. With this strong impulse, we offer long-term perspective and adequate funding to collaborating excellent research groups. Researchers from these scientific consortia, who are among the world’s best in their field, can use Gravitation to work on groundbreaking research.”

Selection procedure

The program Gravity is carried out by NWO on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. NWO is responsible for the selection of the research groups. NWO received 40 applications for funding within the Gravitation program in this round. Consortia of research groups could submit their applications through their universities. 15 consortia were invited for an interview and in the end seven consortia were selected. The assessment, mutual comparison and selection were in the hands of external referees and an international independent committee of scientists with experience of major scientific research projects.

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