Leiden Science - Universiteit Leiden

🌱 From stressed crops to groundbreaking mathematics: two outstanding PhD journeys 📐 🔢 Mirmuhsin Maxmudov from the Mathematical Institute - Leiden University discovered his passion for mathematics early on, winning competition after competition. During his master’s, he balanced academic work with a role at Uzbekistan’s central bank. And in his PhD research, he managed to refine the famous theory of Gibbs measures, which predicts the collective behaviour of systems, like a large group of people electing one of the parties. 🌿 In a very different field, Laura Zantis focused her PhD research on how microplastics and nanoplastics affect the growth of barley, wheat, carrots, and lettuce. Her findings? Plastics - even biodegradable ones - stress plants. While much attention has gone to plastics in rivers and oceans, studying their effects in soil is just as crucial, especially since that’s where we grow our food. Congratulations to both researchers on successfully defending your dissertations! 👏 

🔬 A future with personalised treatment for patients with atherosclerosis — could it really be within reach? 👀💥 The researchers behind the new consortium AtheroNeth believe so! Backed by a €6 million grant from the Hartstichting, the project aims to better understand the differences in the course of the disease in patients. At Universiteit Leiden, scientists in the BioTherapeutics department are investigating whether certain inflammatory cells or proteins are present in the blood that can predict the stability of an atherosclerotic plaque. 💬 ‘If such biomarkers can be used to predict the course of a patient's disease, this could ultimately lead to earlier detection, improved therapy and, therefore, a lower disease burden for patients,’ says Professor Ilze Bot.    🎉 Congratulations to Ilze, Bram Slütter, Amanda Foks, Marloes van Oosterhout and everyone else involved in this project! 

🌿 Get to know Barbara Gravendeel, Scientific Director of the Hortus botanicus Leiden 🌿 Barbara Gravendeel shares how her lifelong fascination with plants – sparked in a childhood orchard – led her to the heart of the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands. Now Scientific Director of the Hortus botanicus Leiden, she talks about her vision for the future: turning the garden into a biodiversity hotspot, strengthening ties with the scientific community, and exploring how modern research and natural heritage can go hand in hand. Together with co-director Tom Schreuder, she is working on a renewed mission, with room for education, co-creation, and sustainable innovation. One of her first visible changes? The return of the traditional hedge – as both cultural heritage and ecosystem. 📖 Read the full interview to learn more about her background, ambitions, and plans for the garden: https://lnkd.in/eAvw_qmC

Congratulations to Marieke Vinkenoog en Simon Christian Hansmann🎉 During the faculty opening of the academic year, the Krijn Rietveld Memorial Innovation Awards were presented to two talented researchers whose work bridges science and societal impact. 🏆 Marieke Vinkenoog (LUMC & LIACS) received the Doctoral Societal Impact Award for her data-driven models that improve the efficiency of blood donation using machine learning. 💬 Vinkenoog: ‘Just as Krijn Rietveld, I seek collaborations that bridge different fields of expertise to benefit society.’   🏆 Simon Christian Hansmann (ETH Zurich, formerly Leiden University) received the Graduate Societal Impact Award for his pioneering use of 3D organoid models to uncover how different colorectal cancer cell types drive relapse. 💬 Hansmann: ‘I was actually still in the lab when I received the news and was very happy to be surrounded by the people that made this possible in the first place.’   Both projects highlight how innovative approaches can translate into better healthcare solutions for society.   About the Award: in memory of Krijn Rietveld (1956 - 2018), the Leiden University Fund and DSM-Firmenich established the annual Krijn Rietveld Memorial Innovation Award in 2020 to recognise innovative research for a more sustainable world. #dsmfirmenich #LUF

Uniting Europe’s cancer research networks 🤝 Researchers from our faculty are joining colleagues from 53 partners in 19 countries in a major new EU-funded initiative to strengthen cancer research. Over the next five years, the consortium will develop innovative ways to securely share data, accelerating discoveries, and bringing better diagnostics and treatments closer to patients. From LIACS, Marco Spruit, Armel Lefebvre, and Kiana Shahrasbi are involved in the project. We are proud of our researchers who contribute their expertise to this €30 million effort, helping build a stronger, more connected future for cancer care in Europe.

🌱 Gorlaeus Rooftop Garden: A green space for sustainability and relaxing Above the Gorlaeus Building’s bike parking lies an unexpected green oasis: Leiden’s largest rooftop garden. What began as a student initiative has grown into a vibrant biodiversity project – now open to all students and staff. The garden was designed with sustainability in mind. Native plants, a vegetable garden, medicinal herbs and even a small peatland recreate valuable ecosystems in the middle of the city. At the same time, the garden offers a place to pause, meet colleagues, or contribute to ongoing student projects. By turning unused roof space into a living lab, the project supports the university’s wider ambitions for sustainability and a healthy campus environment. Make sure to have a look at the newest lunch spot of Leiden University! Read more about the project on our website, link in comments ⛓️

🎉 Congratulations to Marc Koper🎉 Professor of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry at Leiden University, Marc Koper has been awarded the EuChemS (European Chemical Society) Gold Medal 2026 – a prestigious recognition of outstanding achievements in chemistry across Europe. 🧪 His internationally recognised work in electrocatalysis and renewable energy applications continues to shape the future of sustainable chemistry. ‘It’s a great honour to be among such prominent names,’ says Koper. The award will be presented in July 2026 at the EuChemS Congress in Antwerp.

🏆 Award-winning method to create even better algorithms   A team from the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) has been awarded the GECCO Humies Silver Award for developing LLaMEA – the Large Language Model Evolutionary Algorithm.   LLaMEA combines evolutionary algorithms with the power of large language models to automatically design and improve algorithms. The method already delivers solutions that outperform many human-designed approaches, and has potential applications in fields such as photonics, AI systems, and mathematical modelling.   This international recognition will allow the team (Niki van Stein, Thomas Bäck, Haoran Yin (殷浩然), and Anna Kononova) to further develop the method: ‘We can now work with multiple large language models, which are very expensive to use. Our work is making an impact and getting noticed by other researchers. That kind of recognition is a real boost for us.’ 

From plastic eating enzymes to new vaccines to fight future pandemics: 4 NWO Open Competition XS grants for Leiden Science researchers! 🎉   Congratulations to Marta Artola Perez Azanza, Stephan M. Hacker, Dane Marijan, and Han de Winde on receiving these grants for their bold and innovative ideas.   Marta Artola Perez de Azanza (Leiden Institute of Chemistry) is developing a faster, easier way to find molecules that can block the RNA of viruses like SARS-CoV-2, paving the way for new antiviral treatments 🦠💉   Stephan Hacker (Leiden Institute of Chemistry) is tackling dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria by designing antibiotics that can slip past their tough outer shell 🥼🥊   Dane Marijan (Leiden Institute of Chemistry) will create a method to watch, down to a single molecule, how certain proteins break apart toxic fibers linked to neurodegenerative diseases 🔬🧠   Han de Winde (Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL)) is designing an enzyme-based process to break down polyethylene, the world’s most common and stubborn plastic, enabling more effective recycling ♻️🚮

🌿 Let nature surprise you 🌿 'Give organisms like plants and animals the freedom to move, interact, and meet their own needs, and they will thrive on their own,' says Professor Geert de Snoo.   His message? Let go. Nature management often means controlling landscapes to match past ideals—removing trees to preserve heathland, or eradicating non-native species to protect native ones. Despite good intentions, biodiversity continues to decline. In the Netherlands, butterfly populations have dropped by 56% since 1992 (CBS). According to De Snoo, looking back isn’t the way forward. Today’s ecosystems face different conditions. What if, instead of forcing a specific outcome, we stepped back? ✅ Give species space ✅ Accept change ✅ Be open to surprises It’s a more relaxed, yet radically hopeful approach: stop micromanaging, and let nature show us what it’s capable of. Read more in the comments ⬇️