Vidi grant for Erik Vrij

We are happy to share that Erik Vrij, affiliated with the MERLN and GROW Institute, received a Vidi Grant.

How identical twins are formed remains largely unknown. In particular, twins sharing a single placenta are at risk of serious complications, such as uneven growth or the loss of one foetus. As early implantation in humans cannot be studied directly, the causes remain unclear.

Erik Vrij aims to use innovative embryo models and an advanced ‘womb-on-a-chip’ to gain a better understanding of how embryos split and why some twin pregnancies are associated with serious complications. “This research gives us the opportunity, for the first time, to study crucial early processes in twin pregnancies. This knowledge may ultimately contribute to safer IVF treatments and better care for pregnant women and their children.”