NWO has awarded 102 researchers with a Vidi-grant of in total 86,7 million euros. Fourteen leading researchers from Utrecht University and University Medical Center Utrecht each receive a Vidi-grant with a maximum of 850.000 euros. Vidis are annually awarded by NWO and enable the laureates to develop an innovative line of research over the next five years and further expand their own research group. Vidis are intended for experienced researchers, who have successfully conducted research for several years following their PhD defense.
Among the Utrecht based laureates, four studies will be researched at the Faculty of Geosciences, three at the Faculty of Sciences, one at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance, one at the Faculty of Humanities, and five at UMC Utrecht. In addition to these Vidi’s for UU and UMC Utrecht, there is one laureate from the Princess Máxima Center, one from the Hubrecht Institute, and one from NIOZ.
It is unclear why some people develop chronic pain after recovering from an infection. With this Vidi-grant, we will investigate whether disturbed metabolism in nerve cells can predict which patients are at risk of developing chronic pain. This could lead to new treatments for chronic post-viral pain.
Hanneke Willemen, University Medical Center Utrecht: When pain stays: the metabolic switch of pain chronification
Chronic pain affects one out of five persons. After recovery from an infectious disease (e.g. COVID-19), patients often continue to suffer from pain, and this pain is difficult to treat. Currently we do not know who is more prone to develop chronic pain. Preliminary evidence from Hanneke Willemen points to a disturbed metabolism in sensory neurons (neurometabolism) promoting chronic pain. Willemen aims to identify how neurometabolic alterations link to long-lasting neuronal activity and the duration of post-viral pain, and test whether restoring these alterations dampen neuronal hyperactivity. This knowledge may create novel options to prevent and treat chronic pain.
