Applications
Exploiting knowledge of the mechanisms operating a cell is essential to improve healthcare in cancer, infectious diseases, regenerative medicine and personalised medicine. A better understanding of the cell and its behaviour is also relevant for the development of new biomaterials (in food or high-tech materials) and new energy sources (biofuels). Within our Department we cooperate with instrument companies to further develop single-molecule and optical instrumentation (including superresolution imaging), with medical centres to further improve diagnostics and medication (novel antibiotics, HIV medication and drug delivery), and with pharmaceutical companies (on DNA and protein sequencing).
Outreach
Alongside our scientific work, our department is also heavily involved in outreach activities. Our researchers for example guide and support TU Delft iGEM team of the International Genetically Engineered Machines competition (iGEM), which started in 2003 at MIT, Boston. The objective of this competition is to design and build an engineered biological system using DNA technologies. We also communicate the results of our research to the public through movies, public lectures, interviews, etc. See for example the public lecture on cells by Marileen Dogterom on the Dutch television program ‘De Wereld Leert Door’, the ‘Spinoza te Paard’ presentations for a broad audience in theatre het Paard van Troje by Nynke Dekker and Cees Dekker and a movie by Kennislink about bionanoscience by Cees Dekker.
If you are interested in cooperation, outreach or more information, please contact Erica de Jong.
