MERLN researchers are awarded with the NWO Perspective Grant

We are pleased to announce that Roman Truckenmüller, Paul Wieringa, Niloofar Tahmasebi Birgani, and Erik Vrij have been awarded the prestigious NWO Perspective Grant for the project ‘FEMCHIP – Tackling endometriosis and adenomyosis through improved clinical diagnostics and human in vitro models to unlock understanding and therapy development’.

Endometriosis and adenomyosis are conditions in which uterine lining grows in places where it should not, such as in the bladder, in the ovaries, and deep within the uterine wall. These conditions, which affect 10 and 30 percent of women, respectively, cause heavy bleeding, pain, and infertility. They are poorly understood, difficult to diagnose, and there are few treatment options.

Roman Truckenmüller, programme lead of the consortium, explains ‘FEMCHIP aims to transform the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis and adenomyosis by developing innovative imaging tools, creating advanced 3D disease models, and identifying new therapies to reduce pain and improve fertility.’

The FEMCHIP consortium is a collaboration between Maastricht University, Maastricht UMC+, UMC Utrecht, Amsterdam UMC, and Radboud University Nijmegen. To address the urgent need for better diagnostics and treatments, FEMCHIP collaborates closely with Dutch and international industry partners, patient organizations, and innovation hubs to accelerate solutions for these underserved diseases.

Programme lead: prof. dr. Roman K. Truckenmüller

Co-applicants: dr. S. Al-Nasiry, dr. B.S. de Bakker, prof. dr. A.W. Griffioen, dr. N. van Hanegem, prof. dr. J.A.F. Huirne, dr. L.J.M. Juffermans, dr. J.W.M. Maas, dr. V. Mijatovic MD PhD, dr. K.W. Mulder, dr. A. Romano, dr. G.S. Steba, dr. Z.N. Tahmasebi Birgani, prof. dr. M. Vermeulen, prof. dr. W.M.J. Verpoest, dr. ir. E.J. Vrij, and dr. ir. P.A.W. Wieringa

Consortium: Genomics, 300MICRONS, chiron, CimCure, Fluidnatek, ibidi, Little Miracles Foundation, Merck, Metatissue, Olink, Optics11 Life, Proefdiervrij, ReGEN Biomedical, Samsung, STEMCELL Technologies, Theramex, TNO, and Topigs Norsvin