Eindhoven University Fund receives legacy of over 5 million euro for research on 'health tech'.
- Eindhoven University
The University Fund Eindhoven has received a substantial donation from the Fred and Thea Philips Foundation (no relation to the Philips family). The benefactors expressed their wish for the funds to be dedicated to scientific research in the health sector, with the amount exceeding five million euros to be distributed over the next few years. For instance, this donation will be used to support the appointment of a doctoral candidate to research an innovative mat for premature infants.
Significant
With an endowment of approximately 2.5 million euros (as of 2022), the University Fund Eindhoven (UFe) is relatively small compared to older funds in the Netherlands, such as those in Leiden or Amsterdam. Hence, this donation of over five million euros is particularly noteworthy. Ton Backx, director of the University Fund Eindhoven: "It is a significant amount that enables us to conduct groundbreaking health research over the next several years." Fred and Thea Philips, with a profound appreciation for science, allocated funds not only to TU/e but also to the University of Leuven and Burgers Zoo in Arnhem.
The chosen project involves the development of a 'smart mat' in collaboration with Máxima MC in Veldhoven. This mat, when placed under a baby in an incubator, monitors crucial factors like movement, breathing, and potentially, in the future, heart rate without causing discomfort to the infant.
Clinical physicist Carola van Pul from Máxima MC explains that for extremely premature babies, weighing as little as 500 grams at 24 weeks, and with underdeveloped organs, close monitoring is crucial. “The advantage of this mat over current monitoring methods is the reduced stress for infants as it eliminates the need for adhesive sensors on their delicate skin.”
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