Subsidy of a million plus for research on biological clock

Prof. Joke Meijer of the Leiden University Medical Center and her colleagues Dr Stephan Michel and Dr Tom de Boer have received a grant to the tune of 1.3 million euros. The STW Technology Foundation awarded the grant of over one million euros to the ONTIME project in which the scientists from Leiden are participating.

Biological or social clock

Professor J.H. (Joke) Meijer

Our bodies live according to the biological clock. However, as a person living in society we live according to the social clock. This inevitably leads to conflicts and these affect the body. The ONTIME research programme will build upon the recent understanding of how the biological clock functions and thus, it is hoped, lead to all sorts of ‘products’ to improve the way we live our lives.

Prof. Joke Meijer, Dr Tom de Boer and Dr Stephan Michel work in the Neurophysiology section of the Department of Molecular Cell Biology. The focus of their research is as follows:

· Prof. Joke Meijer is studying whether the effectiveness of medicines depends on the time at which they are taken

· Dr Tom de Boer is looking at improving sleep during the ageing process

· Dr Stephan Michel is aiming to contribute to the development of an instrument that can recognise an interference in the functioning of the biological clock

Innovation in society

The STW Technology Foundation finances excellent technical-scientific research that offers the prospect of application. The STW has a separate budget available each year for Perspective Programmes. These programmes have the following characteristics: the development of new technology through a multidisciplinary approach, collaboration with or joint funding from private parties, and specific activities focusing on valorisation and entrepreneurship. It is hoped that STW Perspective will contribute to removing bottlenecks in innovation and in society.