Promotor: Prof.dr. G.P. van Wezel

The aim of this thesis is to study cell-cell interactions and the development of an assay to explore and quantify the exchange of membrane compounds.

We are interested in the efficacy and safety of new drugs and novel means to decipher these aspects. Hence, we employ advanced imaging and high-throughput screening techniques next to computational approaches such as chem- and bioinformatics.

We aim to provide new insights relating to the spectacular multi-cellular life cycle of streptomycetes and other actinobacteria.

This thesis consists of three chapters, the first two of which concern division points of elements of the multiplicative group of a number field.

In the research programme Microbial Sciences we perform state-of-the-art research in the field of biotechnology and microbial sciences.

Streptomyces present a valuable platform for natural product discovery. Lugdunomycin is a novel angucycline-derived polyketide from Streptomyces sp QL37, with unprecedented skeleton and antimicrobial activity.

This functional genomics project aims at understanding the biology of the underlying mycelium differentiation and autolysis processes in much more detail.

Latent variable modeling of students' solution strategies and performance

At the Cell Observatory we visualize the dynamic structures of life - from molecule to cell to organism -with the ultimate goal to tackle disease, for instance to reduce the spread of cancer and develop new medicines for tuberculosis. The development of new medicines is one of the core efforts of Leiden…

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Decision support tool for cell therapy commercialization and business development

Leiden has a long history in the treatment of blood cell cancer. Research to find better therapies never stands still. One of the potential treatments currently being worked on is a ‘living medicine’.

Living cells on topographically-controlled substrates: Understanding Cell Motility in a Quasi-3D Environment

Mechanical interactions between cells and their environment play an important role in many biological processes.

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Promotor: Prof.dr. J. Kuiper, Co-Promotor: S.C.A. de Jager

Science, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR)

BioSolar Cells is a five-year research project in which ten knowledge institutions and 45 private industries work together.

The master's specialisation From Cells to Organisms at Leiden University examines the molecular mechanisms underlying health and disease and how cells and organisms adapt to environmental factors.

What distinguishes a tumour cell from a healthy cell? Researchers are trying to answer this question as precisely as possible. Certain differences could eventually lead to new therapies.

In this project innovative technology for photovoltaics cells is developed and analysis of ecological and health related risks are explicitly accounted for.

Cardiovascular disease is a major global burden and atherosclerosis is the main underlying pathological process.

The group of Dr. Roxanne Kieltyka designs and synthesizes molecules that self-assemble into polymeric materials using specific non-covalent interactions. These substrates can be used for numerous applications in medicine ranging from disease detection to cell delivery depending on the (bio)molecular…

The CMCB brings together microbial cell biology expertise in Leiden. It aims at optimal resonance between the groups and maximal exploitation of the available infrastructure and to develop innovative cross-boundary technology platforms.

Promotor: R.C.M. Pelger Co-Promotor: G. van der Pluijm

Almost all bacteria are enveloped by a cell wall that provides cellular protection.

Atherosclerosis, in particular rupture of atherosclerotic plaques, is the underlying cause of most heart attacks or strokes and is the leading cause of death worldwide.

Atherosclerosis is the most important underlying process that drives cardiovascular disease, and is characterized by an accumulation of cholesterol which triggers an inflammatory response in the vessel wall.

The loss of T-cell homeostasis and tolerance towards self-antigens is the underlying cause of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases like atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or type I diabetes. Traditionally, the treatment of these diseases consisted on systemic immune suppression, which can entail…

Cardiovascular syndromes are the major cause of death in Western societies.

Cell adhesion signaling

The word ¨pyroptosis¨ can be understood as ¨fiery falling¨, which describes the bursting of pro-inflammatory signals from the dying cell. Our observations indicate that pyroptosis also ¨spreads like wildfire¨ and once a cell dies via pyroptotic cell death, neighbouring cells are more prone to die as…

Atherosclerosis is the main underlying pathology of cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis is caused by an immune response which is directed against (modified) lipoproteins which accumulate in the vessel wall.

We aim to engineer streptomycetes to fully exploit their potential for natural product productions, by a rational design and evolution approach.

Source: Biosens Bioelectron, Volume 74, pp. 233-42 (2015)

Treatment with special stem cells seems to be a good option for suppressing the immune system in organ transplants. Researchers are trying to learn from processes that take place in the human body during pregnancy.

A new therapy for the serious Graft-versus-Host disease

Visualization of biomolecules in living cells by tagging with gold nanoparticles.

Promotores: Prof.dr. M.K. Richardson, Prof.dr. H.P. Spaink

In this research project, we aimed to obtain more insight in the role of mast cells in the immune driven disorders rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis.

What is the role of cell wall-deficiency in the persistence of tuberculosis?

A new type of tripodal squaramide-based supramolecular hydrogels is developed and studied.

During embryonic growth, cells proliferate, differentiate, and collectively migrate to form different tissues at the right position and time in the body.

Bacteria have the ability to alter their morphology in order to adapt to changing environments.

Aspergillus niger is an important industrial producer of organic acids and enzymes producing large amounts of spent fungal biomass.

Promotor: Huub J.M. de Groot, Co-promotor: Francesco Buda

Promotoren: G.F.A. Kersten, W. Jiskoot, Co-promotor: J-P. Amorij

We study cell-fate decision-making using embryonic stem cells as a model system. Stem cells integrate a large number of cues to direct their development into a great variety of cell types.