Cell-based medicinal products (CBMPs), such as CAR T cells, are highly complex biopharmaceutical products offering various treatment options for serious illnesses such as cancer or autoimmune diseases.

Atoms and molecules are the basic units of matter. If we keep dividing a bar of gold or a glass of water into smaller parts, at the end we are left with a single gold atom or a water molecule.

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.

In november 2020 is het Engelstalige boek ‘Financial Collateral; Law and Practice’ verschenen. Het boek is gepubliceerd door Oxford University Press en geredigeerd en geschreven door professor Matthias Haentjens. Voorts hebben meegeschreven Anthony Zacaroli (High Court, Chancery Division), Yael Diamant…

Promotor: G.P. van Wezel

Growth hormone profiles are pulsatile and highly variable between individuals, limiting the implementation of mathemathical models to quantify an individual's secretion.

The next generation of high-contrast imaging instruments on space-based observatories requires sophisticated wavefront sensing and control in addition to a high-performance coronagraph.

Mechanical metamaterials are carefully engineered materials whose properties are controlled by their structure, not by their composition, which allows using metamaterials to study and control physical effects in detail⁠.

Promotores: Wim Jiskoot; Ferry Ossendorp

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.

Promotores: R. Cramer, A.K. Lenstra, Co-Promotor: B.M.M. de Weger

Promotor: Roeland M.H. Merks

The experiments described in this thesis employ local lentiviral knockdowns in brain areas of female zebra finches followed by behavioural assays consisting of preference and Go/Nogo tasks.

With the help of quantum mechanics, digital quantum hardware may be able to tackle some of the problems that are too difficult for ordinary computers. But despite these expectations and the ongoing effort of the research community, reliable quantum computers are not yet realized in a lab setting.

Promotor: Prof.dr. D. Bouwmeester

Control of infectious diseases poses continuous challenges for human health.

The effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB) remains a major challenge to global health.

Promotores: Prof.dr. P.M. Brakefield, Prof.dr. B.J. Zwaan (Wageningen Universiteit)

Promotor: B. van de Water

This PhD-thesis presents a study on micron-sized particles, so-called colloids. By controlling the chemical and physical properties of these particles, such as the interparticle interaction and the particles’ shape, colloids can act as building blocks that self-assembly into larger structures.

During post-embryonic development into adults, animals face an environment that fluctuates constantly. For example, in nutrient availability, temperature, and osmolarity (e.g., salt concentration).

This thesis seeks to combine two different research topics; Multi-Objective Optimization and Complex Network Analysis.

Promotores: W. Th. F. den Hollander, M.O. Heydenreich

The chemical and structural heterogeneity of toxoid vaccines makes their analysis challenging. However, detailed insights on a molecular level can be obtained by mass spectrometry.

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.

Promotores: G. Persoon, R. Schefold

The filamentous bacteria Streptomyces are widespread inhabitants of terrestrial soils.

Streptomyces are prolific producers of enzymes and secondary metabolites, including more than 50% of all clinical antibiotics. This makes them highly attractive for medical, biotechnological, and industrial purposes.

Promotor: J. Aarts

In this thesis integral points on affine del Pezzo surfaces are studied.

Statistical considerations guide the design and implementation of the experiments that scientists perform. For instance, in a clinical trial about a the efficacy of a treatment, its effect in a certain minimum amount of patients has to be observed in order to make confident assertions about the efficacy…

This thesis describes how to scale down concepts of macroscopic mechanical metamaterials to the thermal scale using a system of flexibly-linked colloids.

Promotores: W. Jiskoot, F. Ossendorp

Gendergerelateerd geweld is een urgent maatschappelijk probleem dat jaarlijkse vele levens ingrijpend raakt. De ernst en complexiteit ervan vragen om een doordachte en professionele aanpak, met oog voor slachtoffers, daders, de context en het systeem.

Het Leids Universitair Centrum voor de studie van Islam en Samenleving (LUCIS) is een interfacultair kenniscentrum dat een multidisciplinaire en vergelijkende benadering van islam en moslimsamenlevingen bevordert.

Staf en studenten bij het LUCSoR werken nauw samen met maatschappelijke partners. We werken mee aan de ontwikkeling van onderwijs over religie, levens-beschouwing en burgerschap, en adviseren overheidsinstanties en religieuze organisaties.

A single self-assembled semiconductor quantum dot in a high-finesse optical microcavity - the subject of this thesis - is an interesting quantum-mechanical system for future quantum applications. For instance, this system allows trapping of an extra electron and thus can serve as a spin quantum memory,…

On a structural level, the properties featured by a majority of mechanical metamaterials can be ascribed to the finite number of soft internal degrees-of freedom allowing for low-energy deformations.

Naast het feit dat angstproblemen veelvoorkomend zijn en het daarom belangrijk is om hier effectieve preventieve programma’s en behandelingen voor te ontwikkelen, is dat in deze tijd extra relevant.

Nanoparticles can be used as delivery systems for both small molecules and macromolecules such as proteins, peptides or oligonucleotides. This thesis focuses on the use of liposomes, nanometric vesicles formed by a lipid bilayer enclosing an aqueous core. Liposomes are highly versatile delivery syst…

Synthetic hydrogels that mimic the natural extracellular matrix in the biophysical and biochemical cues it provides to cells are in high demand, however the cell phenotypes as they are observed in vivo in numerous cases have yet to be attained.

Promotores: Prof.dr. T.H.W. Bäck, Prof.dr. M. Bongards (Cologne University)

In this work, we investigate the minute circular dichroism effects of single nanoparticles.To this aim, we apply photothermal imaging with a polarization-modulated heating beam.

Soil is a home for an unbelievable diversity and abundance of microbial life that is essential for supporting life on our planet.

The majority (80%) of e-waste generated globally are recycled informally in developing countries.

Leiden en Den Haag hebben veel musea met grote aantallen bijzondere voorwerpen en archieven. Ook de Universiteit Leiden herbergt bijzondere collecties. Museums, Collections & Society bevordert onderzoek en onderwijs en stelt ethische vragen omtrent de herkomst van deze collecties.

​​​​​​​Wereldwijd krijgen jaarlijks ongeveer 9 miljoen mensen tuberculose. Onderzoek naar nieuwe medicijnen tegen deze ziekte heeft een flinke impuls gekregen door efficiëntere technieken en nieuwe inzichten in hoe de tuberculosebacterie werkt.