Research Report 2016 Cover photo: Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive research method for use with partly reflective materials with which images (cross-sections) can be constructed. The method is comparable with echography, but based on light instead of sound. OCT is often used in ophthalmology to study the retina of an eye. The resolution is as small as 10 µm; hence tiny details can be made visible. The picture shows an OCT scan (cross-section) of a healthy retina showing – in the middle – the macula: the part which enables an eye to see small details. Professor Anneke den Hollander (Molecular Ophthalmology) is an expert in age-related macular degeneration. She has identified most of the genetic causes of congenital blindness. A major achievement in her recent work was identifying defects in the complement system in age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss in the elderly. Research Report 2016 The Harvesters. A painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1525-1569). www.ru.nl/researchreport 5 Preface If we were looking for just two words to sum up how far In this version of our annual Research Report we present we’ve come in 2016, they would be HARVEST TIME. After the most significant results and developments at our ‘sowing’ numerous investments designed to enhance the university in 2016. This year, you can find the full reports quality of our research and our state-of-the-art facilities, on each of our 15 Research Institutes in PDF form on our we can now see the fruits of our labour. Perhaps most website www.ru.nl/researchreport, where a digital impressive was the fact that our scientists received version of this report is also available. two prestigious NWO Spinoza Prizes and two ERC Advanced Grants last year. But there were also research By publishing this report we account for the resources breakthroughs in a wide range of disciplines. Significantly, that society has allocated to us. It also confirms that we many of these successes can be attributed to our younger have been successful in achieving our ambitions and that academics, who obtained no less than four NWO Vici we are in good shape to make further advances in the Grants and five ERC Consolidator Grants in 2016. We are future. happy to report that these exciting successes took place right across the campus. Wilma de Koning-Martens, MSc As a broad, internationally oriented, student-centred Vice-president university, education and research are closely intertwined in everything we do. This not only benefits individual Professor Han van Krieken students who are pursuing a scientific career, but also Rector Magnificus strengthens our research by bringing in diverse perspectives. www.ru.nl/researchreport 6 Table of contents Our ambition 8 - Behavioural Science Institute 48 - Centre for Language Studies 49 Our academic profile 9 - Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour 50 - Organic Chemistry 10 - Radboud Institute for Health Sciences 51 - Physics of Condensed Matter 12 - Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences 52 - Astrophysics 14 - Institute for Water and Wetland Research 53 - Microbiology 16 - Institute for Molecules and Materials 54 - Cognitive Neuroscience 18 - Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics 55 - Infections & Immunology 20 - Institute for Computing and Information Sciences 56 - Cyber Security 22 - Human Genetics 24 Radboud Research Institutes 57 - Linguistics 26 - Research Institute for Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies 58 - Business & Law 28 - Institute for Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies 64 - The Business & Law Research Centre 70 Our academic reputation 30 - Research Centre for State and Law 75 Internationalisation 32 - Institute for Management Research 80 Grants and awards for excellent young scientists 34 - Radboud Social Cultural Research 86 Societal impact 35 - Behavioural Science Institute 93 External evaluations 38 - Centre for Language Studies 102 Diversity 39 - Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour 108 Academic Integrity 40 - Radboud Institute for Health Sciences 125 - Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences 135 Summaries Research Institutes 41 - Institute for Water and Wetland Research 146 - Research Institute for Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies 42 - Institute for Molecules and Materials 153 - Institute for Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies 43 - Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics 161 - The Business & Law Research Centre 44 - Institute for Computing and Information Sciences 167 - Research Centre for State and Law 45 - Institute for Management Research 46 Glossary 173 - Radboud Social Cultural Research 47 Colophon 174 www.ru.nl/researchreport 7 Radboud University is a broad, internationally oriented, student- centred university that combines excellent education with leading-edge research. We also focus strongly on important societal issues, both in the public and in the private domain. And we play an important role in transferring knowledge to society. Regional entrepreneurs also benefit from our activities. www.ru.nl/researchreport 8 Our ambition We aim not only to stay in the top echelons of universities in the Netherlands, but also to be among the very best in Europe. And, at the global level, we expect to see increasing recognition of our capabilities. We will therefore further consolidate and improve the quality of our research, based on the significant progress we have achieved in the past. In addition, we will intensify the impact of our research, particularly internationally. We will also strengthen our collaboration with strategic partners, both in the university context and in other parts of society. A key aim is to ensure we continue to employ highly talented staff and that there is an optimal climate for performing high-quality research. In 2016 we again Professor Han van Krieken Professor Gerard Meijer made good progress towards achieving these aims. Since May 2016, Prof. Han van Krieken has been Rector Professor Gerard Meijer left the University after Magnificus of the University. Professor van Krieken serving for more than four years as President of the (General Pathology) is a prolific, well regarded Executive Board. During his presidency he made some researcher in Pathology, particularly in relation to important improvements. For instance, he founded tumours. As former President of the European Society the Radboud Excellence Initiative and enabled of Pathology, he is a key player in the discipline. He participation in European networks such as the connects Pathology with other disciplines, such as European Magnetic Field Laboratory (EMFL) and Oncology, Surgery and Gastroenterology and thus The Guild. He also encouraged greater awareness of contributes to building European networks. Within interdisciplinary collaboration, for example through the Radboudumc he held various managerial the Healthy Brain initiative. Finally, he served the positions, including Director of the Oncology entire Dutch academic community by strongly Research Institute and chair of the committee that promoting Open Access publishing, including recently re-organised the research institutes. He is a negotiating with major publishers of academic Member of the Academia Europaea and the German journals on behalf of the Association of Universities Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. in the Netherlands (VSNU). Since January 2017, Prof. Gerard Meijer has been reappointed as Director of the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society in Berlin. www.ru.nl/researchreport 9 Our academic profile Research at the university is carried out in 15 dedicated we operate. These institutes are peer reviewed according institutes. These are responsible for planning the best way to national research evaluation guidelines every six years. to advance research programmes as well as for training Ten sub-disciplines have been identified where the quality and supervising researchers. We do our best to ensure is even higher than the level achieved by researchers in that all programmes within the institutes remain the rest of the university. On the following pages these competitive internationally and that they make a strong areas are explained in more detail. contribution within the research communities in which ORGANIC CHEMISTRY www.ru.nl/researchreport 10 Organic Chemistry The key focus area within Chemistry is Organic Chemistry and other strong fields are Material Science, Life Science, Biomedical Science and Supra-Molecular Chemistry. In particular we concentrate on Synthesis, Physical Organic Chemistry and the Life Sciences. Most of the latter research takes place at the Institute for Molecules and Materials, but it also includes the Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences. The research infrastructure and facilities in both institutes are excellent. Numerous prestigious grants awarded over the years reflect the high quality of the research in Organic Chemistry. These include ERC Grants, NWO Spinoza Prizes, Vici grants and – together with the Eindhoven University of Technology and the University of Groningen – one of the 12 highly prestigious ‘Gravitation’ programmes for major projects that will be extended for at least 10 years. In 2016, the international peer review committee that assessed IMM concluded that the quality of research within the theme Molecular Life-like Systems is ‘world leading and excellent’. ORGANIC CHEMISTRY www.ru.nl/researchreport 11 Some highlights example of societal impact (‘NS’, enzymes,