Researchers at the Faculty of Science work at the frontiers of knowledge every day, tackling today's major societal challenges. Their work is recognised through grants, prizes and other awards. We highlight some of these achievements below.
Ákos Kovács appointed Director of Education at IBL
Ákos Kovács has been appointed Director of Education at the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL). He succeeds Dennis Claessen. Kovács will take up the position on 1 September 2026 for a four-year term.
Four Veni grants for researchers from the Faculty of Science
Can AI help us better understand quantum physics? And can plastic waste be turned into useful raw materials? These are two of the four projects at our faculty to receive a Veni grant. A total of 19 Leiden researchers have received a Veni grant this year.
Using AI to better understand quantum physics
Anna Dawid-Lekowska will investigate how explainable AI can help scientists better understand quantum physics. By combining AI with highly controllable quantum experiments, she hopes to uncover new quantum phenomena and the physical principles behind them.
More reliable checks for software and AI
Emily Yu is developing ways to make the verification of software, hardware and AI systems more reliable. She is developing techniques that enable computers to demonstrate that a system works correctly. This will make it easier for other researchers to check and confirm the results.
Research into the origins of life
Karina Nakashima is studying protocells: simple chemical structures that are seen as precursors to living cells. She is investigating how these structures can move and divide. This could help us better understand how life may have emerged on Earth billions of years ago.
From plastic waste to new raw materials
Felix de Zwart is investigating how plastic waste can be given a second life. He is developing special substances that can break down molten plastic into useful raw materials. These can then be used to make new products, such as cleaning agents.
Additional investment in spin-off Omivera
Leiden spin-off Omivera has received a €450,000 NWO Take-off Phase 2 grant to further develop its CellEKT® technology. The technology helps researchers determine whether new medicines actually reach and affect their intended targets in living cells. This is particularly important when developing kinase inhibitors, a widely used class of medicines that includes several cancer drugs.
CellEKT enables researchers to determine more accurately which dosage is needed, reduce unwanted side effects and understand why a medicine does or does not work. Zoë Vogelaar, Anthe Janssen and Joel Ruëgger are involved from Leiden University. The technology was developed in the lab of Leiden professor Maria van der Stelt
KiKa grant for research by Marta Fiocco
Mathematician Marta Fiocco has received a €649,134 grant from the Dutch Children's Cancer Foundation (KiKa) for a new research project. Together with researchers from the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology and UMC Utrecht/Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, she will study respiratory support for children with cancer.
Children with cancer are at increased risk of serious lung problems. Doctors are increasingly using nasal oxygen or breathing masks to support these children. Sometimes this helps, but not always. Waiting too long before switching to more intensive breathing support can be dangerous, but switching too quickly also carries risks. Doctors currently do not know enough about when to use which type of respiratory support. The research team will develop a predictive model to help doctors choose the right type of respiratory support at the right time.
Laura Bosmans receives Dekker Grant from the Heart Foundation
What role do dendritic cells play in atherosclerosis? Laura Bosmans will investigate this with a prestigious Dekker Grant from the Dutch Heart Foundation. This personal grant of more than €350,000 will enable her to establish an independent research programme into the role of dendritic cells in atherosclerosis.
These immune cells play a key role in the inflammatory processes that contribute to cardiovascular disease. The research will focus on identifying the specific populations of dendritic cells that drive the development of atherosclerosis and finding new potential targets for future treatments. In the long term, these insights could help reduce inflammation in blood vessels and prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Sebastian Pomplun receives Klaus Grohe Young Scientist Award
Making the 'untreatable' treatable: that is the aim of Sebastian Pomplun's research. He has now received the 2026 Klaus Grohe Young Scientist Award for his innovative research into new cancer medicines.
Together with his research group at Leiden University and the Oncode Institute, he is looking for new ways to target cancer-causing proteins that are difficult to treat with existing medicines. The award is presented every two years to promising young researchers in medicinal chemistry and comes with €25,000 in research funding.
Mimetas acquired by Bruker Corporation
Mimetas, a spin-off from Thomas Hankemeier's research group, is being acquired by Bruker Corporation. The company is acquiring a majority stake in Mimetas. Founded in 2013 as a spin-off from Leiden University, the company is now one of the world's leading developers of organ-on-a-chip technology.
KWF funds cancer research by Sebastian Pomplun
And there is another major grant for Sebastian Pomplun. He is receiving more than €1 million from the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF) for research into a specific type of breast and ovarian cancer.
Women with an inherited BRCA1 mutation have an increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. This type of tumour depends on the protein EXO1 to survive. With the KWF grant, Sebastian Pomplun and geneticist Sylvie Noordermeer will investigate new inhibitors that can block this protein.
