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Update March 4, 2026:

Wilbert Zwart, working at the Netherlands Cancer Institute and serving as a part-time full professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has also received a Vici grant. Read more about his research into new approaches to better treating prostate cancer.

Interactive coatings

Each day, we interact with a host of technologies. With the enhancement and flexibility of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) and tactile displays, accurate interactions with these technologies via the sense of touch is growing in importance and relevance.

For her Vici-funded project, Danqing Liu from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry will work on the creation of interactive polymer coatings using liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) with integrated electronics to enhance touch interactions with technologies.

Beyond the lab

鈥淟CP coatings can change the surface shape or harness in response to changes in electrical and optical sources. As a result, this provides tactile feedback or a sense of touch,鈥� says Liu. 鈥淚n addition, LCP coatings can release substances to mimic chemical sensations, such as cold or warmth as well as specific fragrances.鈥�

Liu hopes that the materials developed in her project can hence VR/AR/MR and tactile displays for all users, specifically those with unique needs. 鈥淢y hope is that these materials will enhance display technologies that support visually impaired people as they move around an area.鈥�

The ultimate goal for Liu is to see her work have an impact on the lives of people in society. 鈥淚 would love to see the technology move beyond the lab and become a real product that people actively use in their everyday lives.鈥�

(R)evolution in Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging

For his Vici project, Richard Lopata from the Department of Biomedical Engineering wants to develop a new approach for abdominal ultrasound imaging.

鈥淯ltrasound is fast, safe, and provides real-time images, but it often lacks the detail and coverage for accurate diagnosis, such as in abdominal imaging. We plan to develop a new approach for ultrasound imaging that replaces the conventional single probe techniques with a distributed multi aperture system. Just think radar with moving transmitters and receivers, but where the waves travel through a tissue that can deform and change. A semi tomographic approach to ultrasound,鈥� says Lopata.

Alternative technique

Modern healthcare is relying more and more on accurate imaging, but equipment costs and the demand for this equipment continue to grow. Therefore, Lopata is hoping that his technology can have a significant impact on future healthcare. 鈥淚t can provide safe, affordable, and widely deployable imaging that is complementary or an alternative to existing imaging techniques.鈥� This project will develop a new type of ultrasound technology that helps doctors to better detect and monitor conditions such as aneurysms, kidney disease, and pregnancy complications. This technology offers a safer, more accessible alternative to CT and MRI, improving care for both unborn babies and elderly patients.

Dream project

For Lopata, this Vici grant is helping him to work on his dream project. 鈥淚鈥檝e been thinking about this work for years, and I鈥檓 grateful and excited to get the opportunity to bring it to life. I look forward to building a new research team and working with our clinical and industry partners, such as Catharina Hospital and Philips. Together, we can transform what ultrasound can do and create disruptive technology with that will have significant impact on patients and society.鈥�

Better treatment of prostate cancer

The project for which Wilbert Zwart received a Vici grant investigates how prostate cancer cells adapt to treatment by rewiring their biological and epigenetic programs. By exploring the mechanisms behind epigenetic plasticity, non-coding mutations, and early treatment adaptation, the research aims to uncover the drivers of disease progression and therapy resistance. The project will generate extensive multi鈥憃mics datasets and computational tools, all of which will be shared openly to benefit the scientific community and stimulate further discoveries across oncology.

Societal relevance

Beyond scientific advancement, the project has significant societal relevance due to the high global burden of prostate cancer. By identifying disease鈥憇tate鈥憇pecific therapeutic targets, the research aims to improve treatments for patients with metastatic disease, which is currently incurable. Strong collaborations with clinicians, patient advocates, and pharmaceutical partners ensure a clear path from laboratory findings to clinical trials. Additionally, the project emphasizes affordable healthcare solutions and aims to communicate its outcomes broadly through media and public outreach.

Zwart on the ultimate goal of the project: To see this research impacting the lives of patients with prostate cancer, and their loved ones. Also, even though they're not directly part of the project, I鈥檓 very curious to see whether these principles can be applied to other fields of oncology.

About Vici grants

A Vici grant allows scientists to develop an innovative line of research and expand their research group over a period of five years. It is one of the largest personal scientific grants in the Netherlands and is targeted at advanced researchers. Such a grant allows scientists to conduct research of their own choosing and gives innovative scientific research the opportunity to flourish.

The Vici grants are awarded annually by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (). For this call, a total of 384 pre-proposals were submitted (151 by women and 233 by men). After selection in the pre-proposal phase, 131 applications were submitted (49 by women and 82 by men), of which 39 were awarded (18 to women and 21 to men). The award rates relative to the number of preliminary applications submitted are 12 percent for women (18 out of 151) and 9 percent for men (21 out of 233). In relation to the number of applications submitted, the allocation rate is 37 percent for women (18 out of 49) and 26 percent for men (21 out of 82).