Unlocking the hidden potential of fungi
Westerdijk Institute bioinformatician Mao Peng was recently featured by NWO for his AiNed-funded research using AI to unlock the potential of fungi. By combining diverse biological datasets, his work helps identify proteins with applications in sustainable biotechnology, including biofuels, alternative proteins and other bio-based innovations. Read the full interview to learn more. Read more
Westerdijk Institute secures two major grants
The Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute has secured two major grants that will strengthen data-driven fungal research. Funding from Open Science NL and the new national FUNGI-NL initiative will support the development of FAIR fungal data infrastructure, open digital resources and collaboration across the Netherlands, helping accelerate research into fungi’s role in health, agriculture, biodiversity and […]
Early Career Researcher Seed Grants awarded
Six interdisciplinary research teams have received a 2026 Utrecht Life Sciences Early Career Researcher Seed Grant to launch innovative collaborations across Utrecht Science Park. The €10,000 grants support promising projects ranging from AI and cancer research to hearing, kidney disease, antibiotic resistance and nanoplastics. Read more about year’s award-winning collaborations on ULS’s LinkedIn page. Read […]
Friedrich Förster elected as EMBO Member
Biophysicist Friedrich Förster has been elected a Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), one of the most prestigious European organisations in life sciences. EMBO recognises Förster for developing pioneering methods that allow scientists to observe molecular processes directly inside living cells. In a news story by the UU, Friedrich reflects on the importance […]
Albert Heck receives American Distinguished Contribution in Mass Spectrometry Award
Professor Albert Heck has received the prestigious Distinguished Contribution in Mass Spectrometry Award from the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. The international honour recognises his pioneering work on viruses, antibodies and other complex biological systems, as well as his contributions to advancing proteomics and biomolecular mass spectrometry. Read more