Demonstrator Grant for development of novel chemical probe

Prof. Sander Woutersen of the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (UvA) has been awarded a Demonstrator Grant of 160,000 euros by the Dutch Research Council NWO (Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences). Together with his colleague and Veni-fellow Dr Giulia Giubertoni he will be developing a structure- and size-sensitive chemical probe.

In their project IR-DOSY, Woutersen and Giubertoni envision a new device that can determine molecular structure and size simultaneously in a cost-effective, non-invasive and simple manner. Its working is based on the combination of microfluidic technology with infrared spectroscopy.

In earlier research, the researchers have already validated this concept in a pilot. Together with the Technology Centre, IXA, and Demonstrator Lab Science Park, Woutersen and Giubertoni will now further develop it into a device that can be used by researchers from different disciplines in any laboratory as an analytical or diagnostic tool.

Image: UvA Technology Centre – Design of the IR-DOSY apparatus

See also
Working paper at ChemRxiv: Infrared Diffusion-Ordered Spectroscopy Reveals Molecular Size and Structure

Demonstrator is one of NWO’s valorisation instruments. It is aimed at researchers that want to further develop their results to make them attractive to the market. Six projects were awarded funding in the 2022 round of Demonstrator. With funding from this program, researchers manufacture a product or service in the form of a demonstration model. This serves as a showcase to enable a market introduction of that technology.