As a real jumpstart to the new year, we are very happy to share that our NanoKid project (Bionanotechnology for a bio-artificial kidney) has been granted and will start in 2026 within the NXTGEN Hightech programme. NanoKid is one of eight new projects selected from the second NWO call, as announced by NXTGEN Hightech on 8 January 2026.
Why we’re doing this
Kidney disease is a huge and growing problem. Estimates put the number of people living with kidney disease worldwide at more than 850 million. For patients who progress to kidney failure, dialysis is often the only option for years. It keeps people alive, but it is heavy: on patients’ daily lives, on healthcare capacity, and on long-term costs. That’s the reality NanoKid starts from.
What NanoKid will build
The idea is to recreate, at miniature scale, the two core functions of the nephron (the kidney’s working unit) and measure them properly while they operate.
In NanoKid we will:
- mimic the glomerulus, which filters waste from the blood
- mimic the tubule, which reabsorbs water and useful substances and actively secretes waste
- develop microsensors that continuously read out how well these units perform
Those components will be integrated into a kidney-on-a-chip platform. In the near term, this chip can be used to test new medicines and study kidney function under controlled conditions. In the longer term, the aim is to contribute to better alternatives to conventional dialysis.
Who is involved
NanoKid is led by dr. K.G.F. Gerritsen (UMC Utrecht), with co-applicants dr. K.L. Cheng, prof. dr. ir. J. Huskens, prof. dr. R. Masereeuw, dr. S.M. Mihaila, prof. dr. ir. M. Odijk, and prof. dr. A.D. van der Meer.
We’re grateful for the commitment of our industrial and societal partners: CureLogic, imec-NL, Ourobionics, Cell4Pharma, Scinus, Micronit, MosaMatrix, Dutch Kidney Foundation, and Resiliun. Their contribution is essential for translation, scaling, and making sure what we build can move beyond the lab. We’re looking forward to doing this work together.
About NXTGEN Hightech
Across the eight newly awarded projects starting in 2026, the consortia receive more than €14 million in funding, with additional financing from project co-funders.
For more background on the new NXTGEN Hightech projects (including NanoKid), see the NXTGEN Hightech announcement: Eight new projects starting in NXTGEN Hightech programme.