Alzheimer, cardiovascular disease, chemotherapy-resistant cancers- all these conditions remain incurable. We will develop tiny particles, nanocarriers, for treatment of such conditions. Our unique approach is to encapsulate Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) in nanocarriers. PROTACs are novel, revolutionary drugs that degrade “bad” proteins involved in these conditions. PROTACs were efficient in initial experiments. However, major challenges hamper PROTACs performance: stabilization of PROTACs in blood, and targeting the diseased cells. Encapsulation of PROTACs in nanocarriers will tackle these challenges, leading to new treatments of major public health problems in the future.

Freshwater is essential for the well-being of people and planet, but water resources worldwide are being overexploited. I estimate how much water we use globally to produce food, clothes, and more, and assess what values apparently underly current water footprint patterns. Applying various ethical perspectives on water use, I investigate when and where water can serve multiple functions simultaneously or where tough choices have to be made to avoid or reduce water-related problems. My research furthermore supports policy processes that strive to give due attention not only to economic but also societal and environmental values of water use.

Personalized online interventions for mental health Dr. S.M. (Saskia) Kelders (f), University of Twente - Psychology, Health and Technology Online interventions for mental health can be effective, but not every intervention is effective for everyone. A model will be developed to predict for whom an intervention is effective and a method to match every individual to the most appropriate intervention. This will be evaluated in lab and field studies.

Inspired by the autonomous motion, activity, and transport of microorganisms in fluids, the emerging field of "active" or "autonomous matter" has gained momentum. This rapidly growing area is dedicated to engineering synthetic microrobots with distinctive capabilities such as self-propulsion, collective behavior, and adaptability to local gradients, including temperature, chemicals, pH, and nutrients. Yet, developing microrobots that can swim in three dimensions (3D) remains a formidable challenge. This project aims to develop a facile model system by powering microrobots with light-driven synthetic molecular or nanomachines, enabling them to swim in 3D real space, mimicking microorganisms.

-