Leiden Institute of Chemistry The Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) comprises ten internationally renowned research teams. Besides research, which often shows a multidisciplinary character, the institute provides high-level education programmes. Students become true members of the research teams and are guided by a young and enthusiastic staff. The LIC plays a bridging role in the Faculty of Science as it combines both theoretical and practical aspects of molecular and life sciences.
The research of the LIC contributes fundamental knowledge
Bio-organic Synthesis
to important issues like sustainable energy, health and disease.
This team studies the design and synthesis of carbohydrates, pep-
While such knowledge in general does not directly lead to appli-
tides and nucleic acids as they are found in nature and analogues
cations, fundamental understanding is the only route toward real
thereof. Novel compounds are evaluated with regard to their
innovation. Members of the LIC participate in many national and
biological function as enzyme inhibitors or receptor ligands.
international initiatives including the National Proteomic Centre and BBasic.
Solid State NMR/Biophysical Organic Chemistry
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The long-term goal of this team is to reach an understanding of
Metals in Catalysis, Biomimetics and Inorganic Materials
structure, dynamics and functional mechanisms of membrane
The major theme of this research team involves chemistry taking
proteins and self-organized biological assemblies and to translate
place within the coordination sphere of metal ions.
this knowledge into practical applications including medicine
Topics include the synthesis and application of metal-containing
and nano-devices.
complexes in catalysis, materials and medicine.
Graduate School of Science
Leiden Institute of Chemistry Gorlaeus Laboratorium Einsteinweg 55 2333 CC Leiden www.chem.leidenuniv.nl
Biophysical Structural Chemistry
focus of this team. In the long term the aim is to develop drug
This group focuses on the determination of the atomic struc-
delivery tools and polymeric mimics of natural processes.
ture of large bio-molecules and their complexes. Fundamental aspects of macromolecular structure determination are studied
Catalysis & Surface Chemistry
and applied in collaborative research to understand and predict
This research team studies chemical reactions on well-defined
structural changes.
surfaces at the molecular level. The aim is to unravel mechanistic and kinetic aspects of important catalytic reactions used in
Molecular Genetics
industrial processes, fuel cells and environmental catalysis.
The research of Herman Overkleeft comprises the development of organic compound libraries to
The central theme of this research cluster is ‘control of genetic stability’. The focus is on two aspects: error avoidance by nucleo-
Theoretical Chemistry
elucidate specific biological processes.
tide excision repair and the effects of non-repaired DNA damage
The main goal is to achieve the ability to predict the outcome
The libraries include activity-based probes that react
on the regulation of the processes that control the choice between
of chemical reactions involving hydrogen from first principles.
with enzymes (proteases, glycosidases) and are
differentiation and proliferation in human cells.
Research topics include dissociative chemisorption of hydrogen
tagged for directed proteomics studies. Prof. Overk-
and methane on metal surfaces and the production and storage
leeft has received many grants and prizes, including
of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier.
the 2009 “gold KNCV medal”, the most important
Protein Chemistry
Dutch prize for chemical research.
The research of this team aims at understanding how proteins work and involves both protein production and a large array of
Molecular Biotechnology
biophysical techniques. Important themes are dynamic protein-
The molecular systems biotechnology group provides novel
protein interactions, drug discovery and mechanisms of metal-
insights in regulatory pathways controlling growth, develop-
loproteins and electron transfer.
ment and antibiotic production in actinomycete and applies this knowledge to industrial processes.
Soft Matter Chemistry Synthesis, self-assembly and analysis of complex structures based on macromolecules, inspired by examples from nature is the
Graduate School of Science