News & updates
Latest developments from our institute
Stay informed about new research results, awards, events, and collaborations across our scientific community.
Dutch researchers join forces to build synthetic cell
The Dutch research consortium BaSyC is taking on the challenge of building a synthetic biological cell. For part of its funding, it has received a grant worth almost € 19 million from the Gravitation programme of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). The research partners will themselves be funding the remaining six million of the total of over € 25 million that the research programme will cost. AMOLF, together with five universities, is taking part in the consortium that is led by TU Delft. ‘A fundamental understanding of life within a cell will bring huge intellectual, scientific and technological rewards.’
Shining Light on Nature’s Raincoat
The skin of a fungus consists of protein molecules called hydrophobins that together form a protective film. These hydrophobin films show an exceptionally large elasticity and are highly water-repellent, thus forming a natural rain coat. The origin of these special properties are a mystery. Researchers from AMOLF have succeeded to study the properties of hydrophobin films at the molecular-level using advanced interfacial spectroscopy. Together with colleagues from Finland and a research group of the University of Amsterdam (UvA), the researchers describe their findings in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters.
Computational power of cells
How can molecular systems or cells be used to perform complex computational tasks? And what is the lowest amount of energy needed to execute such operations? Group leader Pieter Rein ten Wolde from AMOLF recently published two articles together with his colleague Thomas Ouldridge of the Imperial College London, in which they provide first clues on how to construct a biochemical system that is able to copy and transfer information in an energy efficient way.
Perspective in ACS Photonics on Single Photon Nano-antennas
The Perspective paper “single photon nano-antennas” in ACS Photonics reviews the use of plasmon antennas for single-photon applications. The idea to use plasmon antennas for single-photon sources was first conceived…
Versatile crystal growth for functional materials
AMOLF researcher Wim Noorduin and fellow scientists Nadir Kaplan, Joanna Aizenberg and L. Mahadevan of Harvard University have developed a model that can be used to accurately describe and predict the formation of a broad range of exquisite three-dimensional crystal structures. This provides the basis for a new, cheap and versatile production method for the manufacture of functional materials, such as light guides for solar cells. The research team presents its results on March 31st in Science.
Adolescent worm provides insights into cell development : Canalisation of developing cells unravelled for the first time
How embryos develop into complex, adult organisms is still a mystery, but researchers at AMOLF have managed to clarify a small part of it. While studying the nematode C. elegans, they discovered how a group of cells always develops into the same organ despite considerable variations at the cell level. With their experiments, group leader Jeroen van Zon and PhD researcher Guizela Huelsz-Prince have made the responsible feedback mechanism, also referred to as canalisation, visible for the first time. They published their results on February 22nd in the journal Cell Systems.
Konrad Meister selected for 67th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
AMOLF Postdoc Konrad Meister has been selected for the 67th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting that will be held from 25 until 30 June, 2017. Once every year, 30–40 Nobel Laureates come together in the German lakeside town of Lindau to meet the next generation of leading scientists. This year the meeting is dedicated to chemistry and 400 – 500 young scientists from all over the world were chosen to attend. Meister is looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and to discuss and mingle with the Nobel Lauretares and scientists on the picturesque island in Germany.
IOP-NJP outstanding Referee
IOP, the publisher of New Journal of Physics decided to confer an Outstanding Referee Award for 2016 on Femius Koenderink. Many thanks to IOP for recognising their Referees, and for…