Postdoctoral Research Assistant

I started my academic studies in chemistry at Leiden University in September 1995 and conducted my undergraduate research in the ’ÄúBio-organic Synthesis’Äù (BIOSYN) group of the late Prof. Dr. Jacques H. van Boom who introduced me into the magic of carbohydrate chemistry.

After finishing my undergraduate research, which involved the use of carbohydrates as building blocks for the synthesis of highly functionalised spiroketals), I left the Netherlands in 1999 to gain experience at GlaxoWellcome (currently GlaxoSmithkline) in Stevenage (United Kingdom) under the supervision of Dr. David J. Davies and Dr. Ian M. Campbell.

After returning to the Netherlands in 2000, I was affiliated as a PhD student at Leiden University in the BIOSYN group. Under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Jacques H. van Boom, Prof. Dr. Gijs A. van der Marel, Prof. Dr. Herman S. Overkleeft and Dr. Mark Overhand (in a close co-operation with Dr. Louis H. Cohen of TNO Leiden, Gaubius Laboratory) I completed my PhD thesis in June 2005 (Title: Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Peptidomimetic Prenyl Transferase Inhibitors).

After being awarded a Marie-Curie Fellowship (with Prof. Dr. Ben G. Davis), I joined Prof. Dr. Ben G. Davis’Äô group at the University of Oxford in November 2005. Here my main topic involves the development of novel synthetic strategies toward glycopeptides and glycoproteins. In line with this I have a great interest in the exciting field of ’Äúchemical biology’Äù. From September 2006 to March 2007, Marthe Walvoort (a visiting student from the BIOSYN group) is helping me with this noble and challenging task.

Marthe Walvoort

Last updated: 30-11-06