Promotor: M. Ubbink, Co-Promotor: R. T. Dame

How do you fit two meters of DNA in a tiny compartment and at the same time are able to access the right parts of it at the right times?

Promotor: Prof.dr. J. Brouwer, Co-promotor: Dr. Remus Th. Dame

The genetic information of all living organisms is contained in their DNA. Cells modify the degree of DNA compaction by epigenetics, which largely determines what genes are read out and which genes are transcriptionally silent.

The genomic DNA of every organism is organized and compacted in order to fit inside the cell. This is achieved by the joint action of numerous architectural proteins that aid in folding the genome. Genome folding is tightly interconnected with transcription, with genes in certain regions being silenced,…

John van Noort

The relative simplicity of the bacterial cell, short generation times and well defined and inexpensive culturing conditions have significantly contributed to our understanding of many complex biological systems. Yet the workings of the bacterial genome, seemingly impossibly compressed within a tiny…

In human cells, a meter-long DNA is condensed inside a micrometer-sized cell nucleus. Simultaneously, the genetic code must remain accessible for its replication and transcription to functional proteins.

Promotor: Prof.dr. T. Schmidt, Co-promotor: Dr. ir. S. J.T. van Noort

Throughout all domains of life, from bacteria and archaea to eukaryotes, genomes adopt well-organized three-dimensional structures that can change in space and time to accommodate preferred transcriptional programs for environmental adaptation, the maintenance of cellular identity and differentiation…

Authoritative and cutting-edge, Bacterial Chromatin: Methods and Protocols aims to be useful as an up-to-date reference work for scholars in the bacterial chromatin field, those entering the field from adjacent research fields, and scientists in the eukaryotic chromatin field.

Promotores: H. Schiessel, G.T. Barkema

Bacteria often experience external challenges, such as changes in environmental conditions or attacks by bacteriophages.

Promotie

Compact Cinematics challenges the dominant understanding of cinema to focus on the various compact, short, miniature, pocket-sized forms of cinematics that have existed from even before its standardization in theatrical form, and in recent years have multiplied and proliferated, taking up an increasingly…

Leiden physicist Maarten Kruithof has discovered how our DNA is infallibly able to fold itself and to unfold again. In his dissertation he demonstrates how DNA is folded in a single long, very flexible spiral.

In an Advance Online Publication biophysicist John van Noort and others show using magnetic tweezers that DNA is folded in compliant helices of chromatin. This allows enzymes access to the DNA needed for gene expression. Van Noort's research group made the discovery in close partnership with researchers…

Key research articles and book chapters of the Chromatin group.

Our DNA molecules are packaged by proteins in compact structures. The aim of this project is to understand how modern gene editing techniques nevertheless get access to their target in the DNA.

All life on earth contains DNA, which is used to store biological information. Organisms compact their DNA in order for it to fit inside their cell(s).

Chromatin is an ubiquitous protein-DNA complex that forms the structural basis of DNA condensation in all eukaryotic organisms.

Genes are active sometimes, and other times they remain dormant for a while. Leiden physicist John van Noort receives an NWO ECHO grant to find out how this happens.

The CIGR comprises research groups from the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC), the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR) and the Leiden Institue of Physics (LION).

Lezing

This thesis describes the functional analysis of the Arabidopsis AHL15 gene.

What are the principles of genome folding and dynamics in bacteria?

The group Theoretical Physics of Life Processes, led by Helmut Schiessel, focuses on the physics of chromatin, the DNA-protein complex that fills the nuclei of eukaryotic cells.

Nature uses a special class of histone proteins, histone variants, to modulate the properties of chromatin at defined genomic locations.

Research at the Macromolecular Biochemistry group is comprised of the following research themes:

Oratie

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Find out more about our national and international research collaborations.

Lezing

Lezing

Our group operates at the cross-roads of different disciplines: molecular and cellular microbiology, biochemistry, structural biology and biophysics. The group harbors expertise in a multitude of molecular and cellular approaches including:

Relevant publications of the CIGR participants.

Leiden is a real student city with a friendly and compact centre where you’ll find everything a student is likely to need. The Hague is a fast-growing international student city offering the perfect mix for a rich and varied student life.

Leiden is a real student city and has everything you’ll need to turn your time as a student into the time of your life.

Leiden is a real student city and has everything you’ll need to turn your time as a student into the time of your life.

Leiden is a real student city and has everything you’ll need to turn your time as a student into the time of your life.

Leiden is a real student city and has everything you’ll need to turn your time as a student into the time of your life.

Leiden is a real student city and has everything you’ll need to turn your time as a student into the time of your life

Leiden is a real student city and has everything you’ll need to turn your time as a student into the time of your life.

Leiden is a real student city and has everything you’ll need to turn your time as a student into the time of your life.

Can we exploit the cell death machinery of the host to develop new host-directed anti-TB treatments?

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