The interdisciplinary research consortium PRELIFE has been awarded an NWA grant by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to investigate the origin of life on Earth and in the universe, one of science’s greatest unsolved puzzles. The consortium will receive €6.7 million to explore this question and comprises scientists from sixteen universities and research institutes across the Netherlands.
The origin of life is one of science’s greatest unsolved puzzles. Several theories exist, but there is no consensus. PRELIFE is built on an interdisciplinary approach in which astronomy, biology. chemistry, computer science, earth and planetary sciences, education science, mathematics, and physics work together on the question ‘How and under what conditions did life arise on Earth, and how common are these conditions in the universe?’ These questions are also alive in society, which is why teachers, schoolchildren and the public will be involved in the search for answers, through educational projects and collaborations with artists and museums.
Coordinator on behalf of the consortium: Prof. Dr I.L. ten Kate (Utrecht University)
Project allocated: €7.0 million (excluding co-funding in kind €60,000)
Consortium: Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Avans Hogeschool, Dutch Society for Theoretical Biology (NVTB), Frederic Petrignani, Marieke Baan Wetenschapscommunicatie, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Netherlands eScience Center (NLeSC), NextNature, SRON, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Studio HB , Technische Universiteit Delft, Universiteit Leiden, Universiteit Twente, Universiteit Utrecht, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Source: NWO – Nine consortia receive funding within NWA ORC round 2023