It is one the most anticipated moments on the Dutch research funding calendar: the anouncement of the yearly NWO Vici-grants. Amounting to €1.5 million each, the Vici’s are among the largest personal research grants in the Netherland. Vici-grants enable experienced scientists to develop new lines of research and further expand and strengthen their research group. 

For the 2024 round, 369 pre-proposals were submitted, of which 130 were selected to be elaborated into a full proposal. Of these, 43 were granted. Among the newly minted Vici-laureates, we spotted four KNCV-members. These are: 

Timothy Noël, University of Amsterdam

Synthetic robots for safer and greener chemistry

Chemistry labs have long relied on manual processes that are time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes hazardous. SynthBot is a groundbreaking robotic platform that will automate key steps in chemical synthesis, from discovering new reactions to optimizing them. By using machine learning and 3D-printed components, SynthBot will make chemical research faster, safer, and more efficient. This innovation has the potential to reduce waste, improve safety, and make advanced chemical techniques more accessible to researchers in academia and industry, ultimately paving the way for new breakthroughs in medicine, materials, and sustainability.

Evgeny Pidko, Delft University of Technology

Taking the lead in the catalyst dance: teaching everyday metals choreography to power the future

In the intricate ‘dance’ of chemical reactions, catalysts take the lead. However, the star performers in catalysis are often the noble metals that are most scarce and costly. In this project, scientists will teach abundant, everyday metals to dance like their more privileged noble metal counterparts. By combining advanced theory, experiments and automation, researchers will track, control, and optimize these catalysts, making green chemistry more attainable and efficient.

Joris Sprakel, Wageningen University & Research

Battle at the wall: the mechanical weapons of plant killers

Fungi and other filamentous pathogens are an enormous threat to plant health, especially as climate change makes plants increasingly vulnerable. One aspect of how these plant killers infect plants remains enigmatic: How do they get in? Pathogens must force their way through the protective surface of the plant to enter its tissues. This project, which features a unique combination of physics, chemistry, and biology, will study the mechanical weapons pathogens use to break through the plant’s defenses. The insights this project generates will form a basis for a completely new perspective on how we could protect crops from disease.

Wiebe de Vos, University of Twente

Foaming sustainable membranes

Membranes clean water but are themselves made using large quantities of toxic, unsustainable and nonrenewable organic solvents. In this project, we will prepare membranes in a completely new way, where the pores are formed by the generation of very small air bubbles. Via this approach we will prepare foamed membranes from green solvents or even completely from water, with unique pore structures and functionalities. These membranes will be immediately applied to produce highly clean water, or for efficient separations in the dairy and chemical industry.

Overview of all Vici 2024 laureates