News

Bacteria that power themselves using electricity and are able to send electrical currents over long distances through highly conductive power lines. It almost sounds like the way we charge our TVs and refrigerators, and may seem hard to believe, but it is a recent discovery by a team of scientists from the University of Antwerp (Belgium), Delft University of Technology (Netherlands) and the University of Hasselt (Belgium). Centimeter-long bacteria from the seafloor contain a conductive fiber network that operates in comparable way to the copper wiring that we use to transport electricity. The highly conductive fibers enable a completely new interface between biology and electronics, providing a prospect for new materials and technology.

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded a Veni grant worth up to 250,000 euros to twelve highly promising young scientists from TU Delft, four of whom are from the Faculty of Applied Sciences. The grant provides the laureates with the opportunity to further elaborate their own ideas during a period of three years.

As our life expectancy increases, more and more people are confronted with different types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. How these brain diseases arise and develop is still unclear, complicating the search for effective treatment.

During the Science Day of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, on Thursday 27 June, Dean Lucas van Vliet announced the Teachers of the Year for 2019.

Researcher Yuemei Lin of the Biotechnology research department, has won the Zilveren Zandloper Innovation Award 2019. She was given the award "for her research efforts in adding value to waste products via the characterization and application of microbial polymers produced in wastewater treatment plants."

Every year, the Dutch version of the popular science magazine New Scientist holds an election to determine who the science talent of the year is. This year, bio-ethicist Dr. Zoë Robaey is one of the nominees. She is a postdoc at the Biotechnology and Society group of the department of Biotechnology and conducts research at the interface of ethics and biotechnology.

On 5 February 2019, Professor Marcelo Knobel, President of the largest technical university of Latin America in Campinas signed an agreement for collaboration with Professor Patricia Osseweijer, University Ambassador Brazil of TU Delft.

This week, three young designers and the Dutch water boards present Dutch Design made from 'Kaumera'. Kaumera is a new raw material that can be extracted from waste water by means of the Nereda purification process, which was developed in part by TU Delft. All three artists found a different application for the versatile raw material: in porcelain, textiles and woodwork. During the Dutch Design Week, from 20 to 28 October, the exhibition can be seen in the Veemgebouw (stand EFGF).

Professors Mark van Loosdrecht (Delft University of Technology) and Bruce Rittmann (Arizona State University) will both receive the 2018 Stockholm Water Prize today for revolutionizing water and wastewater treatment. By developing microbiological processes in wastewater treatment, they have demonstrated the possibilities to cut costs, reduce energy consumption and even recover chemicals and nutrients for recycling.