News & updates
Latest developments from our institute
Stay informed about new research results, awards, events, and collaborations across our scientific community.
Jeroen van Zon appointed professor at Leiden University
As of 1 September, Jeroen van Zon has been appointed professor at Leiden University. The title of his chair is Quantitative Developmental Biology. Jeroen will continue heading the research group with the same name at AMOLF.
Light controls sound in a nanoscale ‘quantum Hall’ metamaterial
AMOLF group leader Ewold Verhagen and his fellow researchers have taken a major step in creating new forms of materials that make sound waves behave in extraordinary ways. In their recent publication in Nature Communications, the researchers demonstrate how light can be used to make sound travel only in one direction through a nanomechanical network – a breakthrough inspired by one of the most celebrated effects in physics, the quantum Hall effect. This opens the door to many more surprising physical effects still waiting to be explored.
Future Optical Broadband Systems program funds research in optical sensing technologies
As co-applicant, AMOLF group leader Ewold Verhagen receives funding from the NWO program Future Optical Broadband Systems to break the existing technological and economic barriers in the application of optical sensing technologies in industrial systems. Andrea Fiore from TU Eindhoven leads the project called BroadSense. A total amount of 923.000 euros is available for the project, from NWO and industrial co-funders.
Bruno Ehrler appointed new director of AMOLF
The Board of NWO-I has appointed Prof. Dr. Bruno Ehrler as the new director of AMOLF, the national institute for research on functional complex matter. Effective 1 January 2026, Ehrler will succeed Prof. Dr. Huib Bakker. With this appointment, AMOLF welcomes a strategic and empathetic leader with a strong scientific track record and a clear vision.
Promising Hybrid Heart prototype
AMOLF group leader Bas Overvelde and his collaborators working on the Holland Hybrid Heart project have developed a new concept for a total artificial heart with several significant advantages. This so-called LIMO Heart prototype has a fluidic transmission mechanism that enables a relatively small and efficient device. The researchers published their results in Science Advances on July 2nd.
Off Road grant awarded to study how immune cells know when to stop
We’re excited to announce that Megan Farrell has been awarded the Off Road grant by ZonMW to carry out innovative immunology research in the lab of Kristina Ganzinger.
ERC Proof of Concept grant to develop measuring technique for halide perovskites
The European Research Council (ERC) announced that AMOLF group leader Erik Garnett is one of the recipients of an ERC Proof of Concept grant. Erik and three other researchers at AMOLF have developed a fully optical technique to measure processes in halide perovskite semiconductors. The sum of the Proof of Concept grant is €150.000, which will be used to develop prototype instruments.
Breakthrough in heart technology: prototype of first soft robotic artificial heart
An international team of researchers with AMOLF group leader Bas Overvelde, has taken the first steps towards developing a new type of artificial heart that combines soft robotics with advanced biomaterials. This so-called ‘Hybrid Heart’ has been published in the journal Nature Communications on June 3rd.