NWO awards 4 projects with TOP-PUNT grants

The division of Chemical Sciences (CW) of NWO has funded 4 projects with a TOP-PUNT grant. The total amount awarded is € 8 million. TOP-PUNT grants of each € 2 million, are for small teams of full professors appointed at chemical centers of excellence. The full professors can use the grant to jointly set up, strengthen or renew challenging and innovative lines of research. The last round for TOP-PUNT is expected to be published this summer.
Via the 'Sectorplan natuur- en scheikunde' extra budget is available for scientific research in chemistry. Chemical Sciences finances from this budget TOP-PUNT and ECHO-STIP grants. These grants should boost the research in the chemical centers of excellence. The chemical centers of excellence have been established on recommendation of the 'Commissie Breimer'.
The grant can be used to fund several scientific positions and consumables up to six years. This will enable the research groups to realise several interrelated projects.

The four awarded teams are:
• Prof. dr. M.H. Baldus (UU) and prof. dr. A.M.J.J. Bonvin (UU) - Caught in the act: a combined magnetic resonance -modelling approach to capture cellular machines at work;

• Prof. dr. G.J. Boons (UU) and prof. dr. A.J.R. Heck (UU) - Combining chemical synthesis and analysis to reveal the biology regulated by protein glycosylation;

• Prof. dr. G. Rothenberg (UvA), prof. dr. B.L. Feringa (RUG) and prof. dr. J.N.H. Reek (UvA) - Catalysis in confined spaces;

• Prof. dr. D.A.M. Vanmaekelbergh (UU), prof. dr. W.K. Kegel (UU) and prof. dr. A. Meijerink (UU) - Superficial Superstructures: Control of Colloidal Ordering at Interfaces.