Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences

A multidisciplinary research institute with a systems biology approach to the life sciences.

Research

Cell & Systems Biology

The Research Theme 'Cell & Systems Biology' focuses on the chain of events all the way from modulation of gene expression up to the resulting phenotype in cells.

Neurosciences

The mission of the Neurosciences collaboration is to understand the fundamental mechanisms that underlie development and synaptic and structural plasticity of the brain as well as information processing.

Microbiology

The Microbiology theme studies the molecular mechanisms involved in the processes, works on techniques to prevent microbial pathogens, and develops novel ways to employ microbes for biotechnological applications.

Green Life Sciences

Research in Green Life Sciences aims at understanding at the molecular level how plants deal with biotic and abiotic constraints, how they interact with insects (herbivores, pollinators), microbes and other organisms and how they diversified during evolution.

Underpinning technologies

SILS contains several expertise centres that contribute to the research in- and outside of SILS with valuable technological expertise. The involved technologies serve as underpinning technologies for the whole institute.

News More life sciences news

16 October 2020

It has been all over the popular news: a Dutch man who has not been able to move or talk for eight years due to severe brain injury can once again function normally with the use of sleeping pills. Neurobiologists ...

23 September 2020

Researchers at the University of Amsterdam have developed a novel class of molecules capable of raising the temperature of plants. Application of such 'molecular heaters' allows crops to grow at lower environmental ...

18 September 2020

Plants can get diseased and develop disease symptoms upon infection by pathogenic bacteria, just as we do. In the case of crops this can lead to severe yield losses. To unravel the mechanism of invasion of bacterial ...

Research spinn-offs

Within the institute, valorisation is valued and we stimulate new business opportunities.

Education at the institute

SILS staff contributes to various Bachelor and Master programmes and is involved in supervising projects in the field of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Biomedical Sciences and Earth and Environmental Sciences.

About the institute

Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences

Research about restored brain function by using sleeping pills

Patented 'molecular heaters' to increase crop yield

Real time imaging of bacteria inside living plants

Vacancies

PhD/PD Council

Contact and location

Cookie Consent

Necessary

Necessary & Optimalisation

Necessary & Optimalisation & Marketing