02.06.2008

FiDiPro professor Willem de Vos receives the highest Dutch award in science

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded FiDiPro professor Willem de Vos the Spinoza Prize for 2008. The prize is the highest Dutch award in science. The prestigious prize of 1,5 million euro is awarded for outstanding, pioneering and inspiring scientific work.

Professor Willem de Vos has performed groundbreaking research into the contribution of micro organisms to human food and health. He is microbiologist at Wageningen University.

Since 2007, Professor de Vos has been working as FiDiPro professor at the University of Helsinki in professor Airi Palva's team. The main objective of the FiDiPro (Finland Distinguished Professor Programme) project is to investigate the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of fecal microbes shared by healthy individuals, and use the findings to define a healthy intestine.

The winners of the Spinoza Prize were announced on 2nd June 2008. The other winners are prof. Marjo van der Knaap, paediatric neurologist at the VU University Amsterdam, prof. Joep Leerssen, professor of Modern European Literature at the Universiteit van Amsterdam and prof. Theo Rasing, physicist at the Radboud University Nijmegen.

Dutch Education Minister Ronald Plasterk will perform the official presentation of the monetary prize and the Spinoza statuette on Wednesday 19 November 2008 in the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague.

Further information

More information about Spinoza Prize

Finland Distinguished Professor Programme FiDiPro

FiDiPro Project  "Innovations for Intestinal Health" at the University of Helsinki
www.vetmed.helsinki.fi/apalva/fidipro.htm

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