17 January 2019

Three refugee academics receive one-year appointment at UM

Twelve academics, who have left their fatherland due to a threatening situation, have received a one-year appointment to continue their scientific career in the Netherlands. Three of them will conduct research at Maastricht University, respectively at CARIM/School for Cardiovascular Diseases (FHML), Political Science (FASoS), and Pathology (FHML). Their appointment is part of the pilot ‘Refugees in science’ of NWO.

Current research project

NWO has awarded funding to twelve proposals. This additional funding can be used by the project leaders concerned to appoint a researcher with refugee status to a current project for a period of one year. A total of 41 admissible research proposals were submitted, and 12 of these have now been awarded funding. A total budget of 750,000 euros was available for the pilot. The twelve academics come from various countries such as Syria, Russia, Armenia, Pakistan or Turkey. The pilot has been developed in consultation with The Young Academy, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and Foundation for Refugee Students UAF.

The three researchers will conduct research in the following projects at UM:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of carotid plaques for tailored treatment of stroke patients

Project leader: Prof. Eline Kooi
Department: CARIM, School for Cardiovascular Diseases
Researcher: Mohamed Kassem, a Syrian neurosurgeon

MRI can visualise details within an atherosclerotic plaque to improve identification of patients with an increased risk for stroke. This project will investigate whether advanced MRI techniques can be used to improve the selection of patients who will benefit from surgery to reduce stroke risk.

High-tech battleships against rubber dinghies? The influence of lobby groups on EU military operation “Sophia” against migrant smugglers

Project leader: Dr. Giselle Bosse
Department: Political Science (FASoS)

Although it has no army, the EU deploys thousands of personnel for its own military operations abroad. This study provides new insights into how the EU decides on highly risky operations, presenting the first systematic study on unaccountable lobby groups’ influence on EU “Sophia”, the largest, most expensive operation to date. 

Nervous guts and their road to colorectal cancer

Project leader: Dr. Veerle Melotte
Department: Pathology (FHML)
Researcher: Musa Idris MSc.

Components of the tumour-microenvironment play an important role in the development of colorectal cancer. This project will create a 3D culture model to investigate the role of the enteric nervous system in colorectal carcinogenesis.

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