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Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (UvA)

Business focus: The Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences (SILS) brings together more than 200 researchers with knowledge from many areas of science, amongst others: biology, (bio)chemistry, (bio)physics, medicine and data analysis- and information technology. Systems Biology is our focal point of attention, essential to reach our final goal i.e. understanding life processes in organisms and cells.

sils

Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (UvA) (SILS)
Science Park 700
1098 XH Amsterdam
Website SILS
E-mail SILS
T +31 (0)20 525 51 87
F +31 (0)20 525 79 34

Employees in Amsterdam: 200
Employees in R&D: 200
Year of foundation: 2000

Company Profile

Life sciences include the science of molecular, cellular, and developmental processes that create and determine a living organism. The aim of SILS is to understand the functioning of a living cell. Biological processes are studied at the level of molecule, cell, cellular network and organism. SILS uses the research disciplines of Molecular Cell Biology, Microbiology, Plant Science, and Neurobiology while supported by Life Science Technologies. Researchers at SILS combine knowledge from many areas of science: biology, (bio)chemistry, (bio)physics, medicine, and data analysis- and information technology. As such SILS is a multidisciplinary research institute. In its research SILS intends to make optimal use of amongst others genomics and microscopy technologies.
The SILS research topics have in common that similar cellular processes and interactions are studied, likewise using similar methodologies and technologies. Therefore SILS scientists often study the same concepts in different biological systems.

Science and Technologies or Services

SILS has organised its research in 4 clusters:

  • Cluster I: The Living Cell
  • Cluster II: Plants and Health
  • Cluster III: SILS Center for NeuroScience
  • Cluster IV: Life Science Technologies

The first three research clusters study processes that take place within and between cells, such as signal transduction, growth, cell division and the structure of chromatin. Members of the different clusters interact on many levels, ranging from the use of common methods to research collaborations. The fourth cluster, Life Science Technologies, applies advanced technologies to fundamental biological research and carries out technology development.
These technologies include: Mass Spectrometry, Micro Array Technology, Advanced Microscopy and Bio-informatics/Bio-Systems Data Analysis.

Alliances

  • Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics (AMOLF)
  • National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI)
  • VU Systems Biology
  • Netherlands Institute of Systems Biology (NISB)
  • TI Pharma/ Solvay Pharmaceuticals
  • Virtual Lab/ e-BioLab

Keywords

  • Life Sciences
  • Neuroscience
  • Systems Biology
  • Life Science Technologies
  • Plant Sciences
  • Microbiology
  • Gen Technology
  • Bio-informatics
Document Actions

Find your life sciences partner in the Amsterdam BioMed Cluster

Find your life sciences partner in the Amsterdam BioMed Cluster

Column

Penny-wise!

Synaps bij column Arjen Brussaard, foto CNCR.nl

By Arjen Brussaard

Recently the topsector plan Life Sciences & Health was published and presented to Minister Verhagen, of the so-called ELI Ministry. The document is an amazing compressed 60-pager, based on months of hard work by the group of experts chaired by Roel Fonville, and summarizes the conclusions after dozens of 1-to-1 meetings, five regional group sessions with dozens of opinion leaders and after having received over 170 (!) memo's, white papers and letters of intent.
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