NWO subsidises research resources
As part of the 'NWO Medium-sized Investments' programme, NWO has awarded a number of subsidies for the procurement of equipment, setting up data collections and making software and bibliographies. Of the 31 subsidies allocated, five have been awarded to proposals from Leiden University.
Many researchers from all different disciplines rely on major items of apparatus, data collections and new software for their research. The 'NWO Medium-sized' subsidies offer them the opportunity to make investments that are often too expensive for individual groups. In total, NWO received 79 applications. The proposals were assessed by both national and international scholars.
NWO pays a maximum of 75 per cent of each subsidy. The University will contribute the remaining 25 per cent. The contribution made by NWO varies between 110,000 and 900,000 euro. For investments above 900,000 euro, researchers can submit applications as part ot the 'NWO Major Investments' programme.
Leiden's awards
Optical bank for mid-infrared instrument (MATISSE)
Dr Walter Jaffe – Astronomy
The applicants focus on the design and construction of a cooled optical bench for the mid-infrared instrument MATISSE for the Very Large Telescope (VLT) Interferometer of the European Southern Observatory. MATISSE will enable mid-infrared studies to be made of such phenomena as planets around other stars, material around black holes and spectroscopy and imaging of molecular discs around young stars.
Extent and organization of the Middle-Assyrian Empire
Professor Wilfred van Soldt –Assyriology
The Middle Assyrian Empire (1250-1070 v.Chr.) was one of the major players in the Near East and Late Bronze Age and was in many ways the direct predecessor of the neo-Assyrian Empire, the first empire in world history. In spite of the importance of this early state, relatively little is known about the power structures within the Empire. The recent discovery of a palace centre in the border area of the Assyrian Empire on the site of Satu Qala (in Northern Iraq), offers the possibility of gaining greater understanding of ancient inscriptions via archaeological finds and study. A team of Leiden and Iraqi researchers will start the systematic excavation of this important site in 2010.
Fluorescence bio-sorting device for biological test systems
Professor Herman Spaink – Science
One particular limitation that constantly hampers biological and pharmaceutical research is the speed with which a large group of organisms can be analysed for cellular details. Using a newly developed instrument (COPAS), it is now possible to obtain very rapid images of test organisms such as zebra fish embryos and plant seeds. This technology will be applied in diverse studies into gene technology of plants, the study of organ development, disease models, such as cancer and tuberculosis, where the zebra fish are used.
Breathing proteins: making enzyme dynamics visible using NMR
Dr Marcellus Ubbink – Protein Chemistry
Enzymes. the biomolecules that speed up many life processes, are dynamic: during the catalysis of chemical reactions they change form and influence the end result. The improved spectrometer for nuclear spin resonance (NMR) will be used to make the changes in form visible and in this way to understand how enzymes work.
A Little Green Machine for High Performance Parallel Multipurpose Supercomputing using Graphical Processing Units
Dr Lex Wolters – Information Science
This investment relates to the hardware for the construction of an energy-efficient super-computer based on graphics procesors (GPUs). The applicants will use this supercomputer to study algorhythms so that they can use graphics processors optimally for calculations - mainly N-particle calculations - from different fields, such as astrophysics, meteorology and maths.
Collaboration
In one case the subsidy will go to a collaboration in which Leiden University is participating. The main applicant for this project works at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
Dataand Tradition: The Hebrew bible as a linguistic corpus and as a literary composition
Professor Eep Talstra, VU and Dr Wido van Peursen,Leiden Institute for Religious Studies (LIRS)
This project aims to enrich existing databases with the addition of Aramese and Hebrew (Bible) texts. The objective is to bring together two important components of Biblical Studies: on the one hand the linguistic aspects (word use, grammar, etc.) and on the other hand linking the academic interpretations of Biblical texts with one another.
(9 March 2010/SH)