The Dutch 'Nobel Prize' goes to two scientists for breakthrough medical, brain research
Dutch scientists Hermen Overkleeft and Karin Roelofs have been awarded this year’s Spinoza Prize, the Netherlands’ top scientific honor. Iris Sommer and Claes Holger de Vreese received Stevin Prizes for research with major societal impact, the Dutch Research Council (NWO) said.
The Spinoza Prize went to Overkleeft, a chemical biologist at Universiteit Leiden, and Roelofs, a neuroscientist and clinical psychologist at Radboud Universiteit in Nijmegen.
Overkleeft was recognized for his research on the function of human proteins. The NWO said his work has “made the development of medicines possible against, among other conditions, cancer and rare metabolic and autoimmune diseases.”
Roelofs was honored for studying how the brain responds to stress and how people make decisions under pressure. According to the NWO, her research contributes to “early recognition of psychological vulnerability in children.”
The Spinoza Prize is reserved for fundamental scientific research on major unanswered questions. The NWO also awards the Stevin Prize, which highlights work with direct societal impact.
One Stevin Prize went to Iris Sommer, professor of psychiatry at the Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen. She researches brain activity during hallucinations, supports efforts to help patients discontinue antipsychotic medications, and develops artificial intelligence tools that analyze changes in speech patterns to help predict psychosis. She also works on more targeted treatments for women with psychiatric disorders.
The second Stevin Prize was awarded to Claes Holger de Vreese, professor of artificial intelligence and society at Universiteit van Amsterdam. His research examines the influence of major technology companies and media organizations on democracy.
Each laureate receives a bronze statue of philosopher Baruch Spinoza, after whom the prize is named, along with 1.5 million euros for research. The awards will be presented on Oct. 7.
