UBC

1,700 New Proteins Expand the Human Proteome

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:45:26 +0000

Sebastiaan van Heesch and PhD candidate Leron Kok contributed to the discovery of 1,700 previously unknown microproteins, published in Nature. By making these proteins accessible through public databases, the researchers are opening new opportunities to study their role in diseases such as childhood cancer and identify future therapeutic targets. The discovery also underpins the newly launched ORFeus training programme, coordinated by Van Heesch, which will train the next generation of researchers to explore the ‘dark proteome’.

ERC Proof of Concept Grant for Albert Heck

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:40:01 +0000

Professor Albert Heck has received an ERC Proof of Concept Grant for his project AutoSERA, that identifies powerful therapeutic antibodies directly from blood proteins. Building on earlier ERC-funded research, the project aims to accelerate the discovery of new medicines and will be developed further in collaboration with the Utrecht spin-off Abvion. The grant supports the translation of fundamental research into applications with societal and clinical impact.

€4 Million grant for new AI research into sustainable agriculture

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:39:19 +0000

Our Daily Board member Ronnie de Jonge has secured a €4 million European grant to develop AI tools that support more sustainable agriculture. The project will use artificial intelligence to predict the best combinations of beneficial soil microbes, helping crops become more resilient while reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Researchers from five European partners will collaborate on the project.

Metastasis-related changes occur early in colon cancer

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:39:09 +0000

Research led by Hugo Snippert, group leader at the Princess Máxima Center and the Oncode Institute, shows that cellular changes linked to metastasis arise at the earliest stages of colon cancer. The findings were published in Nature. They could improve the identification of patients at risk of metastatic disease while helping to avoid unnecessary surgery in others. The study also provides new insights into the earliest steps of cancer development.

New genetic clues bring targeted ALS therapies closer

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:38:55 +0000

Researchers at the ALS Center UMC Utrecht have identified new genetic variants linked to ALS, increasing the proportion of patients with a known genetic cause from 20 to 25%. These findings provide important insights into the disease and lay the groundwork for developing targeted gene therapies for ALS. The study was published in Nature Genetics by first author Paul Hop under the co-supervision of Professor Jan Veldink and Kevin Kenna. Read the news story at the UMC Utrecht website (available in Dutch only) or this article in English.

Unlocking the hidden potential of fungi

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:38:44 +0000

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.

Westerdijk Institute secures two major grants

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:38:37 +0000

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 biotechnology.

Early Career Researcher Seed Grants awarded

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:37:45 +0000

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.

Friedrich Förster elected as EMBO Member

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:37:22 +0000

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 of EMBO and his future role as a member.

Albert Heck receives American Distinguished Contribution in Mass Spectrometry Award

Lotte Razenberg — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:37:17 +0000

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.