Homepage Physical Chemistry

Physical Chemistry:

Biophysical Chemistry and Solid State NMR

Welcome to the website for the former department of Physical Chemistry. The research of the department is embedded within the Institute for Molecules and Materials (IMM). Physical Chemistry consists of two separate departments: Biophysical Chemistry  and Solid State NMR.

The two research groups of the Institute for Molecules and Materials (IMM, Radboud University Nijmegen), focusing on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, cover a broad range of research topics in the areas of Functional Materials, Sustainability and Health. Their research is structured in three layers. On the highest aggregation level are the applied projects, which are mainly focused on biomedical applications (structural biology of biomolecules and their complexes, metabolomics / molecular systems biology) and materials research for energy storage and conversion, and self-assembly in biomimetic materials. Within these projects the structure directing forces and transport and dynamics can be identified as fundamental underlying concepts that the groups are exploring to gain an in-depth understanding of the principles that bring a specific functionality to a molecular construct or material. This approach requires appropriate methodology. The groups direct a considerable amount of their research towards enabling technologies with the ambition to progress from bulk characterization to an approach that allows unraveling of the inner workings of the smallest functional units in relation to the processes and functionalities under investigation. Here hyperpolarization, microcoil-based probe developments, metabolomic screening approaches and computational strategies are most prominent. Spinnovation has spun-off as a company focusing on metabolic profiling and providing solids and liquids NMR analytical services.