Congratulations to Danny Sahtoe! The group leader at the Hubrecht Institute in Utrecht and one of the fifteen ORFeus principal investigators has been unanimously selected for the 2025 NVBMB Prize by the Netherlands Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
The prize recognizes outstanding young researchers in biochemistry and molecular biology. The jury cited Danny’s excellent scientific record and unique expertise in computational protein design, a field at the intersection of biochemistry and engineering that was recognized by the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to David Baker, in whose lab Danny trained.
In ORFeus, Danny supervises DC6, which designs synthetic protein binders that can selectively bind microproteins and switch their activity on or off. This provides a direct route from discovery to function: once the network finds a new microprotein, the Sahtoe group can design a molecule to test what it does. Danny also co-supervises DC10 on thermal proteome profiling of microprotein interactions.
A well-deserved recognition for one of the most talented young scientists in the consortium!