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

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.

Promotor: Prof.dr. J. Kuiper

The research group headed by Ilze Bot aims to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie atherosclerotic plaque destabilization, which is the key process that leads to acute cardiovascular syndromes such as a myocardial infarction or stroke.

Proteases degrade matrix molecules in the atherosclerotic plaque, thereby reducing atherosclerotic plaque stability. Mast cells, that contain proteases such as tryptase and chymase, have been identified at the site of rupture in specimens of human coronary arteries and their number in the plaque was…

For more information regarding ongoing research projects, please contact Dr. Ilze Bot.

Promotie

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.

Promotie

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

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

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.

At the division of Biopharmaceutics, we aim to develop and test new therapeutic approaches to limit or even prevent the development of atherosclerosis in order to reduce the number of acute cardiovascular syndromes such as myocardial infarction or stroke.

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.

Which brain cell does what, when Parkinson's disease arises? It won't be long before this jigsaw is solved piece by piece. Ahmed Mahfouz, computational biologist, combines bio-knowledge from Leiden with algorithms from Delft and is getting closer to finding the key.

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…

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.

Cell adhesion signaling

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.

From molecule, to cell, to organism. The high-level drug research at the Cell Observatory aimes at reducing the spread of cancer and developing new medicines for tuberculosis.

Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR)

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…

Mechanobiology is a major area in biology, however, mechanics is currently a missing element in drug development pipelines. This has led to a high cost for the society. Mechanotoxicity of drugs often appears as a long-term side effect of drugs, and has led to removal of drugs from the market. Furthermore,…

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

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.

Promotores: Prof.dr. J. Kuiper, Prof.dr. P.H.A. Quax

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

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

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

Promotie

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

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.

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