International – Pagina 4
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InternationalPhilosophy
Sjoerd Rijpkema doesn’t quite understand the exceedingly detailed questions that PhD candidates get during their defense ceremony. However, he recently came across a PhD defense with a markedly different approach.
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InternationalShining light on post-polymerisation functionalisation
A team from Utrecht University functionalises the C-H-bonds in polyolefins using just UV light without the need for solvents or catalysts, they report in JACS.
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InternationalFiltering fungi
Oyster mushrooms cleaning ditches and trenches. This is the solution with which MycoFarming aims to establish itself. Their biological filtration method cleans the water as the fungi grow, providing an innovative, sustainable solution to the nitrogen crisis that does not place a heavy burden on agricultural production or the environment.
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InternationalCat pushes carbon rings in the right direction
These essential building blocks are found in medicines and commonly used insecticides, but they are also difficult to synthesise: alkylidenecyclopropanes. In Nature, an international team presents a new method that makes producing these ring-shaped carbon structures much more efficient.
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InternationalShould I do a postdoc?
Isabelle Kohler shares her perspectives on the pros and cons of a postdoc fellowship and breaks down the decision that can shape a career trajectory.
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InternationalProgrammable precision for peptide positions
Using triazine-thiol exchange, a group from Nijmegen was able to program cysteine modifications in peptides by varying the pH, they report in ChemistryEurope.
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InternationalPaywall
Everything about publishing science is now digital, except for the price tag. Sjoerd Rijpkema wonders how long this can be sustained.
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International3D bioprinter is ‘smart baby’
The 3D bioprinting of functional tissues is a complex, step-by-step process that depends on the designer. Now, however, biomedical engineers at Utrecht University have developed new technology published in Nature that integrates advanced imaging and artificial intelligence, enabling the 3D bioprinter to observe and analyse.
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InternationalSustainable dairy proteins, produced without cows
Vivici is entering the food market by producing high-quality, sustainable protein through precision fermentation. Founded in 2023, Vivici has already made significant progress. The next step is to convince as many customers as possible. ‘The food business is a business based on trust.’
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InternationalGreen synthesis of aromatic nitriles
Leuven researchers have found a way to transform toluene into nitriles using electrochemistry, ammonia and… water! They report on this simple and potentially environmentally friendly procedure in ChemElectroChem.
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InternationalBreaking free from the validation trap
Isabelle Kohler explores how early-career researchers can develop internal validation skills to find genuine fulfillment and authentic career direction while breaking free from the pressure to constantly perform for others.
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InternationalBig Money for Big Chemistry
The National Growth Fund project, ‘Big Chemistry’, has provided eight consortia with €2.8 million. The projects focus on accelerating the search for chemicals with the desired properties.
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InternationalGroundbreaking creativity with flow reactors
Creaflow is developing a flow plate reactor that is ideal for photochemical and electrochemical processes. It is easy to vary and highly scalable. ‘As a start-up, we were quickly embraced by the market.’
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InternationalNear-infrared light drives molecular motors
In JACS, a team from Groningen and Amsterdam report that they were able to drive molecular motors with near-infrared light using upconverting nanoparticles for the first time.
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InternationalERC Starting Grants awarded
With a success rate of 12.2%, obtaining an ERC Starting Grant was no easy feat. Two KNCV- and two NVBMB-members managed to pass the selection and secure a grant.
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InternationalSpectrum with suggestions
Imagine scanning a spectrum of an unknown molecule and receiving a few suggestions from an AI assistant as to what it could be. Researchers at MIT and IBM are actively working on this technology and have already achieved powerful results. ‘Those who don’t embrace AI may find themselves left behind.’
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InternationalKNCV Gold Medal 2025 awarded to Bruno Ehrler
Bruno Ehrler, head of the Hybrid Solar Cells group at research institute AMOLF in Amsterdam and professor at the University of Groningen is the recipient of the KNCV Gold Medal 2025.
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InternationalTracing Biobased Plastics on the green path
For fifteen years, petrochemical company Braskem has been working hard on developing biobased polymers, like I’m green™ bio-based polyethylene.
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InternationalHow to make student supervision and teaching work for you
Teaching transformed Isabelle Kohler’s career from an anxiety-inducing PhD requirement to her greatest academic passion. Here, she offers practical strategies to PhD students and postdocs facing increased supervision duties.
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InternationalDeep-sea worm is little miss Sunshine
A worm that lives at hydrothermal vents a kilometer under the seasurface tolerates high levels of arsenic and sulfur by turning them into the bright yellow pigment orpiment.