Vaccines are essential to control infectious diseases in humans. An efficient, safe and cheap vaccine type is the live-attenuated vaccine. A live-attenuated vaccine consists of a viable, harmless version of the virus. A group of viruses for which vaccines are required are the flaviviruses. These viruses pose a threat to public health because they are spreading around the world and causing disease. In this project we will therefore generate live-attenuated vaccines for West Nile virus and Tick-borne encephalitis virus. This will be done by eliminating production of a small RNA molecule that is essential for the virus to cause disease.

Simulation models are widely used in greenhouse horticultural research, for example, to find ways to reduce the energy use of greenhouses while maintaining high production of nutritious vegetables. This project will develop a new greenhouse model that is open, applicable for worldwide scenarios, accessible and attractive for all greenhouse researchers. The model will provide a common, modular and free-access framework for researchers, which will allow re-use, sharing, expanding, and comparing research. The project’s diverse team will promote the model in various outlets, initiating a wide research community working on a shared, common framework, for the first time in greenhouse modelling.

Critically ill ICU patients often experience significant muscle wasting, which increases the risk of death and lengthens the time it takes to rehabilitate. Physical inactivity, caused by mechanical ventilation and sedation, is believed to be an important contributor to muscle loss. Mimicking physical activity through electrical stimulation of the whole body, simultaneously with the intake of protein-rich food, may support the maintenance of muscle mass. In this project, I will combine studies in ventilated ICU patients and healthy volunteers, with the aim of preserving muscle mass and improving clinical outcomes for critically ill patients.