Wageningen University & Research Receives NWO Funding for NeurO2ChipH Project
The NeurO2ChipH project has been funded through the Open Technology Programme (Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences) of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). This research is a joint initiative of Wageningen University, Radboud UMC and the University of Twente. The Wageningen University contribution will be carried out at the chair group Human and Animal Physiology.
To function properly, neuronal brain cells are organized in complex interacting networks. These networks rely on an optimal coupling between electrical activity/connectivity and metabolic/redox state in space and time. A lack of appropriate in vitro experimental tools prevents in-depth understanding of this metabolo-functional coupling. The NeurO2ChipH project aims to develop novel on-chip technology for integrated analysis of neuronal network metabolofunction in space and time. It is expected that the NeurO2ChipH technology will not only impact on basic science, but also deliver a novel intervention screening tool with the potential to reduce the number of animal studies.
Partnership
For this project, Wageningen University, Radboud UMC and the University of Twente join forces with three corporate partners to design, manufacture, and apply the on-chip technology. At Wageningen University, research will be carried out at the chair group Human and Animal Physiology, involving Jaap Keijer (co-applicant),Sander Grefte, Vincent de Boer and Werner Koopman (coordinator).
One of seven
NeurO2ChipH is one of seven projects that recently received funding from the Open Technology Programme of NWO. The latter will contribute over 5.3 million euros to these application-oriented technical-scientific projects. Industry and other organizations add over 700 thousand euros. NWO is one of the most important science funding bodies in the Netherlands.