This thesis explored the molecular pharmacological mechanisms of targeting CB2R via investigation of novel drug discovery concepts such as target binding kinetics, allosteric modulation and biased signaling.

Meer leren over het ontstaan van het leven op Aarde? Dat kan in de Summerschool Crises in Biology.

This thesis is an experimental study of the UV irradiation of the interstellar ice analogues, relevant for the different stages of the star and planet formation sequence.

Op 3 oktober streed een team van het Instituut Biologie Leiden tegen andere universitaire biologenteams in de Biology Battle of the Universities. Het team behaalde de tweede plaats.

This thesis revolves around the electronic spectroscopy of molecules in the laboratory and the search for the carriers of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs).

Phospholipase A/acyltransferase 3 (PLAAT3) and PLAAT4 are enzymes involved in the synthesis of bioactive lipids. Despite sequential and structural similarities, the two enzymes differ in activity and specificity.

Promotor: Prof.dr. H.L.V. Linnartz

Prof.dr. Geert de Snoo is per 1 maart bij de Faculteit der Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen benoemd tot hoogleraar Conservation Biology. De Snoo blijft hoofd van de gelijknamige afdeling van het Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML).

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

Promotores: T.H.W. Bäck, A. Plaat, Co-promotor: F.J. Verbeek

Catalysis is of extreme relevance in the production of everyday materials and plays a central role in many aspects of our life.

Promotor: Prof.dr. E.F. Smets, Co-Promotor: L.W. Chatrou

Promotor: Prof.dr. E. Smets, M. Stech

In 2015 the Pascalchair of the Faculty of Science, Universiteit Leiden and in particular of Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science, is held by Prof. Dr. Natasa Jonoska, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA.

In the current global context, there is a pressing need to address sustainable energy supplies to safeguard our Planet and its ecosystems. The choices made by human society have a significant impact on genetic evolution and climate.

In the last decades, activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) has emerged as a powerful chemical tool that may aid the ever-challenging drug discovery process.

The cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) is associated with several inflammatory diseases with an unmet medical need (e.g. Alzheimers, multiple sclerosis, reumatoid arthritis). Development of new chemical biology strategies to study this protein is essential to aid future development of drugs for these…

Op 11 november organiseerde de bacheloropleiding Molecular Science and Technology een corona-proof diploma-uitreiking met een bijzondere afstudeerder: de 18-jarige Ruard van Workum. Al van jongs af aan ontwikkelde Ruard een passie voor scheikunde. Hij begon op 15-jarige leeftijd met de opleiding Molecular…

Large areas of space are filled by molecular clouds that consist of gas and dust grains that are the remnants of dead stars. When these clouds start collapsing, the decreasing temperature and increasing density cause gas particles to start accreting onto dust grain surfaces.

In het kader van de Honours Course ‘Crises in Biology’ die plaatsvond van 19 augustus t/m 2 september 2012 in Normandië, bezochten studenten vele geologische interessante locaties. Een van deze bijzondere plekken was de kust van Arromanches. Hier bemachtigden zij een enorm grote ammoniet die ze dinsdag…

A structural investigation of coiled coil peptides used as membrane fusogens, mimicing naturally occuring coiled-coil fusion proteins. Synthetic modifications have been made to alter lipid attachment, secondary structure and to insert photoactive azobenzene moieties for active control over coiled coil…

The long-held desire - to link structure directly to function and to explain molecular mechanisms based on basic chemical or physical principles - is finally coming closer, satisfying not only our scientific curiosity but also offering new solutions to the many challenges in the field of health, energy…

Climate change is a challenge for both current and future generations. New biological resources have to be developed in order to meet the demand for energy as well as the demand for food.

This thesis is about the study of hydrocarbons via infrared spectroscopy.

Mechanical forces are known to play an important role in bacterial colonies. In this dissertation, we study the self-organization at various stages of growing bacterial colonies, and focus on the mechanical effects of cell growth.

Heterogeneous catalysis is one of the fundamental processes of modern life, being common in industrial refinery and hydrogen vehicles, all the way to the living cell. The dissociation of H2 on Cu(111) is an important benchmark system for studying heterogeneous catalysis, with a large and varied amount…

Promotor: F.P. Israel, Co-Promoter: R. Meijerink

In een Advance Online Publication in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology laten biofysicus John van Noort en anderen zien dat DNA gevouwen zit in flexibele spiralen van chromatine. De onderzoeksgroep van Van Noort ontdekte dit in nauwe samenwerking met onderzoekers uit Cambridge. Het artikel met de…

De bewaker van ons genoom, het eiwit MutS, struint het DNA af op zoek naar spelfouten en zorgt ervoor dat deze hersteld worden. Een essentieel proces voor onze gezondheid. Onderzoekers van het Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum (LUMC) hebben ontdekt hoe dit eiwit precies werkt door MutS zichtbaar te…

Streptomyces are bacteria abundant in soil that participate in diverse and complex interactions. These bacteria are the main producers of the antibiotics we currently use in the clinic.

Na het afronden van de bacheloropleiding volgen verreweg de meeste studenten de masteropleiding. De Universiteit Leiden stimuleert studenten om na hun bacheloropleiding door te gaan met de masteropleiding.

Promotor: Prof.dr.ir. J.G.E.M. Fraaije, Co-promotor: A. Kros

Can we distinguish the effects of pesticides from other abiotic and biotic factors that occur in the field? And how do these factors interact with pesticides?

Freshwater and brackish water ecosystems are arguably the most vulnerable ecosystems on earth, due to concentrated human developments in and around them. The Pontocaspian (PC) region located at the border of Europe and Asia contains a variety of brackish water ecosystems and unique inhabitants, known…

As a non-invasive genetic method, eDNA based approaches have become an important component of ecologists' and environmental managers' toolkits for biomonitoring in conservation and an increasingly important source of ecological knowledge.

Heterogeneous catalyzed processes are highly significant to the chemical industry. Dissociative chemisorption (DC) of molecules on surfaces is always considered as a step with a high degree of rate control for heterogeneous catalysis.

The formation and evolution of galaxies is fundamentally driven by the formation of new stars out of cold gas.

This thesis describes a study from both a theoreticaL and an experimental point of view.

Promotor: H.V.J. Linnartz

Despite the history of studies on methanol formation from CO2, the dominant elementary reaction steps that constitute the chemical mechanism for this catalyzed process are not determined.

Marin van Heel, emeritus hoogleraar bij het Instituut Biologie Leiden (NeCEN), is een van de winnaars van de Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences 2017. Deze jaarlijkse onderscheiding eert belangrijke bijdragen die nieuwe onderzoeksvelden ontsluiten of concepten hebben bevorderd in een biomedische disc…

Synthesis and application of chemical biology tools to study immunomodulatory signaling lipids.

The power of personalized nutrition lies in being able to conduct clinical research on healthy people while capturing metabolic markers sensitive to the impact of environmental and metabolic stressors (e.g. diet, changing sex hormones and the menstrual cycle).

Promotores: G.R. de Snoo, W.T. de Groot, Co-promotor: C.J.M. Musters