Research in the BioTherapeutics research programme is aimed at a smoother and speedier transition from preclinical research to pharmacological interventions, and the delivery of drugs in the human body by use of small molecules and biologics.

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Drug development is a complex process in which many parties work together. Every day, the researchers at LACDR devote their energies to developing drugs that are new, better, more efficient and easier to produce. And thus to the millions of patients who know all too well why this research in Leiden…

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The research conducted at the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research is clustered within the divisions of BioTherapeutics, Drug Discovery & Safety and Systems Biomedicine and Pharmacology, and the Metabolomics and Analytics Centre.

Knowledge on how to adjust a drug dose in special patient populations such as (prematurely born) neonates or children, obese individuals or critically-ill patients, is not only crucial for novel compounds, but also for existing drugs which are often used in an off-label manner in these special patient…

Key publications of the Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineeringgroup (Mashaghi Lab)

A research goal for ABS is to develop miniaturized platforms for research in (stem)cell, in-vitro systems and application in clinical and preventive research. Combined with the high throughput, this development will make it possible to study the dynamics of pathogenesis in human and cellular models…

Lecture

Do medicines arrive in the right amount at the right spot in our brain? By making a model that depicts our brain in small 'brain blocks', Esmée Vendel tries to find an answer to this question. Her new, mathematical model predicts the concentration of medicines in the brain over time and space. Vendel…

Lecture

PhD defence

PhD defence

PhD defence

PhD defence

PhD defence

When you become very good at one thing, that sometimes comes at the expense of something else. Such trade-offs also apply to bacteria. When becoming more resistant to one antibiotic, bacteria can sometimes become more sensitive to another. Linda Aulin, PhD candidate in the pharmacology group of Coen…

International pharmaceuticals company Grünenthal is to open an innovation hub on the Leiden Bio Science Park. The hub will make it easier for scientists and drug developers to work together.

When children wean off from heavy medication, they often experience withdrawal symptoms. The severity of these symptoms is often difficult to predict. Pharmacologist Bas Goulooze developed a computer model to determine the best weaning strategy for each child. His research has now been published in…

NWO honoured Leiden psychologist Jeffrey Durieux with a Research Talent Grant for early dementia detection by identifying differences in resting-state networks.

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common type of breast cancer.

Promotor: H.S. Overkleeft, Co-promotor: M. van der Stelt

Key publications of the Computational Drug Discovery group

In the Master’s programme in Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences of Leiden University you are trained for a scientific career in drug research and development.

Research projects

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), one of the largest families of membrane proteins, are responsive to a diverse set of physiological endogenous ligands including hormones and neurotransmitters.

Human skin equivalents (HSEs) can be a valuable tool to study aspects of human skin, including the skin barrier, or to perform chemical or toxicological screenings.

Promotor: Prof.dr. T. Hankemeier, Co-Promotor: R.J. Vreeken

Can we establish a new quality control system for herbal medicines that is based on bioactivity rather than a few abundant chemicals?

Can we link multiple components from herbal extracts with their biological activities?

School of pharmaceutical sciences, University of Geneva - Switzerland

What are the differences between the trade in Chinese herbal drugs in Europe between 1800 and now? Can we see the major metabolic changes after 200 yours?

The complex pathophysiology of immuno-dermatological disorders is multifactorial, including environmental, skin microbiome, (epi)genetic and immune dysregulation conditions. This project primarily focuses on the orphan disease mycosis fungoides, a subtype of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The current pathophysiological…

The Cognitive Psychology Unit has two main reseach lines, which focus on basic research questions and more applied challenges.

The division of Drug Discovery and Safety combines the former divisions Toxicology and Medicinal Chemistry.

Key publications of the Analytical BioSciences and Metabolomics group

In this thesis, we have studied the potential of the zebrafish larval model in studying the ECS, as a complementary model to the existing rodent models.

Childhood obesity is an increasing health issue. In the first part of this thesis comorbidities in children with obesity were studied, concerning the diagnostic process and dosing regimens.

Are you interested in taking up an extra challenge during your master’s programme? Have you thought about applying for our Summer School programme or are you interested in developing your personal leadership style?

The cannabinoid CB2 receptor (CB2R) represents a promising therapeutic target for various forms of tissue injury and inflammatory diseases. Although numerous compounds have been developed and widely used to target CB2R, their selectivity, molecular mode of action and pharmacokinetic properties have…

Promotor: Prof.dr. A.P. IJzerman, Co-Promotor: L.H. Heitman

The distinction of outstanding and rewarded scientific and educational achievements is an important component of the promotion of our work at the LACDR.

The mission in this research group, headed by Ad IJzerman, is to design and synthesize novel and better ligands for drug targets. Drug discovery is a lengthy but inspiring adventure. It is often an interplay between academic institutes and pharmaceutical industry, in which scientists at university develop…

Physics and Engineering Approaches to Biomedicine and Pharmacology

The LACDR represents the core of bio-pharmaceutical research at Leiden University, and we interact closely with our partners:

This book describes the different approaches for drug delivery to the brain with an emphasis on the physiology of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the governing principles and concepts for drug delivery across the BBB

Medicines are becoming increasingly precise and innovative, but at the same time increasingly expensive. With their innovations, it is up to universities to increase competition, thus causing prices to drop. This is what newly appointed Professor of Biomolecular Analysis Hubertus Irth argues. His inaugural…

An overview of research projects at the Predictive Pharmacology group.

Leiden University offers you several services related to career orientation and job application skills.

The master's specialisation Drug Discovery and Safety at Leiden University provides students with research-oriented education into the discovery of new drug targets and new lead molecules, particularly in the field of cancer, through a combination of advanced imaging techniques (‘systems microscopy’),…