Promotores: Prof.dr. H. van Veen & Prof.dr. W. de Boer (Wageningen University)

This work has described synthetic strategies towards well-defined structures resembling capsular polysaccharide (CPS) fragments, CPS mimics, teichoic acid (TA) fragments as well as a third-generation ring-closing tandem metathesis (RCM) linker to better exploit the potential of automated synthesis.

The main focus of the thesis is the discovery and development of novel inhibitors of bacterial metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs).

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.

Bacterial chemosensory arrays are protein assemblies that are the key structural and functional component for motile bacteria to sense their internal or environmental chemical signals.

Autophagy is a fundamental degradative process, maintaining cellular homeostasis and functions in host defense against intracellular pathogens, including mycobacteria and Salmonella.

Bacteria often experience external challenges, such as changes in environmental conditions or attacks by bacteriophages.

Promotores: J.A.van Veen, P.L.G.Klinkhamer. Co-promotor: E.E.Kuramae

This thesis describes the antimicrobial discovery strategy developed in our group, the den Hertog Group at the Hubrecht Institute. It includes a cultivation-based screening approach for novel antimicrobial agents from the source of fungi, and a bacterial time-lapse imaging approach for antimicrobial…

This thesis describes the structural and biochemical characterization of the β-lactamase BlaC from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), and the Alr and YlmE proteins from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2).Mtb is the main cause of tuberculosis.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a gram-negative plant pathogen belonging to the family Rhizobiaceae, is the causative agent of crown gall disease, which can affect many plant species including agronomically important ones.

Promotor: G.A. van der Marel, Co-promotor: J.D.C. Codée

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that human macrophages can be induced to exert direct anti-tumor activity against osteosarcoma cells. Our observation that the induction of macrophage anti-tumor activity by L-MTP-PE required IFN-gamma may be of relevance for the optimization of L-MTP-PE therapy in…

Bacterial biocatalysis constitutes a sustainable alternative for high-value chemicals production by enabling the utilization of renewable feedstocks.

With the rise of multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens, the possibility of a post-antibiotic world is quickly becoming reality.

Antibiotic resistance, caused by widespread use of antibiotics, leads to bacterial infections that are difficult, if not impossible, to treat and is a major worldwide health concern.

1. To what extent do metallic NPs added to soil extractions change the activity, abundance, or community composition of microbes? 2. How do the effects of metallic NPs on soil microbes differ from the effects of the ions shedding from corresponding NPs?

Bacteriophages, or phages for short, are the most abundant biological entity in nature. They shape bacterial communities and are a major driving force in bacterial evolution.

In this thesis, bioorthogonal chemistry is combined with correlative light-electron microscopy to selectively label and study pathogenic intracellular bacteria within the host immune cell.

The overall objectives of my thesis are to investigate the dynamics of the sorghum root microbiome and to explore the beneficial effects of the root microbiome on sorghum growth and stress tolerance.

Vancomycin is a last-resort antibiotic for the treatment of many Gram-positive bacterial infections, while remaining inactive against Gram-negative strains.

Nucleoid associated proteins maintain the architecture of the bacterial chromosome and regulate gene expression, hinting that their role as transcription factors may involve local three-dimensional chromosome re-modelling.

Plant-microbe interaction resulted in different physio/chemical responses by host plant and interacting rhizobacteria.

The rapidly increasing commercial application of metallic nanoparticles within products will inevitably enhance the amount of NPs being released into soil.

The investigations described in this thesis lay out strategies aimed at advancing antibiotic research and development. The examples presented revolve around two main approaches: understanding drug-target interactions and target identification.

Promotor: H.P. Spaink, A.H. Meijer Co-promotor: R. Marin-Juez

The bacterial cell wall is a nearly universal structure that offers protection and gives the cell its shape. However, environmental stressors, such as cell wall-targeting antibiotics and hyperosmotic conditions, can induce bacteria to shift to a wall-deficient state. It is unknown whether the lack of…

How are links between macro-invertebrate diversity and ecosystem functioning influenced by anthropogenic pressures?

Promotie

Promotor: M. Ubbink, Co-Promotor: R. T. Dame

This thesis aimed to investigate the impact of exposure dynamics, relative contributions of ENPs(particle) and ENPs(ion), and dosing regimens on the toxicity of ENPs varying in different physico-chemical properties, on the composition and functioning of soil microbial communities.

Hoe kan de techniek van cell wall engineering worden ingezet zodat de industrie streptomyceten beter kunnen verwerken tot nieuwe antibiotica?

Promotores: Prof.dr. H.P. Spaink & Prof.dr. P.C.W. Hogendoorn Co-promotor: Dr. M.J.M. Schaaf

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, it is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and with a high financial burden on global healthcare systems. Bacterial infections are the primary cause of sepsis, but the growing prevalence of antimicrobial…

Striga hermonthica, commonly known as witchweed, infests major cereal crops in Sub-Saharan Africa causing severe yield losses and threatening the livelihood of millions of resource poor farmers.

Promotor: G.P. van Wezel

Bacteria have the ability to alter their morphology in order to adapt to changing environments.

Promotor: Jaap Brouwer, Co-promotor: Remus Th. Dame

Every organisms in the tree of life faces the same challenge: the length of its DNA exceeds the volume of the cell it needs to fit in. Several strategies have evolved to solve this problem, one of them being the expression of proteins that bind and organize the DNA.

Control of infectious diseases poses continuous challenges for human health.

Promotie

Promotor: S.M. Verduyn Lunel, Co-Promotores: S.C.Hille, O.W. van Gaans

The function of TLRs in innate immunity has aroused worldwide attention soon after its discovery. Because of the broad functions of TLR2 in innate immunity, the drive for the development of TLR2-targeted vaccines or therapeutic treatments has accelerated in the last decades.

The research described in this thesis has, using the zebrafish as a model system, shed new light on the intricate relationship between TB and DM2, in particular on the role of leptin, SHP-1 and glucocorticoids.

Wegens de stroomstoring in de middag van 15 maart is de NGL-lezing door Ariane Briegel 'Zooming in on bacterial behaviour' op die datum afgelast.

Een bacterie supersnel bevriezen, om de structuur van buiten en binnen natuurgetrouw in beeld te brengen. Hoogleraar Ultrastructuurbiologie Ariane Briegel kwam speciaal hiervoor naar Leiden: de Universiteit Leiden is een van de weinige instituten wereldwijd waar de benodigde apparatuur beschikbaar is.…

Benieuwd naar de afgelopen lezingen? In het archief bewaren wij de presentaties en eventuele verslagen van onze lezingen.

De onderzoeksgroep van farmacoloog Coen van Hasselt heeft meegewerkt aan een studie die is gepubliceerd in het toonaangevende Lancet Infectious Diseases. Het internationale team bracht de behandeling met antibiotica van de levensbedreigende ontstekingsreactie sepsis bij pasgeboren baby’s in kaart in…

Nederlandse onderzoekers hebben een nieuwe ‘gereedschapskist’ ontwikkeld om DNA te labelen voor het bestuderen van chromosomen. Hun tool is geschikt voor onderzoek naar cellen in kweek, maar ook in levende organismen zoals zebravisembryo's. Het team heeft zijn bevindingen gepubliceerd in het tijdschrift…

Een overzicht van awards en prijzen die in 2020 zijn toegekend aan onze medewerkers en studenten, maar ook bijzondere benoemingen aan de Universiteit Leiden en andere instellingen.