Half a million for unravelling cellular clock processes

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a grant to Dr R.A. Hut of the Centre for Behaviour and Neuroscience (Faculty of Science and Engineering) in Groningen for developing highly sensitive, innovative microscope technology. With this new technology, Roelof Hut is able to chart the network of clock genes and nerve cells that biological clock cells use to regulate our day-night rhythm. It marks cell functions in colours and makes clock proteins luminescent by combining spinning-disk fluorescence microscopy with single-photon luciferase imaging.

The grant is part of the Investment Subsidy NWO Medium programme. The programme funds equipment and facilities which are too expensive for individual research groups. In addition to Dr Hut’s grant, five other grants were awarded.