University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Description of organisation
The University is the largest University of The Netherlands, ranking approximatley 65th on the world University ranking list as the best Dutch university. With VUA It is also home to one of the best known and cited Systems Biology groups of Europe. The group on Synthetic Systems Biology is led by Hans Westerhoff and is part of the Swammerdam Institute for LIfe Sciences, which has many groups active in cell biology and biotechnology.
Previous experience
The PI has ample experience in co coordinating EU projects including the Network of Excellence BioSim and a number of STREP prorgans and a Marie Curie Training networks on Nuclear Hormone Signaling. He has coordinated 1 SysMO project and been involved in 6 others. He directs a systems biology institute and a doctoral training centre in Manchester. He has organised 4 international FEBS advanced lecture courses on systems biology. With VUA UvA has been cohosting the two European iGEM competitions in 20011 and 2012.
Profile of staff members
Westerhoff is one of the best known systems biologists form Europe. He has been pioneering much of this field. He is an H>60 researcher with well over 13000 citations and 2 citation classics (>500).
Pernette Verschure is associate professor and acitve in epigentics research and synthetic biology. The UvA group has recent work on epigenetics, transcription cycling and whole body systems biology.
Website
Five recent publications relevant to the project
Geenen, S, du Preez, FB, Reed, M, Nijhout, HF, Kenna, JG, Wilson, ID, Westerhoff, HV & Snoep, JL (2012) Eur J Phramaceut. Sci 46, 233 243. A mathematical modelling approach to assessing the reliability of biomarkers of glutathione metabolism.
Rehman, S, Xu, Y, Dunn, WB, Day, PJR, Westerhoff, HV, Goodacre, R, Bayat, A (2012) MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 8, 2274–2288
Dupuytren's disease metabolite analyses reveals alterations following initial short term fibroblast culturing.
Alberty, RA Cornish Bowden, A Goldberg, RN ; Hammes, GG Tipton, K Westerhoff, HV (2011) Biophys. Chem. 155, 89 103. Recommendations for terminology and databases for biochemical thermodynamics.
Swat, M Kielbasa, SM Polak, S ; Olivier, B Bruggeman, FJ Tulloch, MQ Snoep, JL Verhoeven, AJ Westerhoff, HV (2011) Interface Focus 1, 16 23. What it takes to understand and cure a living system: computational systems biology and a systems biology driven pharmacokinetics pharmacodynamics platform