Truth is stranger than fiction. In 1997 Juan Maldaceña discovered a remarkable dictionary that translates equation for equation the physics of black holes in string theory into the more conventional physics of quantum mechanics of interacting particles. The remarkable possibility exists that…

The correctness of computational systems is of great importance to our society, since it becomes ever more reliant on the benefits of computing.

We investigate how radiation pressure can be used to influence the mechanical motion of a micro-mirror suspended from springs.

Research at the THEOR group is comprised of the following research themes:

The master's specialisation Bioinformatics at Leiden University focuses on research, development and application of computational tools and approaches for expanding the use of biological, medical, behavioral and health data.

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This project explored the role of material culture, in casu painted plaster and its technologies, in expressing dynamic social identities and in forging complex interwoven human relationships in the context of the Middle to Late Bronze Age of the Aegean and East Mediterranean.

The government is investing 646 million euros and has set aside a further 3.5 billion to drive economic growth in the Netherlands. Much of the National Growth Fund will be used for scientific innovations. Leiden University is involved in three of the projects.

The Research in Physics, Classical/Quantum Information specialisation is an excellent stepping stone for pursuing a PhD degree in projects that involves Physics and Data Science This specialisation also prepares you for a broad array of career prospects in research and industry, including software engineer,…

The Physics and Quantum Matter and Optics specialisation is one of the two programmes Leiden offers in experimental physics. The programme can be tailored to individual needs and interests.

Lecture

The Joan Van der Waals colloquium is an ongoing bi-weekly lecture series.

We cover the entire spectrum from target identification to the evaluation of the efficacy and safety of novel medicines in clinical practice.

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

Can we develop a generic method for Quan/Qual analysis of small molecule drugs, their metabolites and endogenous metabolites in (pre-)clinical samples?

Education in (Chinese) Medicinal Plants associated to the Hortus botanicus in Leiden - Which Traditional Chinese Medicinal plants can be grown in the Hortus? - Establishing of a database which Chinese medical plants are available in Dutch Botanical Gardens - Data validation (correct identification,…

At the heart of this study is a thorough inquiry of categorisations of social identity used in the VOC’s record-keeping bureaucracy. How were service, occupational and caste groups classified and shaped by the VOC?

Lecture

On November 21, theoretical physicist Juan Maldacena gives the Ehrenfest Colloquium. Maldacena is known worldwide as the inventor of AdS/CFT correspondence, which might be key to a theory of quantum gravity. Maldacena is winner of the prestigious Dirac Prize and the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental…

On 9 September, in the presence of King Willem Alexander, Secretary of State Sander Dekker presented the Spinoza Prize to four researchers, including two researchers from Leiden: archaeologist Corinne Hofman and physicist Dirk Bouwmeester. In the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague, they unveiled their plans for…

The origin and evolution of galaxies are closely tied to the cyclic feedback processes between stars and the interstellar medium (ISM).

Lecture

In vitro disease models play a fundamental role in drug research. They enable the systemic identification and validation of disease mechanisms and the discovery of possible drug targets. However, more than often, drug candidates that are identified in vitro fail in the later clinical stages of drug…

Three of the four Heineken Young Scientists Awards for 2022 have gone to researchers from Leiden: chronobiologist Laura Kervezee, physicist Jordi Tura i Brugués and health psychologist Liesbeth van Vliet.

Leiden Institute of Physics regularly has vacancies for staff, postdocs and PhD positions.

In the thesis we demonstrated an 85% state transfer efficiency between two mechanical modes coupled to a common optical mode via stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) in the classical regime. We also showed possibilities to manipulate quantum states of the mechanical modes via STIRAP.

The programme offers you the ability to combine experimental research with theoretical courses. The programme helps you grow into an independent and skilled physicist.

The specialisation consists of 120 European Credit Transfer System (EC) points and includes mandatory courses and electives (60 EC) and two research projects (60 EC).

Our cantilevers have a low intrinsic damping rate: this enables us to measure with low noise, since damping is proportionate to noise. However, when the magnet is close to the surface of a sample we want to study, we measure a much higher effective damping rate. This is caused by magnetic interaction…

Geometric phases lead to a nontrivial interference result when an electron's different quantum mechanical paths choices encircle a magnetic coil in an Aharonov-Bohm experiment.

Single-molecule spectroscopy has become a powerful method for using organic fluorescent molecules in numerous applications.

A full overview of THEOR PhD theses.

Promotor: Prof.dr. J. Zaanen, A. Parnachev

We explore the particle physics and quantum world at the time of the big bang.

The specialisation consists of 120 European Credit Transfer System (EC) points and includes mandatory courses and electives (60 EC) and two research projects (60 EC).

Do you have any questions about the master’s programme Research in Physics: Classical/Quantum Information? Please contact us.

‘Scientific research, applications and teaching are inseparable. When teaching I try to integrate my research experience into the lectures.'

Lecture

The Leiden Institute of Physics (LION) offers bachelor and master level education in physics at Leiden University.

The Casimir pre-PhD programme at Leiden University prepares you for a PhD position in physics. If focuses on six research themes: Molecular Biophysics, Physics of nanostructures, Quantum Matter and Functional Materials, Quantum Information and quantum optics, Universe physics; theory and instrumentation,…

Vibrating carbon monoxide molecules adsorbed at the surface of a salt crystal stop moving after a few milliseconds. Scientists now discovered this is dominantly due to the emission of electromagnetic waves. The role of the chemical bond at the surface thereby appears to be less important than previously…

An overview of awards and prizes granted to our staff and students in 2022, as well as special appointments at Leiden University and other institutions.

PhD Defence

PhD Defence

On 11 June 2020, Sabine Witting defended her thesis 'Child Sexual Abuse in the Digital Era: Rethinking Legal Frameworks and Transnational Law Enforcement Collaboration'. The doctoral research was supervised by Prof. J.J. Sloth-Nielsen and Prof. S. van der Hof.

Source: PLoS ONE, Volume 10, Issue 3 (2015)

Freshwater is an important resource, but at a great risk of species decline due to habitat loss, pollution and over-exploitation, and invasive alien species.

The work described in this dissertation contributes to a better mechanistic understanding of nanoparticles in vivo. To achieve that goal, we used the zebrafish as a highly predictive pre-screening model of nanoparticles.

Creating information portals for support of European environmental policy.