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Cardiac Chaos Control study group
The grant:
Finding answers for societal challenges requires an interdisciplinary approach, since these issues do not adhere to disciplinary boundaries (e.g. challenges relating to climate, health and migration). Breakthroughs in some fundamental science questions may also be found at the boundaries of disciplines and between disciplines. Leiden University therefore aims to encourage these interdisciplinary collaborations.
The Kiem (Dutch for ‘seed’) call is a Leiden University initiative, offering seed grants for developing new interdisciplinary (and interfaculty) research collaborations and encounters. An application for the Kiem call must include colleagues from at least two (and preferably more) faculties of Leiden University. These grants are not intended for projects focusing on the research of one individual researcher or to support primarily interuniversity projects.
Background
We propose to employ an unprecedented combination of mathematics, biophysics and medicine through the creation of a study group dedicated to the analysis and prevention of chaotic motion in the heart. Chaotic behavior can have severe consequences in biological systems such as the heart where chaos is linked to cardiac arrhythmias. Therefore there is a need to control this chaos in order to prevent such adverse effects. The obtained insight could help in the development of novel rhythm disorder treatment strategies.
Cardiac chaos control therefore forms a societal challenge related to a biological problem with strong mathematical foundations. To gain deeper insight into these underlying processes a truly interdisciplinary approach is warranted. We would like to create a problem-based and solution-oriented study group to bring together different expertise that relate to chaos control.
This study group would form a stepping stone towards future collaborations and grant proposals, linking researchers and disciplines which might not have come into contact before. By keeping the study group problem-focused, we hope to inspire researchers to actively strive towards a solution relevant to society in these new-formed collaborations. Project results may eventually pave the way for the development of innovative, unconventional, yet potentially highly efficacious arrhythmia treatment strategies.
Small piece of the decision letter that informed me I was granted a KIEM grant.
An official result can be found here. The grant will kick off in October 2023 and I am very happy to have been given this opportunity for interdisciplinary exploration and plan to make the most of it!
Impact
This grant will be executed in collaboration with the Mathematics department. Together we would like to grow a study group of (approx. 15) researchers along the theme of cardiac arrhythmias. Through a kick-off event we aim to attract a variety of researchers from different faculties within Leiden that are interested or associated to chaos control. Interested participants can subsequently take part in the monthly meetings, where we want to delve deeper into specific problems and interactively work towards a solution through conversations and brainstorming with interdisciplinary researchers. I hope to find several useful collaborators through this initiative and start an interdisciplinary research center in Leiden.
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