Each year NWO Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences awards five Open Mind grants of 50,000 euros for socially relevant research off the beaten track. The aim is to find unusual research ideas that contribute to creative and sustainable solutions for societal challenges.
This year, sixteen proposals were selected for the finals. In a short online pitch, the participants explained their out-of-the-box research idea. The five winners of the competition were chosen by a committee led by Professor Sander Leeuwenburgh.
Open Mind winners 2021
The Emperor’s New Clothes: Designing a straitjacket for influenza
Jurriaan Huskens, University of Twente
The outside of a flu virus contains proteins that bind to the host cell, creating an entry point. In this project, a "straitjacket" is designed that covers the surface of the virus particle, rendering it harmless. The casing, made of 2D nanomaterial, is fitted with natural cell receptors that interact with several proteins on the virus surface.
- Jury statement: Broadly applicable and potential to become platform technology
From waste to value: vivianite precipitation to recover iron from anaerobic groundwater
Roos Goedhart, TU Delft
In the Netherlands alone, an estimated 100,000 tons of iron sludge waste is generated per year for the production of drinking water. In this project, a new method to reduce and reuse the iron sludge is researched. The scientists remove the iron anaerobically. With this method, the valuable and compact mineral vivianite is formed, which reduces the sludge volume by two third, while faster and better removal efficiencies are obtained.
- Jury statement: Solution for urgent problem with strong potential impact
Steering the microbial community composition of bio-waste for tailor-made organic fertilizers
Tania Vasconcelos Fernandes, NIOO
Biological waste can be used as organic fertiliser, but it does not always contain the right elemental composition. With microalgae-bacteria photogranules, the essential soil elements can be recovered into valuable fertiliser. With this, the researchers want to steer on the desired elemental composition and thus produce customised fertiliser.
- Jury statement: Typical Open Mind idea – rethinking how to transform shortcoming of current fertilizers towards new solution
Engineering sex-differences to improve science
Rhiannon Grant, Maastricht University
Clinical trials and research on disease progression and treatment are often based on the male, while this may be different in women. A new 3D cell culture device allows to test on sex differences early in a research phase, making clinical trials more effective.
- Jury statement: Simple solution to a complex and long known problem
Wood2Food: Converting wood into edible mycelium as an alternative and sustainable protein source
Wei-Shan Chen, Wageningen University & Research
In this project, a food product is developed based on mycelium, a component of mushrooms. This is rich in proteins and dietary fibres, and is produced from non-edible substrate such as wood.
- Jury statement: Creative and simple idea with a big potential impact for urgent problem
