Bram Schermers wins Amsterdam Science & Innovation Award 2016

Bram Schermers of the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek/Netherlands Cancer Institute is the winner of the Amsterdam Science & Innovation Award 2016, the annual award for the most innovative idea of all Amsterdam universities and research institutes, with his entry “MaMaLoc”. MaMaLoc is a technique for the improvement of breast cancer treatment.

The high potential award went to Marte Otten, a researcher at the University of Amsterdam for her “Feeling Thermometer”, an online application for visualization of unconscious beliefs. The Audience Award was won by Hedy Folkersma of the Academic Medical Centre for HEAD (Hydrocephalus Early Advanced Diagnostics), a device to diagnose hydrocephalus in newborns at an early stage.

MaMaLoc: a magnetic localization technique for more precise breast cancer treatment

Finding and completely removing the tumor during breast cancer surgery is a big clinical challenge. A localization technique is indispensable in helping the surgeon to excise the right tissue, but current options are either inaccurate orcomplex.
MaMaLoc (Magnetic Marker Localization) provides an accurate and hassle-free magnetic localization marker to be used in combination with a proprietary clinical magnetic detector platformin order to guide the surgeon to the tumor. With this technique, the cosmetic outcome of the surgery and thus the quality of life is improved significantly for women with breast cancer.

Bram Schermers received the € 10.000 euro prize from jury chairman Alexander Rinnooy Kan. Bram Schermers presented his idea with such passion, that he convinced the jury that the sophisticated technology can really make a difference in people’s lives. The MaMaLoc technology was developed by technical physician Bram Schermers as part of his PhD at the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek/Netherlands Cancer Institute and the University of Twente. The technology was developed in close cooperation with the breast radiologists and breast surgeons who will ultimately use the technology.

High potential award: knowing what your target group thinks

The high potential award of € 5.000 was won by Marte Otten, a researcher at the University of Amsterdam for her “Feeling Thermometer”, an online application for visualization of unconscious beliefs. “The Implicite Association Task” (IAT) is an amazing tool to chart other peoples’ mind. The IAT shows exactly what issues are preferred, through the speed with which people respond to words and pictures. “I would therefore like to make the IAT available by an online app that allows measurement of all kinds of internal associations or to test how people (unconsciously) think about products, developments in society or their fellow man“, said Otten. This app provides a major step forward for anyone who wants to know what their target audience thinks.

Audience Award: rapid diagnosis of starting hydrocephalus in newborns

Hedy Folkersma of the Academisch Medisch Centrum has won the audience award of € 5.000 for HEAD (Hydrocephalus Early Advanced Diagnostics), a device to detect hydrocephalus at an early stage in newborns. The HEAD technique is faster and more accurate in the determination of a hydrocephalus than current techniques, because it makes use of facial scanning and creates a 3D digital reconstruction of the head. Subtle changes of the contours of the forehead can be detected, thus predicting hydrocephalus. An early and accurate diagnosis can prevent permanent brain damage.

Amsterdam Science & Innovation Award

The Amsterdam Science & Innovation Award is the annual award for the most innovative idea with a social and / or commercial application resulting from scientific research in Amsterdam. This year is the eleventh edition of the Award and is organized by IXA (Innovation Exchange Amsterdam) and the City of Amsterdam. Partners of the event are Amsterdam Science Park, Sanquin, CWI, NKI, Amolf and Nikhef, Rabobank and ERAC.