Van Leeuwenhoek Lectures on Bioscience

The Leiden van Leeuwenhoek Lectures on BioScience are a monthly series of interdisciplinary themed lectures organised by the Bioscience Inititative (BSI).

In 2000, the Faculty of Science of Leiden University launched the BioScience Initiative (BSI). Its aim was to bring together those engaged in research in various disciplines, in order to stimulate interdisciplinary collaboration. This was mainly done by organising a monthly colloquium, the Leiden van Leeuwenhoek Lectures on BioScience. All invited speakers are highly qualified and at the forefront of their field, which in most cases is interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary.

The speakers generally stay in Leiden for several days, giving them the opportunity to brainstorm with members of the various research groups within the Faculty of Science and LUMC, and to visit other universities and research institutes occasionally.

PhD students and students are encouraged to attend the lectures. Sometimes speakers are also requested to give a special presentation for students and to have discussions with them.

Keuze van de sprekers

The committee of the BSI comprises a chairman and a secretary. It has a Program Advisory Board consisting of a number of key contacts in the various institutes belonging to the Faculty of Science and the LUMC, including two PhD students. With their help, the committee draws up a standing list of potential speakers; the invitations are based on this advice. In this way, the lectures fit the current research in the Faculty of Science and the LUMC perfectly.