Kim Bonger
Professor Chemistry
- Name
- Prof.dr. K.M. Bonger
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 2727
- k.m.bonger@lic.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0001-9498-2620
The research of Kim Bonger focuses on the development of novel bioorthogonal chemistry and chemoenzymatic methods for imaging, target discovery and precision medicine. In addition, she develops molecular probes and explores new chemical biology strategies to understand and modulate the cellular mechanisms involved in (auto)immune diseases.
More information about Kim Bonger
PhD candidates
Bio sketch
Kim Bonger obtained her MSc degree in Organic Chemistry from the Free University in Amsterdam in 2002. In 2008 she received her PhD in (bio)organic chemistry and from Leiden University working under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Gijs van der Marel and Prof. Dr. Hermen Overkleeft on the design, synthesis and evaluation of dimeric ligands for G-protein coupled receptors involved in human reproduction. Starting in 2009, Kim switched fields to molecular biology and cell biology where she spends four years as a postdoc with Prof. Dr. Thomas Wandless at Stanford University working on molecular tools to control protein stability. In 2013 she returned to the Netherlands as an assistant professor in Chemical Biology at the Radboud University in Nijmegen where she was promoted to associate professor in 2021. In 2024 she moved to Leiden University to pursue her research in Chemical Biology & Immunology and is appointed to Full Professor in Chemical Biology in 2025. Her research focuses on the development of novel bioorthogonal chemistry and chemoenzymatic methods for imaging, target discovery and precision medicine. In addition, she develops molecular probes and explores new chemical biology strategies to understand and modulate the cellular mechanisms involved in (auto)immune diseases.
Short CV
Education
2008 PhD, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, The Netherlands, 19 December 2008. Thesis title: “Dimeric ligands for GPCRs involved in reproduction: Synthesis and biological evaluation”; Advisors: Prof. H.S. Overkleeft and G.A. van der Marel
2002 MSc in Organic Chemistry, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2001 BSc in Organic Chemistry, Hogeschool Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands
Current and previous research positions
2025 – now Full Professor in Chemical Biology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, The Netherlands
2024 – 2025 Associate Professor, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, The Netherlands
2021 – 2024 Associate Professor with Ius Promovendi, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2013 – 2021 Assistant Professor, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2009 – 2012 Postdoctoral researcher, Stanford University, Stanford, USA (Prof. Dr. T.J. Wandless)
Grants and recognitions since 2016
2024 ZonMW Open Competition (800 k€, Co-applicant)
2024 ERC Proof of Concept (160 k€)
2024 Venture Challenge 2024 Certificate
2023 ERC Consolidator Grant (2.5 M€)
2022 Radboud Interdisciplinary Research Platform (50 k€, Co-applicant with Dr. S. Lücker)
2021 Aspasia Grant, Dutch Science Organization (NWO) (120 K€)
2021 Institute for Chemical Immunology Grant (300 K€, Co-applicant with Prof. E. Reits)
2020 Reumafonds Grant (200 K€, co-applicant with Prof. R.E.M. Toes, LUMC)
2020 Learning by Simulation certificate for module: Drug Development
2018 ERC Starting Grant (1.5 M€)
2018 ICI career track (1.2 M€)
2017 University Teaching Qualification Certificate (BKO)
2017 Radboud Womens Professor Network Prize
2016 Reumafonds Grant (200 K€, co-applicant with Dr. P. van Lent, RUMC)
Contribution to teaching and supervision
2024 - 2025 Lecturer Molecular Physiology (MST, BSc)
2021 - 2024 Lecturer and coordinator Medicinal Chemistry (NWI-MOL421, MSc)
2013 - 2024 Lecturer Pharmacochemistry (NWI-MOL053, BSc)
2013 - 2024 Lecturer Chemical Biology (NWI-MOL401, MSc)
Supervision of 15 PhD students and 6 postdoctoral fellows since 2013.
Publication record
>52 papers with >1800 citations, H-index: 23 (Google Scholar)
Full publication record: Google Scholar
Recent oral presentations including international conferences
- 14th International Activity Based Protein Profiling meeting, Crick Institute, London, UK (March 2025)
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry lecture, Leiden, The Netherlands (July 2024)
- Glasgow-Nijmegen Symposium, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (June 2024)
- Astbury Conversations, Leeds, UK (April 2024)
- KVCV-RSC 2023, Brussel, Belgium (December 2023)
- EFMC-ICBS 2023, Basel, Zwiterland (November 2023)
- 13th International Activity Based Protein Profiling meeting, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel (July 2023)
- 2nd RadboudUMC Oncology Research Retreat, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (June 2023)
- 7th Gratama Workshop, Nagasaki, Japan (May 2023)
- Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (March 2023)
- Chemical Immunology MMD symposium, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (September 2022)
- 2nd Munich-Leiden Virtual ChemBio Talks (September 2022)
- Chemical Biology & Physiology Conference OHSU, Portland, USA (April 2022)
- KNCV Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology Symposium, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (March 2022)
- Byondis lecture, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (November 2021)
- Virtual 48th IUPAC World Chemistry Congress, Montreal, Canada (August 2021)
- Virtual RSC Bioorthogonal and Bioresponsive symposium, Edinborough, UK (June 2021)
- Leolezing, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (March 2021)
- MedChem symposium, University of Wuerzburg, Germany (February 2021)
- Sigma Lecture, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (February 2020)
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary (January 2020)
Organization of recent scientific meetings
2025 Organizing Committee member of EFMC-ISMC conference, Basel, Switserland” ~1500 participants
2024 Scientific Committee member of the 14th Activity Based Protein Profiling meeting, London, UK
2022 Member of the Program Committee 49th IUPAC World Chemistry Congress /CHAINS 2023; The Hague, Netherlands: ~ 2500 participants
2022 Member of the Program Committee CHAINS 2022; Netherlands: ~ 1500 participants
2021 Member of the Program Committee CHAINS 2021; Netherlands: ~ 1500 participants
2021 Co-organizer of 48th IUPAC World Chemistry Congress, Montreal, Canada
Professor Chemistry
- Faculty of Science
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry
- LIC/Chemical Biology
- LIC/CB/Chemical Biology & Immunology
- Weijsten M.J. van, Venrooij K.R., Lelieveldt L.P.W.M., Kissel T., Buijtenen E. van, Dalen F.J. van, Verdoes M., Toes R.E.M. & Bonger K.M. (2024), Effect of antigen valency on autoreactive B-Cell targeting, Molecular Pharmaceutics 21(2): 481-490.
- Bartels Y.L., Lent P.L.E.M. van, Kraan P.M. van der, Blom A.B, Bonger K.M. & Bosch M.H.J. van den (2024), Inhibition of TLR4 signalling to dampen joint inflammation in osteoarthritis, Rheumatology 63(3): 608-618.
- Rutjes F.P.J.T., Bonger K.M. & Neumann K. (2024), Bioorthogonal chemistry at Radboud University: past, present and future, Synlett: Accounts and Rapid Communications in Chemical Synthesis 35(11): 1230-1238.
- Ramos Cáceres E., Kemperman L. & Bonger K.M. (2024), Environment-sensitive turn-on fluorescent probe enables live cell imaging of myeloperoxidase activity during NETosis, Communications Chemistry 7: 262.
- Venrooij K.R., Bondt L. de & Bonger K.M. (2024), Mutually orthogonal bioorthogonal eeactions: selective chemistries for labeling multiple biomolecules simultaneously, Topics in Current Chemistry 382(3): 24.
- Joosten J., Sluijs B. van, Egberts W.V., Emmaneel M., Jansen P.W.T.C., Vermeulen M., Boelens W., Bonger K.M. & Spruijt E. (2023), Dynamics and composition of small heat shock protein condensates and aggregates, Journal of Molecular Biology 435(13): 168139.
- Sondag D., Maartense L., Jong H. de, Kleijne F.F.J. de, Bonger K.M., Lowik D.W.P.M., Boltje T.J., Dommerholt J., White P.B., Blanco-Ania D. & Rutjes F.P.J.T. (2023), Readily accessible strained difunctionalized trans-cyclooctenes with fast click and release capabilities, Chemistry: a European Journal 29(6): e202203375.
- Ignacio B.J., Dijkstra J., Mora N., Slot E.F.J., Weijsten M.J. van, Storkebaum E., Vermeulen M. & Bonger K.M. (2023), THRONCAT: metabolic labeling of newly synthesized proteins using a bioorthogonal threonine analog, Nature Communications 14: 3367.
- Holborough-Kerkvliet M.D., Mucignato G., Moons S.J., Psomiadou V., Konada R.S.R., Pedowitz N.J., Pratt M.R., Kissel T., Koeleman C.A.M., Tjokrodirijo R.T.N., Veelen P.A. van, Huizinga T., Schie K.A.J. van, Wuhrer M., Kohler J.J., Bonger K.M., Boltje T.J. & Toes R.E.M. (2023), A photoaffinity glycan-labeling approach to investigate immunoglobulin glycan-binding partners, Glycobiology 33(9): 732-744.
- Kristyanto H., Holborough-Kerkvliet M.D., Lelieveldt L., Bartels Y., Hammink R., Schie K.A.J. van, Toes R.E.M., Bonger K.M. & Scherer H.U. (2022), Multifunctional, multivalent PIC polymer scaffolds for targeting antigen-specific, autoreactive B cells, ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering 8(4): 1486-1493.
- Le Gall C.M., Schoot J.M.S. van der, Ramos-Tomillero I., Khalily M.P., Dalen F.J. van, Wijfjes Z., Smeding L., Dalen D. van, Cammarata A., Bonger K.M., Figdor C.G., Scheeren F.A & Verdoes M. (2021), Dual site-specific chemoenzymatic antibody fragment conjugation using CRISPR-based hybridoma engineering, Bioconjugate Chemistry 32(2): 301-310.
- Smeenk M.L.W.J., Agramunt J. & Bonger K.M. (2021), Recent developments in bioorthogonal chemistry and the orthogonality within, Current Opinion in Chemical Biology 60: 79-88.
- Ignacio B.J., Bakkum T., Bonger K.M., Martin N.I. & Kasteren S.I. van (2021), Metabolic labeling probes for interrogation of the host-pathogen interaction, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 19(13): 2856-2870.
- Jong H. de, Bonger K.M. & Loewik D.W.P.M. (2020), Activatable cell-penetrating peptides: 15 years of research, RSC Chemical Biology 1(4): 192-203.
- Kissel T., Reijm S., Slot L.M., Cavallari M., Wortel C.M., Vergroesen R.D., Stoeken-Rijsbergen G., Kwekkeboom J.C., Kampstra A.S.B., Levarht E.W.N., Drijfhout J.W., Bang H., Bonger K.M., Janssen G.M.C., Veelen P.A. van, Huizinga T.W.J., Scherer H.U., Reth M. & Toes R.E.M. (2020), Antibodies and B cells recognising citrullinated proteins display a broad cross-reactivity towards other post-translational modifications, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 79(4): 472-480.
- Verhelst S.H.L., Bonger K.M. & Willems L.I. (2020), Bioorthogonal reactions in activity-based protein profiling, Molecules 25(24): 5994.
- Bode S.A., Timmermans S.B.P.E., Eising S., Gemert S.P.W. van, Bonger K.M. & Lowik D.W.P.M. (2019), Click to enter: activation of oligo-arginine cell-penetrating peptides by bioorthogonal tetrazine ligations, Chemical Science 10(3): 701-705.
- Lelieveldt L.P.W.M., Eising S., Wijen A. & Bonger K.M. (2019), Vinylboronic acid-caged prodrug activation using click-to-release tetrazine ligation, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 17(39): 8816-8821.
- Eising S., Engwerda A.H.J., Riedijk X., Bickelhaupt F.M. & Bonger K.M. (2018), Highly stable and selective tetrazines for the coordination-assisted bioorthogonal ligation with vinylboronic acids, Bioconjugate Chemistry 29(9): 3054-3059.
- Schoonen L., Eising S., Eldijk M.B. van, Bresseleers J., Pijl M. van der, Nolte R.J.M., Bonger K.M. & Hest J.C.M. van (2018), Modular, bioorthogonal strategy for the controlled loading of cargo into a protein nanocage, Bioconjugate Chemistry 29(4): 1186-1193.
- Lelieveldt L.P.W.M., Kristyanto H., Pruijn G.J.M., Scherer H.U., Toes R.E.M. & Bonger K.M. (2018), Sequential prodrug strategy to target and eliminate ACPA-selective autoreactive B cells, Molecular Pharmaceutics 15(12): 5565-5573.
- Kleinpenning F., Eising S., Berkenbosch T., Garzero V., Schaart J.M. & Bonger K.M. (2018), Subcellular protein labeling by a spatially restricted arylamine N-acetyltransferase, ACS Chemical Biology 13(8): 1932-1937.
- Eising S., Linden N.G.A. van der, Kleinpenning F. & Bonger K.M. (2018), Vinylboronic acids as efficient bioorthogonal reactants for tetrazine labeling in living cells, Bioconjugate Chemistry 29(4): 982-986.
- Gracht A.M.F. van der, Geus M.A.R. de, Camps M.G.M., Ruckwardt T.J., Sarris A.J.C., Bremmers J., Maurits E., Pawlak J.B., Posthoorn M.M., Bonger K.M., Filippov D.V., Overkleeft H.S., Robillard M.S., Ossendorp F. & Kasteren S.I. van (2018), Chemical control over T-cell activation in vivo using deprotection of trans-cyclooctene-modified epitopes, ACS Chemical Biology 13(6): 1569-1576.
- Eising S., Xin B., Kleinpenning F., Heming J.J.A., Florea B.I., Overkleeft H.S. & Bonger K.M. (2018), Coordination-Assisted Bioorthogonal Chemistry: Orthogonal Tetrazine Ligation with Vinylboronic Acid and a Strained Alkene, ChemBioChem 19(15): 1648-1652.
- Buggenum J.A.G.L. van, Gerlach J.P., Eising S., Schoonen L., Eijl R.A.P.M. van, Tanis S.E.J., Hogeweg M., Hubner N.C., Hest J.C. van, Bonger K.M. & Mulder K.W. (2016), A covalent and cleavable antibody-DNA conjugation strategy for sensitive protein detection via immuno-PCR, Scientific Reports 6: 22675.
- Eising S., Lelivelt F. & Bonger K.M. (2016), Vinylboronic acids as fast reacting, synthetically accessible, and stable bioorthogonal reactants in the Carboni-Lindsey reaction, Angewandte Chemie (International Edition) 55(40): 12243-12247.
- Hensen S.M.M., Boelens W.C., Bonger K.M., Cruchten R.T.P. van, Delft F.L. van & Pruijn G.J.M. (2015), Phenylglyoxal-based visualization of citrullinated proteins on western blots, Molecules 20(4): 6592-6600.
- Collins S.R., Yang H.W., Bonger K.M., Guignet E.G., Wandless T.J. & Meyer T. (2015), Using light to shape chemical gradients for parallel and automated analysis of chemotaxis, Molecular Systems Biology 11(4): 804.
- Berg R.J.B.H.N. van der, Rijssel E.R. van, Ferraz M.J., Houben J., Strijland A., Donker-Koopman W.E., Wennekes T., Bonger K.M., Ghisaidoobe A.B.T., Hoogendoorn S., Marel G.A. van der, Codee J.D.C., Overkleeft H.S. & Aerts J.M.F.G. (2015), Synthesis and Evaluation of Hybrid Structures Composed of Two Glucosylceramide Synthase Inhibitors, ChemMedChem 10(12): 2042-2062.
- Bonger K.M., Rakhit R., Payumo A.Y., Chen J.K. & Wandless T.J. (2014), General method for regulating protein stability with light, ACS Chemical Biology 9(1): 111-115.
- Wennekes T., Bonger K.M., Vogel K., Van den Berg R.J.B.H.N., Strijland A., Donker-Koopman W.E., Aerts J.M.F.G., Van der Marel G.A. & Overkleeft H.S. (2012), The Development of an Aza-C-Glycoside Library Based on a Tandem Staudinger/Aza-Wittig/Ugi Three-Component Reaction, European Journal of Organic Chemistry (32): .
- Bonger K.M., Chen L.-C., Liu C.W. & Wandless T.J. (2011), Small-molecule displacement of a cryptic degron causes conditional protein degradation, Nature Chemical Biology 7(8): 531-537.
- Bonger K.M., Hoogendoorn S., Van Koppen C.J., Timmers C.M., Van der Marel G.A. & Overkleeft H.S. (2011), Development of Selective LH Receptor Agonists by Heterodimerization with a FSH Receptor Antagonist, ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2(1): .
- Bonger K.M., Kapoerchan V.V., Grotenbreg G.M., Van Koppen C.J., Timmers C.M., Van der Marel G.A. & Overkleeft H.S. (2010), Oligoproline helices as structurally defined scaffolds for oligomeric G protein-coupled receptor ligands, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 8(8): .
- Bonger K.M., Hoogendoorn S., Van Koppen C.J., Timmers C., Overkleeft H.S. & Van der Marel G.A. (2009), Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of Dimeric Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor Antagonists, ChemMedChem 4(12): 2098-2102.
- Bonger K.M., Van den Berg R., Knijnenburg A.D., Heitman L.H., Van Koppen C.J., Timmers C., Overkleeft H.S. & Marel G.A. van der (2009), Discovery of Selective Luteinizing Hormone Receptor Agonists Using the Bivalent Ligand Method, ChemMedChem 4(7): 1189-1195.
- Wennekes T., Van den Berg R., Bonger K.M., Donker-Koopman W.E., Ghisaidoobe A., Van der Marel G.A., Strijland A., Aerts J. & Overkleeft H.S. (2009), Synthesis and evaluation of dimeric lipophilic iminosugars as inhibitors of glucosylceramide metabolism, Tetrahedron Asymmetry 20(6-8): 836-846.
- Bonger K.M., Wennekes T., Filippov D.V., Lodder G., Marel G.A. van der & Overkleeft H.S. (2008), The effect of Lewis acids on the stereochemistry in the Ugi three-component reaction with D-lyxo pyrroline, European Journal of Organic Chemistry : 3678-3688.
- Bonger K.M., Berg R.J.B.H.N. van den, Heitman L.H., IJzerman A.P., Oosterom J., Timmers C.M., Overkleeft H.S. & Marel G.A. van der (2007), Synthesis and evaluation of homo-bivalent GnRHR ligands, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 15(14): 4841-4856.