Vedran Dunjko (LIACS/LION) and Jordi Tura have received €1.1 million for research into quantum‑enhanced AI  from the NWO and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) call ‘Unconventional information processing technologies. The project explores how quantum computers can improve classical AI through new data transformations.

Joost Batenburg and Qinyu Chen (LIACS), together with Yuya Shoji, have received funding for the OPERA project from the NWO and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) call ‘Unconventional information processing technologies. The project explores computing with light as an energy‑efficient alternative to traditional computer chips.

Rutger Hoekstra (CML) has been named a National Champion of the international Frontiers Planet Prize. He receives this recognition for research, together with Annegeke Jansen, Ranran Wang and Paul Behrens, on alternative ways to measure societal progress beyond GDP.

Ákos Kovács (IBL) has been elected as a fellow of the European Academy of Microbiology. The fellowship recognises his scientific contributions and strengthens the international network of leading microbiology researchers.

Lennart Schada von Borzyskowski (IBL) participates in a European consortium on methanol‑based biotechnology. Within the CarboNcare project, his group develops enzymes to improve methanol conversion and enable more sustainable production processes.

Two Leiden research projects have received funding from the European Biodiversa+ partnership, to which NWO makes an important financial contribution. The TIDELINES project by Jan Macher (CML) examines how beach management can protect biodiversity while maintaining essential functions such as recreation and coastal protection.

NWO and the National Science Foundation China are investing 1.1 million euros in research on urban resilience. In the Dutch‑Chinese ReSURE2 project, Arnold Tukker and Mingming Hu (CML) will develop solutions for flooding, extreme heat and biodiversity loss in cities worldwide that are increasingly affected by climate change. 

The Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded a prestigious Gram‑negative Antibiotic Discovery Innovator (Gr‑ADI) grant of more than €3 million to an international consortium that includes Gilles van Wezel (IBL) and Jos Raaijmakers (NIOO‑KNAW). In the project Nature‑inspired discovery of novel anti‑Klebsiella drugs, the researchers work on identifying new antibiotics against Klebsiella pneumoniae.

The project by Wessel Kraaij (LIACS) has received part of over €840,000 in funding from the NWO TDCC programme for digital competencies in Life Sciences & Health. The project Strengthening the Impact of Health Research by connecting Patient‑driven Infrastructures for Citizen Generated Data focuses on enabling the secure and effective sharing of patient‑generated data in line with FAIR principles.

Several Leiden researchers have received funding through national calls on sustainability and climate transitions. Projects by Ben van Werkhoven, Maarten Schrama and Franco Donati focus on energy‑efficient computing, climate‑resilient cities and circular product design.

Gerard van Westen (LACDR) is a co‑applicant of the national AI4Health programme, supported by NWO and partners. The programme uses artificial intelligence to improve diagnostics, personalised care and the efficiency of healthcare systems.

Five researchers at the Faculty of Science have received NWO Open Competition ENW‑XS grants for innovative and high‑risk research. The projects by Thanja Lamberts, David Poole, Emanuel Fortes Teixeira, Lu Su and Heyang Zhang focus on topics including space chemistry, PFAS detection, cell migration, organoids and CAR‑T therapy.

Amanda Foks (LACDR), together with Menno van Zelm and Marvin van Luijn (Erasmus MC), and Joost Beltman (LACDR), in collaboration with Monika Wolkers (Amsterdam UMC), have received ZonMw Open Competition grants. The projects focus on the role of atypical B cells in disease and on improving T‑cell‑based cancer therapies.

A consortium involving Leiden researchers has received €1.3 million from NWO and Cellular Agriculture Netherlands for research into sustainable production of milk proteins without cows. In the FungCows project, Arthur Ram (IBL) works on developing fungi that can produce caseins via precision fermentation for more affordable and sustainable vegan cheese.

Max van Duijn appointed Chair of The Young Academy (KNAW), where he focuses on supporting early-career researchers, strengthening the connection between science and society, and promoting the resilience of academia.

Anne‑Grete Märtson (LACDR) has received a KNAW Beijerink Early Career Award of €12,500. The funding supports her research on antiviral therapies and will be used to establish a new consortium in antiviral pharmacology.

Two research projects involving Leiden scientists have received funding from the NWO Open Technology Programme. These include a project by Dennis Hetterscheid and Grégory Schneider (LIC), which receives €903,247 to develop PFAS‑free membranes for electrolysers, and a project by Arthur Ram (IBL), which receives €967,070 for the discovery and development of new enzymes for biotechnological and medical applications.

Three Leiden researchers have been awarded a Vici grant from the Dutch Research Council, receiving up to 1.5 million euros each to support ‘adventurous, talented and pioneering researchers’. The grants go to Matthias Barz (LACDR) for developing man‑made antibodies and Reinout van Weeren (Leiden Observatory) for research into the first galaxy clusters.

The Leiden spin‑off Omivera has received a seed investment from UNIIQ to accelerate the development of its new CellEKT technology. This technology, developed by Joel Rüegger (LIC) and colleagues in the laboratory of Mario van der Stelt (LIC), uses kinome profiling to better understand how cancer drugs work in living cells.

The Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW) has elected six Leiden professors as members. Among them are Sense Jan van der Molen (LIC) and Gilles van Wezel (IBL), who joined the KHMW on 9 February.

Violeta Gamez Rosas (Leiden Observatory) has won the Chesneau Prize 2025 for the best PhD thesis in high‑angular‑resolution astrophysics. Her research on the galactic core NGC 1068 provided new insights into its structure and physical processes.

PhD candidate Mike Daas has been awarded the Stieltjes Prize for best mathematics thesis. His dissertation was recognised for its originality, depth and elegant approach.

Tadé Whenu has won the 2026 Rachel Carson Graduation Prize for his Master’s thesis in Industrial Ecology. His research on the circular economy and the Rotterdam Resource Station highlights how different forms of value can be created and assessed.

Master’s student Gijs van der Velden (CML) has received the Stans Award for the best CML Master’s thesis. His research, supervised by Yali Si, used GPS tracking to provide new insights into the resting and foraging behaviour of pond bats.