ZonMW Open Competition grant for Barbro Melgert

Prof. Barbro Melgert (GRIP) and Dr. Stefan Prekovic (UMC Utrecht) have received a ZonMW Open Competition grant of 800.000 euro to investigate whether and how microplastics contribute to the development of lung cancer. This interdisciplinary project combines expertise in lung biology and cancer research to study how inhaled microplastics affect lung cells and surrounding tissue. The project has two main goals: first, to investigate how microplastics affect the behaviour and gene activity of lung cells, potentially leading to cancer; and second, to examine how these microplastics alter the surrounding lung tissue, making it easier for cancer to develop and spread.

Microplastics are found in the air we breathe, yet little is known about the health risks of environmental contaminants such as microplastics, and this project could reveal new mechanisms of cancer development and influence future policies on plastic use.