Division of Biomolecular Analysis and Spectroscopy

Research Profile

Prof. dr. Wilfried M.A. Niessen	Prof. dr. Cees Gooijer (Emeritus)

The Division of Biomolecular Analysis and Spectroscopy (BAS) is divided into the Biomolecular Analysis (BMA) and the Biomolecular Spectroscopy (BMS) group. 

Biomolecular Analysis (BMA)

The mission of the Biomolecular Analysis (BMA) group is focused on the development of novel analytical methodologies for the discovery and trace analysis of biologically active compounds improving the knowledge on drug-like properties of candidate drugs, with an emphasis on hit/lead discovery and early ADME. The research strategy of Professor Niessen is dedicated to meet key analytical challenges in the area of pharmaceutical and biomedical research and associated fields. Analytical methodologies are developed that strongly emphasize attention to the development of sophisticated methods for the analysis of both small organic molecules (drugs, metabolites, catalysts, toxic compounds) and biomacromolecules (therapeutic proteins, protein adducts). The  development and application of integrated multidimensional, hyphenated and high-throughput methodologies that can be applied both for quantitative as well as structure elucidation purposes are the core business of the BMA group.

The following subgroups are associated with this chair:
Dr. Henk Lingeman: Bio-analysis: Sample pretreatment and separation methods;
Dr. Jeroen Kool: Novel Bioactivity Screening Technologies
Dr. Martin Giera: Bioanalysis, Cellular metabolites, Analyte derivatization strategies.

Biomolecular Spectroscopy

Research of Professor Gooijer's Biomolecular Spectroscopy group is focused on the development of advanced molecular spectroscopic methods, using mainly the UV-visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. A variety of techniques is available or is under development: steady state and time resolved fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopy, various forms of Raman spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and ellipsometry. There are two complementary lines of research with main attention on pharmaceutically relevant compounds. The Analytical Chemistry line aims at the development of novel laser based spectrochemical methods to improve detectability and/or identification power, both stand-alone as well as coupled to liquid phase separation methods (CE and LC). The Physical Chemistry line of research focusses on developing fluorescence and Raman based methods to study the dynamics of receptor-ligand and enzyme-substrate interactions.

The following subgroups are associated with this chair:
Dr. Freek Ariese: Spectrochemical Detection and Identification Methods Based on Raman and Fluorescence Spectroscopy;
Dr. Gert van der Zwan: Fluorescence and Raman Spectroscopy of Protein Folding Events and Ligand-Protein Interactions.

Detailed information can be found in the department's latest progress report.