Number 9, February 2010

News

Thirteen million for three new systems biology centers
In the next five years, three new centers for research in systems biology will be started up. Together, NWO and ZonMW have allocated 13 million euros to that purpose. The centers will be set up at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam and the Radboud University Nijmegen. This allocation emanates from the Strategic Plan Systems Biology that was drawn up by a commission led by Prof. Breimer, by request of NWO in 2008.


Earth scientists come together at NAC10
ALW is a long standing partner of the Netherlands Earth Sciences Congress, a network meeting for geologists, geophysicists, geochemists, physical geographers and other earth researchers. On Thursday 22 and Friday 23 April the tenth NAC shall take place at the Koningshof hotel in Veldhoven, where ALW shall also award the Vening Meinesz Prize. 		LogoNAC10


State of the Climate 2009 presented
On 3 February 2009, Minister Cramer (Environment) received the State of the Climate 2009. This overview of relevant developments in Dutch climate research and policy measures is compiled by the PCCC. This Platform Communication on Climate Change (PCCC), in which both the most important climate research institutes in the Netherlands and NWO are represented, publishes this brochure each year.


Earth scientists do not want money
The ALW Divisional Board has noted that the number of grant applications from the earth sciences was relatively low in 2009. However the funding rate in the Open Programme, for example, is high. The Divisional Board therefore calls upon earth scientists to make use of the Open Programme and the many other types of grant available.


New chair Divisional Board
Prof. Jacob Fokkema became the new chair of the ALW Divisional Board on 1 January 2010. The professor of applied geophysics, until recently Rector Magnificus at Delft University of Technology, succeeds Prof. Rudy Rabbinge. Jacob Fokkema briefly introduces himself here as the new chair.


BWM workbook about emerging organic raw materials
The Organic Raw Materials workbook will be published at the start of April. This workbook describes the use of biomass for fuels and raw materials. Biofuels take centre stage, as here the most advances have been made with respect to the technology, policy and utilisation. Both the opportunities and risks of biofuels and organic raw materials are considered in this workbook. From April onwards the workbook can be found at www.biomaatschappij.nl.


IODP expedition in full swing
The ocean drilling research vessel Joides Resolution, with the Utrecht University climate researchers Henk Brinkhuis and Peter Bijl onboard, is currently cruising off the coast of Wilkes Land, Antarctica. New film material of the IODP expedition regularly appears on the campaign website.


ALW office

In the course of 2010 four ALW office staff shall take early retirement. All four have worked for ALW for many years and have helped to shape its external image. They are:
  • Dr. Hans de Boois (Sustainable Earth)
  • Dr. Jan Dijkhof (divisional secretary)
  • Prof. Jan Stel (polar research)
  • Dr. Marga Verschoor (Innovational Research Incentives Scheme).

New employees at ALW are:

  • Dr. Marc de Jonge, cluster coordinator Open Programme and individual grants
  • Jolanda van Oostrom, secretary
  • Diana Goeman, secretary
  • Esther Driebergen, secretary



Grants awarded

  • In the Open Programme 8 proposals have been approved, a funding rate of 29 percent;
  • Five of the 20 applications from the ALW domain for a Vici grant have been approved;
  • Within the ESF Eurocores programme EuroEEFG (Ecological and Evolutionary Functional Genomics) 4 funding proposals have been honoured.


Programme news

New programme biodiversity in the pipeline
In 2008, the Dutch Cabinet launched the Biodiversity Policy Programme. In response to this, ALW and the Ministry for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality are cooperating to set up a new programme about biodiversity. A call for proposals is expected this autumn. The launch of this programme coincides with the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.

Women sought for Meervoud
Women frequently encounter hurdles if they want to pursue a scientific career. NWO therefore has a grant programme exclusively for female postdocs: Meervoud. This programme facilitates the promotion of women in the natural sciences by first of all making a research project possible; however, the university must guarantee the candidate a tenured lectureship. Proposals can now be submitted.



Deadlines

  • 1 March: Complexity, full proposals
  • 2 March: Brain & Cognition: social innovation in health, education and social safety
  • 8 March: New Indigo (biotechnology and health)
  • 12 March: ZKO ship time Open Programme
  • 26 March: EuroVOL - Ecology of Plant Volatiles, from Molecules to the Globe
  • 26 March: EuroTRACES - European Trans-Atlantic Coral Ecosystem Study
  • 30 March: Vici preproposals
  • 1 April: NWO Nano
  • 1 April: Dutch-Belgian Beamline (Dubble)

Click here for further information about the deadlines.


Press releases
DNA sequence of parasitoid wasp mapped
Researchers from the University of Groningen, including Veni laureate Dr Bart Pannebakker, have mapped the DNA sequences of three closely related Parasitoid wasps. They published their results in Science. Parasitoid wasps are widely used in the biological control of insect pests.

Regions in ADHD brains fail to cooperate sufficiently
ADHD might be caused by two regions in the brain failing to cooperate sufficiently with each other. This came to light during research by Rubicon laureate Ali Mazaheri. His conclusions confirm the idea that ADHD is not a consequence of an error within the brain regions, but rather a consequence of a poor interaction between regions. The results of the study were published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.