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In a new study, a team of researchers, including Anneliene Jonker, has published the first roadmap for developing genetic therapies for ultra-rare diseases. These conditions affect only one person worldwide and stem from unique genetic mutations. This breakthrough provides hope to millions worldwide who suffer from extremely rare genetic disorders for which no targeted treatments were previously available.

Is it unfair to pay extra for healthcare when you're ill? The topic of out-of-pocket healthcare costs is hotly debated in Dutch politics. Health economist Martin Salm, who will deliver his inaugural lecture on November 1, dives deep into this issue. In the Netherlands, much debate surrounds the mandatory deductible in health insurance.

In collaboration with Isala Zwolle , researchers from the TechMed Centre of the University of Twente developed a smart system to schedule patients with chronic kidney damage more efficiently. This system assesses in advance whether an appointment with the nephrologist is necessary, which leads to 18% fewer repeat appointments.

Every year, more than 100,000 people die from the effects of a venomous snakebite. Biologist Mátyás Bittenbinder has researched how snake venom damages the human body, with the goal of developing antivenoms in the future. Additionally, there are also some 'positive aspects' to the venom. This research leads to a better understanding of snake venom.

Thanks to a newly developed surgical robot, reconstructive surgery can be performed more safely and accurately in the future. This is also expected to lead to fewer complications and faster patient recovery. On October 18 , plastic surgeon Tom van Mulken of Maastricht UMC+ obtained his doctorate in research into this robot, which can significantly improve the precision and efficiency of microsurgical procedures.

Sleep researchers Iris Huijben and Bernice Wulterkens developed new ways to measure sleep. Most people sleep between 7 and 8 hours every night. Although we are not aware of it, a lot happens in our bodies while we are lying in bed. But what if sleeping becomes a problem? To gain more insight into the sleep process, TU/e researchers Iris Huijben and Bernice Wulterkens took a closer look at current sleep measurements.

The healthcare sector is heading toward a global shortage of 10 million workers. Research from Tilburg University shows how HR departments can creatively contribute to the battle for healthcare staff, and why they need to go beyond traditional methods. 'Many healthcare organizations are still looking for candidates who meet all the requirements.' Staff shortages in healthcare are high on political agendas.

The protein GBP1 is a vital component of our body's natural defence against pathogens. This substance fights against bacteria and parasites by enveloping them in a protein coat, but how the substance manages to do this has remained unknown until now. Researchers from Delft University of Technology have now unravelled how this protein operates.

As the global population surpasses 8 billion, the challenge of producing sufficient food becomes increasingly pressing. The Netherlands stands as the world's second-largest food exporter, efficiently cultivating a wide variety of crops. However, plant diseases such as downy mildew pose significant threats, potentially spoiling farmers' harvests.

Cyrille Herkert defended her PhD thesis at the Department of Industrial Design on September 24th. With her doctoral research, Cyrille Herkert, PhD candidate and cardiologist-in-training, offers new insights that can help improve care for heart failure patients using technology and telemonitoring.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were major concerns about the potential impact of the new virus on the well-being of pregnant women and their babies. This led to strict safety measures for pregnant women worldwide. However, infection with the COVID-19 virus during pregnancy does not lead to an increased risk of pregnancy complications, according to a new dissertation by Frederieke Gigase, which she is defending this week at Tilburg University.

Does advertising for healthy food encourage you to make healthier choices? Communication scientist Frans Folkvord conducted research on healthy food marketing targeting children aged seven to thirteen through vloggers. His study shows that children are more likely to make healthier choices when popular vloggers promote healthy products.

The COVID-19 pandemic made remote consultations necessary for good heart failure care, now it appears to work even better than the traditional care pathway. Research from five Dutch hospitals and researchers of the TechMed Centre of the University of Twente found that using digital consultations improved care while maintaining patient satisfaction.

One challenge with protein drugs is that the release is too fast. Professor Remco Tuinier and his team came up with a solution. Therapeutic proteins have been increasingly used in recent years to treat cancer, HIV, and other diseases. A challenge with these types of drugs is that the release is rapid and thus the medicine must be administered frequently.

International collaboration of more than thirty scientists as "textbook example of how nanomedicine should be done." Within an international collaboration of thirty scientists TU/e professors Jan van Hest and Willem Mulder are working on nanotechnological research to accurately stimulate the immune system.

Taking antibiotics at a young age can make the body more prone to asthma and allergies later in life. This might be preventable by adding a simple supplement, concludes immunologist Olaf Perdijk from Utrecht University. His comprehensive study is published today in the journal Immunity . Antibiotics are essential for eliminating harmful bacteria and have significantly advanced our healthcare.

Some bacteria form colonies that display striking, reflective colours. New genetic insights into the formation of such colours allowed an interdisciplinary, international team of researchers to identify the environments and bacterial groups in which these colours are found. Doing so, the team has made a start in understanding the function of these colours in bacteria.

More advanced and faster research is possible with the commissioning of the cold neutron source and the improved instruments of TU Delft Reactor Institute (RID) as of 27 June 2024. The first results of research are expected in October 2024, around the official reopening of the reactor. In recent years, the TU Delft team together with more than 10 national and international partners and suppliers have realised a technical masterpiece.

Postdoctoral researcher Florencia Abinzano was nominated for the Trial and Error award, established to create more awareness for open science: the open sharing of all research results, positive and negative, in science. Scientific research does not always go as it was conceived or hoped for. Sometimes, your hypothesis doesn't work out, mistakes may be made.

A second study by analytical chemists and immunologists of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam University Medical Center (VUmc) on the presence of micro and nanoplastics in human blood confirms the team's previous findings (Leslie et al. The first study received overwhelming attention, including a lot of resistance and disbelief especially from the polymer industry.