news

Researchers at TU Delft designed novel 3D-engineered scaffolds inspired by the geometry of the brain microvasculature. The micro-structures were co-cultured with both glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, and endothelial cells, the building blocks of blood vessels. This model enabled researchers to study the effect of proton therapy on glioblastoma and uncovered a possible protective role of endothelial cells on cancer cells.

The Twinning Genetics Consortium announced the discovery of at least six genes influencing a woman's likelihood of having fraternal twins. Among the identified genes, four were associated with known roles in female reproduction, affecting the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) pathway, particularly relevant to women undergoing fertility treatments.

The structure of one of the most abundant antibodies in our blood, Immunoglobulin M (IgM), turns out to be different than previously thought: it contains an additional protein known as CD5L. This discovery, made by Utrecht researchers under the guidance of Albert Heck and colleagues at Sanquin in Amsterdam, is now published in the scientific journal PNAS .

Researchers have so far underestimated methane emissions from canals in five major Dutch cities. That is the conclusion of microbiologist Koen Pelsma, who will defend his PhD thesis on this topic at Radboud University on 13 December. In calculations of methane emissions from water, far too little is known about emissions from urban waters such as canals, says researcher Koen Pelsma.

Pupils with a high level of self-control and grit generally achieve better grades. Many assume that this good working attitude results in better grades, but biological psychologists at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) have discovered that the relationship is less causal than thought. Children predisposed to a good work attitude also are also predisposed to good academic performance.

Boys who associate with delinquent friends are more likely to display antisocial behavior. A new study by neuroscientists and behavior experts from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam UMC shows that this association is stronger in boys with an increased sensitivity to reward. For the first time, a scientific study on antisocial behavior has demonstrated an interaction effect between a brain mechanism, measured with functional MRI scans, and an environmental factor.

Plants recruit soil bacteria to protect against downy mildew, forming a leaf-based defense system. The bacteria not only combat pathogens but also leave a protective legacy in the soil for the next plant generation. This discovery, published today by Utrecht biologists, offers a promising path toward creating crops that naturally fend off diseases, reducing reliance on harmful pesticides in agriculture.

Laura Rijns defended her PhD thesis cum laude at the Department of Biomedical Engineering on November 10th. In human tissue, the cells are embedded in the 'extracellular matrix'. This matrix is made up of fiber-like structures that provide firmness to the tissue, but also influence cell behavior and facilitate cell growth.

Today marks a significant milestone as TU Delft officially joins EBRAINS, a state-of-the-art digital research infrastructure developed by the EU-funded Human Brain Project, which serves as a comprehensive hub for brain-related data and tools. Its overarching mission is to facilitate collaborative research and translate scientific breakthroughs into tangible innovations, ultimately improving the lives of patients and benefiting society as a whole.

A collaborative team of researchers led by prof. Cees Dekker at TU Delft, in partnership with international colleagues, introduces a pioneering breakthrough in the world of nanomotors - the DNA origami nanoturbine. This nanoscale device could represent a paradigm shift, harnessing power from ion gradients or electrical potential across a solid-state nanopore to drive the turbine into mechanical rotations.

An international team of neuroscientists has constructed highly detailed maps of the adult ape and human brain. They have also depicted various developmental stages of the brain before and after birth. It is the most comprehensive and detailed map of mammalian brains ever created. VU Amsterdam neuroscientists Natalia Goriounova, Christiaan de Kock, and Huib Mansvelder, along with neurosurgeons from Amsterdam UMC, contributed to this atlas.

The Amazon rainforest may be home to thousands of hidden earthworks, made by pre-Columbian civilizations. This is revealed by a large international study investigating the distribution of these hidden structures. Biologist Hans ter Steege contributed to the research. "This discovery tells us that certain parts of the forest may not be as old as we initially thought." The dense Amazon Rainforest may hold far more traces of human civilization than previously believed.

Cells are at the foundation of life. To gain a better understanding of essential life processes, we need to comprehend the language cells use to interact with each other. Biophysical scientist Christian Niederauer from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has developed a new method to study this interaction.

Researchers from the Utrecht University have uncovered a sophisticated mechanism by which coronavirus spike proteins can be activated for cell entry. The study , published today in the scientific journal Nature, used powerful microscopes and computer simulations to reveal how a tiny sugar molecule binds to a human coronavirus spike and triggers exposure of components that are required to invade the host cell.

Equipped with advanced robotics, hyperspectral imaging, laser scanners, climate chambers, and other installations, the Netherlands Plant Eco-phenotyping Centre (NPEC) opens its doors today in Utrecht. Researchers at this lab can automatically monitor the growth and development of thousands of plants.

Researchers develop a new, light-responsive hydrogel upon which cells can grow to study how cells deal with changes in their environment. Our cells have a complex relationship with the body's microenvironment. It has been studied in the lab, but, to date, most studies leave out dynamic changes to the microenvironment.

Changing the way that carp are fed can substantially reduce the amount of ammonia they excrete compared to when they eat the same amount of food all at once. This finding is one of the outcomes of Wouter Mes's PhD research at Radboud University. Mes researched zebrafish and carp (the most commonly bred fish in the world) as part of his PhD.

Eva van Aalen defended her PhD thesis at the Department of Biomedical Engineering on September 15th. TU/e researcher Eva van Aalen has developed a glow-in-the-dark test that can make disease diagnosis by general practitioners or in hospitals faster. This test could potentially also be used by patients at home, for example to monitor the concentration of certain drugs in the body.

Using a biosensor to detect cystic fibrosis as the test case, TU/e researchers have devised an innovative way to train neuromorphic chips as presented in a new paper in Nature Electronics. Neuromorphic computers - which are based on the structure of the human brain - could revolutionize our future healthcare devices.

A new powerful antibiotic, isolated from bacteria that could not be studied before, seems capable of combating harmful bacteria and even multi-resistant 'superbugs'. Named Clovibactin, the antibiotic appears to kill bacteria in an unusual manner, making it more difficult for bacteria to develop any resistance against it.