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10 May 2025

Three MERLN projects receive the NWO Open Call ENW-XS grant

We are happy to announce that three MERLN projects receive the NWO Open Call ENW-XS grant. Jonathan Briones with the project ‘Sparks of Life: Bioelectrical Control of Lineage Specification in Human Stem Cells with BLiP-Chip’, Yang Ge with the project ‘Mimicking corneal dynamics: An organ-on-a-chip platform for corneal endothelium research', and Niloofar Tahmasebi with ‘HEROS: Harnessing Eosinophils Response to improve Osteogenesis’.

Sparks of Life: Bioelectrical Control of Lineage Specification in Human Stem Cells with BLiP-Chip - Jonathan Briones 

Electromagnetic fields can influence cell behavior, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Endogenous electrical signals can guide tissue patterning, but their role in human embryogenesis is still unknown. This project investigates whether exogenous electric fields can direct cell differentiation during early embryonic development. Jonathan will stimulate stem cell aggregates to potentially excite molecular machines (i.e., voltage-dependent ions, water channels) during key developmental stages (compaction, cavitation, blastocyst formation). Specifically, Jonathan will assess whether these fields influence cell specification (trophectoderm versus epiblast). The findings could advance stem cell engineering by revealing manipulation strategies for cell differentiation, improving blastoid models, and clarifying the electrical regulation of early development.

Mimicking corneal dynamics: An organ-on-a-chip platform for corneal endothelium research - Yang Ge

Corneal endothelial cells are essential for maintaining a clear and healthy cornea, also known as the eye’s outermost layer. However, in traditional cell cultures, these cells do not behave as they do in the eye, making it difficult to prepare them for transplantation or study their function. This project develops a microfluidic chip that mimics the curvature, flow, and pressure conditions of the eye, creating a more suitable environment for the growth and function of these cells. This innovative approach helps reduce animal testing and improves treatments for eye diseases as well as our understanding of corneal cell behavior under realistic conditions.

HEROS: Harnessing Eosinophils Response to improve Osteogenesis - Niloofar Tahmasebi Birgani

Bone defects affect millions of people each year, and their global prevalence is expected to rise due to the aging population. Recent research highlights the role of immune cells, including macrophages and T cells, in bone regeneration, with immunomodulation emerging as a strategy for developing successful bone regenerative therapies. However, the potential roles of eosinophils in bone regeneration remain largely unexplored, despite recent studies showing their involvement in bone homeostasis and pathological bone formation. HEROS focuses on studying the interactions between eosinophils and the cells involved in bone regeneration, as well as the potential to modulate these interactions using osteogenic biomaterials.