The department aims for an ambitious research infrastructure and environment for young, talented scientists and students, to achieve the highest possible standards in both research and teaching.

Production processes consume large amounts of energy and feedstock, and they also yield much waste. Chemists at VU University tackle this problem at the root: they develop modern, green methodology for synthesis and production of functional molecules for materials, catalysts and pharmaceuticals.

Greenhouse gasses and scarcity make it a top priority to save fossil fuels and to develop renewable energy sources. Chemists at VU University tackle this problem at the root: they develop, through modern computer modeling, new design principles for green catalysts (saving energy), photo-sensitive materials (solar energy) and energy-storage media ("hydrogen economy").

Many biologically active substances occur in very small amounts in the human body. Tracing these substances is of eminent and ever growing importance for a timely diagnosis of diseases and the development of therapies. Chemists at VU University are developing the techniques and methodology that enable such tracing of biomarkers.

Many diseases develop through changes in the genes (DNA) or because of miscommunication between cells in the human body. Chemists at VU University uncover the molecular mechanisms behind such diseases: this leads to completely new, more effective and also safer drugs for therapy.