Word from the director
The last decade has witnessed major breakthroughs in the fields of molecular, cellular and systems biology, but also in related enabling technologies. These innovations fuel a general excitement that a ‘molecular up to systems’ understanding of health and disease is within our reach.
This has lead to establishment of AIMMS, starting April 1st 2010, in which seventeen of the best research groups in pharmaceutical sciences, life sciences, computational life sciences and molecular sciences at the VU Campus joined forces. By integrating these scientific disciplines we are aiming at the elucidation of molecular mechanisms of diseases and the development of novel and safer drugs, therapeutics (e.g. proteins, antibodies and other biologics) and diagnostics (e.g. molecular and translational biomarkers).
AIMMS is about ‘molecules, medicines, systems and networks’. In AIMMS, our research is clustered about three research themes:
- Molecular mechanisms of biological processes
- Design and characterization of molecules and medicines
- Biomarkers and diagnostics
The success of a research institute is very much dependent on the quality of its ‘human capital’. AIMMS is not only putting emphasis on a broad and high-quality academic education of MSc- and PhD students, but it also aims to be an attractive host for talented post-docs and tenured staff, as they are very important categories of human scientific capital.
We consider strong links to external stakeholders in the field as an ideal basis for successful long-term funding of AIMMS and as interesting opportunities for new funding. AIMMS will actively pursue opportunities towards the valorisation of its scientific achievements and knowledge, its technology facilities and services, and its intellectual property (IP).
Prof. N.P.E. Vermeulen
Scientific Director of AIMMS
