News

  • measurement-6809278
    International

    World Metrology Day 2025

    2025-05-20T10:55:00Z

    Today, we are celebrating both UNESCO World Metrology Day and the 150th anniversary of the Metre Convention. But what does that have to do with chemistry?

  • Golfbal-oppervlak
    International

    Gripping the green

    2025-05-20T07:39:00Z

    When talking about better equipment for golf, probably the clubs first come to mind. But as it turns out, also the balls allow all kinds of tweaking. Including a new type of coating that really puts the player’s qualities to the test. 

  • 1igy-ribbon-bychain-vis_thumb_NIH3D
    International

    Small group of personalised antibodies in immune system much more stable than previously thought

    2025-05-16T09:27:00Z

    It appears that a small group of antibodies dominates and personalises the entire repertoire of the immune system. Researchers at Utrecht University discovered that these antibodies remain virtually unchanged in composition and quantity, even after vaccinations.

  • Predator-prey droplets
    International

    Predator: the final droplet hunt

    2025-05-08T12:46:00Z

    It was a hit on LinkedIn: a moving droplet being chased by another droplet, which then ‘catches’ it. This experiment by Peter Korevaar’s group provides insights into physico-chemical processes that can be found in everyday life.

  • cashew appel
    International

    Burgers from cashew waste

    2025-05-07T11:26:00Z

    Food products in the supermarket often leave a big trail of waste. This is certainly the case with the cashew nut. In ACS Food Science & Technology, researchers from Colombia have come up with a solution: plant-based burgers made from the cashew apple. 

  • Bijzondere chiraliteit
    International

    A chirality with a nice ring to it

    2025-05-06T08:33:00Z

    An international team has discovered that an eight-membered ring has a previously overlooked potential for chirality. Its surprising robustness opens up interesting applications, they report in ChemPhotoChem.

  • Nematodes in European Beech 2 - Colbert-Pitts et al 2025 Plant Pathology
    International

    Nasty nematodes

    2025-04-30T09:28:00Z

    Tiny worms are already causing havoc among beech in North-America. New research shows that also European beech is susceptible to this invasive pest, raising concerns for the health of European forests. 

  • bier kratten
    International

    0.0, yet full of flavour

    2025-04-30T08:50:00Z

    Alcohol-free beer still needs improvement in taste. Scott Lafontaine’s research in ACS Food Science & Technology looks at alternative yeasts that can be used to brew tastier beers. 

  • shutterstock_2476792285
    International

    Dutch biotech enters clinical phase

    2025-04-28T05:06:00Z

    Nijmegen-based Tagworks has passed the investigational new drug (IND) review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its antibody-drug conjugate TGW101. A Phase 1 clinical trial is now being initiated in the US.

  • KUL_0505-14 klein
    International

    Des solvants verts pour les membranes de purification du biogaz

    2025-04-25T08:04:00Z

    Pour contribuer à rendre le secteur agricole plus durable, une équipe de la KU Leuven a mis au point une membrane utilisant une stratégie à base de solvants verts pour la purification du biogaz. « Nous ne visons pas une efficacité maximale du processus, mais plutôt un coût abordable. »

  • Bubblewrap_1
    International

    Bulles protectrices

    2025-04-25T07:47:00Z

    Le tissu adipeux est une réserve essentielle d’énergie. Mais il joue aussi un rôle inattendu en servant de véritable « film à bulles » ultra-stable pour protéger les parties fragiles du squelette.

  • pexels-nikita-grishin-128711293-11593192
    International

    Poplar or eucalyptus? Lignin source influences fuel

    2025-04-23T11:08:00Z

    In the search for the most suitable sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), researchers at KU Leuven have come up with a new approach that combines two catalytic steps, as reported in ChemSusChem.

  • FWiS foto
    International

    L’Oréal For Women in Science fellowships 2025 awarded

    2025-04-23T10:16:00Z

    On 17 April, at the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam, the For Women in Science 2025 fellowships were awarded to four female scientists working at Dutch universities.

  • shutterstock_1689580426
    International

    Glue as a new clue to treating diabetes

    2025-04-16T12:15:00Z

    A collaboration between researchers from Eindhoven, Essen and New York is proposing a ‘molecular glue’ as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. The glue targets the ChREBPα protein involved in processing glucose and activating insulin production.     

  • PressPhoto
    International

    Bitter pill now easier to swallow

    2025-04-09T13:08:00Z

    For (young) children, swallowing large pills or capsules is difficult or even impossible. The Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium succeeded in developing a modified version of an existing Schistosomiasis drug that is also suitable for young children. 

  • algen stressrespons
    International

    Stress-resistant algae

    2025-04-09T13:02:00Z

    Plants have a lot to endure. Burning heat, extreme drought, hungry insects, destructive fungi and so on. Researchers in Göttingen have looked at the response to these stress factors in detail from algae and compared them to land plants.  

  • VCD molecuul
    International

    Bringing hidden chirality to vibrational light.

    2025-04-07T11:17:00Z

    When a molecule is cryptochiral, it is particularly difficult to determine its stereochemistry. Using vibrational circular dichroism, a group from Groningen has managed to crack this tough problem, as they report in Chemistry A European Journal.

  • BW_Niche-Expansion_Colorized82_crop (003)__
    International

    Stem cell switch

    2025-04-02T09:55:00Z

    A single molecular ‘switch’ seems sufficient to activate stem cells. This finding has the potential to significantly improve the efficacy and reliability of cell therapies and bone marrow transplants.   

  • IMG_2306
    International

    Electrons for green molecules

    2025-04-02T08:30:00Z

    Two papers from a group in Amsterdam show insights in electrochemical pathways. ‘If you want to transfer these processes towards the industrial scale, you need to understand the pathway.’

  • Chirale halfgeleider
    International

    Organic semiconductor emits spinning light for more efficient OLED screens

    2025-04-01T09:13:00Z

    Researchers at TU Eindhoven and the University of Cambridge have created an organic semiconductor in which electrons move in a spiral pattern. The light emitted could make OLED screens in televisions and smartphones much more energy efficient.